Very Unequal Tie Rod Adjustment

[thehackmechanic]

I'm rebuilding the front end in my TCS. The new tie rod ends look pretty much like the old ones, same length and shape. But when I install them and eyeball the amount to screw them onto the steering rods to get the rotors pointing straight ahead, I have to thread the left tie rod end all the way onto the steering rod to get it in the ball park. It's so far on that there's virtually no adjustment left. The right one doesn't have to go on nearly that far. Unfortunately, I didn't note whether the old ones also had this characteristic before I took them off.

It's as if the steering rack isn't centered, but I did the left-lock to right-lock test on the steering wheel, and it looks to me like it's dead nuts centered.

Any ideas what's going on?

--Rob Siegel

[jbcollier]

The front wheels "look" straight when they are actually toed in quite a bit.  I would set the toe-in and then see where you are.

[BDA]

+1

When I put my front end together the last time, I thought there was something terribly wrong and there was almost no adjustment to be had. When I set up the toe, it was all good.

[4129R]

I had to cut a bit off the end of the thread of the rack, and cut more thread on the rack, to get the right tracking on one of my racks when installing new track rod ends.

Been there, done that.......

[Bart]

Hi,

I am also rebuilding the front end of my TCS and I had a similar issue, for me, with the track rod ends fully screwed on both wheels have a significant toe out. It seems to me that the replacement track rod ends do not allow as much to be threaded on before they jam as the old ones did (wish I still had the old ones to check against). I have been thinking about this for a few weeks now and the only solution I can come up with is to cut a section of the threaded part of the rod off to allow me to thread the track rod end on further and thereby reduce the toe to where it should be.

I am planning to do this over the holidays so wish me luck.

Bart.

[Sandyman]

Bart, if you are cutting threads to make the track rods shorter, think about putting a die on further than where you plan to cut so you can repair the threads after cutting.

[dakazman]

Hi Rob,
http://www.lotus-europa.com/manuals/tcparts/h/index.htm

   Has the steering rack moved? The parts manual shows the components. There isn’t much that can be off center.  maybe a picture or two can help?
Dakazman

[brucelotus26r]

When the car is aligned properly you will only have about 3 or 4 thread showing.
It's is not advisable to cut thread on track rods because  the thread are rolled to increase the thread diameter producing a much stronger rod and cutting it with a 1/2 inch UNF die will is much weaker and dangerous ?

[BDA]

I don't think I'd worry about that, Bruce. Rolling threads on bolts is mainly to reduce the stress risers at the root of the thread by forming a more rounded root and it compresses the "fibers" of the steel at the root strengthening the weakest part giving it a sort of forged quality). Whether rolling is used on a tie rod, I'm not sure. Is the tie rod made of cast iron (my guess is yes but I don't know) and can you roll threads in cast iron (I have no idea)? But above that, I don't think that there is enough stress on a tie rod to worry about any weakening from running a die over the threads.

I suspect there is some variability in the length of tie rod ends and maybe the tie rods too. I put two jam nuts on each of my tie rods so I jam them together and wrench on that rather than grab the tie rod (I don't want to scarf up the paint!  ) and their is room for them so it sounds like I may have a bit more threads than you do. It's a little interesting that the Spitfire tie rods are shorter than the Europa ones and I don't think they are too much shorter to use on a Europa.

[jbcollier]

Tie rods are subject to high loads and shocks.  Cut threads is a bad idea.

[EuropaTC]

Tie rods are subject to high loads and shocks.  Cut threads is a bad idea.

Seconded, and maybe even "thirded" and "fourthed"   

I'm pretty relaxed about most things but tie rods are critical items and something you will never be in a position to check. The first thing you'll know is when the fatigue crack develops into complete fracture and you head off the road.  My understanding was that in view of this risk they had rolled threads.

BDA - I don't know what material they are made off but I'd be surprised if they are cast iron. I'd have guessed either a carbon or maybe low alloy steel, forged or rolled from bar maybe ?  But I don't know, only guessing.

Brian

[BDA]

You're probably right that they are forged, Brian, especially since I apparently underestimated the loads on them!

[Roger]

I also seem to remember that the threaded bit is larger diameter than the plain bit, precluding the idea of cutting longer threads.
Or is that true only of the Elan? I'm not very mobile right now, so can't go and look.

[4129R]

There is so much thread on the new track rod ends that the thread on the rack is only cut to allow for the correct tracking, rather than to get enough threaded joint between track rod end and rack.