Damaged threads

[Rissy]

While i was in Belfast, I bought a new steering rack. Over the past few days, i've removed the old one, sized up and prepared the new one, and then fitted it. Once i finished, after aligning the wheels the best i could, i tried to take the car for a drive. Within only a few metres travel, i immediately realised that all was not well. the car felt unstable and was pulling to the right. After going round the block once, I returned to the driveway to dismantle again, and try another readjustment of the track rod ends, not in hopes to get it perfect, of course, but just to try and make it more driveable for taking to a garage to let them do the tracking professionally using their lazers etc. In trying to get the new track rod ends off the wheel calipers again, i had some real problem. They were both stuck fast! I had to give them a good bashing to get them out. and here lies the problem. I managed to damage the threads for the bolts on both the track rod ends now. I've since immediately ordered 4 (2 backup!) of the things from Ed to replace and do this whole thing again (hopefully not damaging any more threads of course). So now i'm left with two almost perfect track rod ends, which just need the threads cleaning up (they are not badly damaged, but enough to stop the bolts from turning smoothly down the shaft to get to the tight position next to the rubber. The ball joint just starts spinning instead!) I don't know the characteristics of the threads (maybe Ed would be able to tell us...) but i do know they are imperial threads, not metric. a 5/8 socket fits the nuts, but i couldn't tell you the description of the thread itself, including pitch etc.

Is there anyway i can get these threads cleaned up again to make the track rod ends usable again, without buying a whole die wrench set, hoping that it might contain the correct bits for these particular threads!? It's really annoying. I've only got myself to blame of course, but i was SO close to finishing LEX's new steering rack and getting a chance to try her out before i leave for work again tomorrow morning. Now it's gonna have to wait until September at the earliest. I'm off to Russia on Monday morning. Ed's parts should arrive next week at my parents, but i of course wont be here then...

Sorry for the length of this....!

[Rich Hanlon]

The ideal would be to get the appropriate die and re-cut the thread. Perhaps a goole search may hel determine what thread it's likely to be for a 5/8" a/f head - haven't got the tables available any more...

Without that, well, if you can just get a nut turning on the thread, then you could take a nut, feed the blade of a junior hacksasw through the hole and reattach the frame of the hacksaw around it - so you now have the hacksaw with the nut round the blade. Then cut three or four lengthwise 'grooves' into the internal thread of the nut - by doing this you are approximating maiing a new die.

Then, remiove the blade, and use this nut as a die, turning it down the damaged thread, going half a turn forwards, then quarter of a turn back to break the swarf. The grooves you have cut will allow the swarf to escape, like a die.

Make as sure as you can that you are following the original thread too, you don't want two on there - and remember that these are critical components, so if there's any doubt, chuck 'em out.

Perhaps a little tip if you have to remove 'em again (bit late now) is to leave the nut on the end of teh thread before you hammer them out of the tapers - this protects the top of the thread from 'mushrooming' over...

Good luck!

R

[Rissy]

Cheers Rich.

A good idea there, but a lot of work cutting a nut.
The only two nuts I have are the actual ones that came on the track rod ends in the first place, and these are now a bit damaged also, from trying to thread them on in the manner you suggested, back and forth to try and recut the threads.
I also tried using a Stanley knife for over an hour on each track rod end thread, which DID show signs of helping, but not enough.
As for the idea of leaving the nuts on the end of the shafts for hitting them out....this is what i did, originally, but the nuts are so soft that they started crushing! I now have a deformed looking one! This is why I then took them off and continued just with the top of the thread, with a towel over (still not enough protection).

In comparison, I had to hit my old track rod ends a damn site harder to get them off, and they don't have a mark on them!? (just don't make um like they used to!?)
It's just a pity the old threads are different from the new.

This is another reason I bought from Ed again yesterday, as I don't know if any other cross referenced track rod ends will fit the other threads on the end of the steering rack shaft?...

[Rissy]

...I've been measuring. The threads on the track rod ends are 5/16 with a 1mm pitch (not knowing how to measure imperial thread pitch without using metric measurement. The steering rack threads on the end of the shaft appear to be 1/2" but not sure about pitch... Just for info on Ed's steering rack assembly.

[Chris P]

Try and get a "thread file" they are very good at this sort of thing. Usually square, with diferent spacing on each side, just detrimine the best match and get carefully filing away.

[stunned_monkey]

DeLorean track rod ends cross ref to a metro, easily available for less than £10 in the UK

The reason they stick fast is that the shaft is a taper lock and you need a ball joint splitter in order to remove them. I use one of these (claws slightly ground down to fit more easily)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Scissor-Ball-Join ... 0664866011

Your easiest approach is to simply replace the track rod ends. To stop the ball spinning, put your jack under the rod end and put some upwards pressure through the taper lock (not too much - you do not want to bend the hub carrier).