Track rod end

[Alex'n'Ane]

I have managed to get the steering arm off from the track rod end, however on refitting the kingpin/ steering arm then nut has gone on a few turns, but now the whole thread is turning. I didnt have any such issue taking it off and have applied very little force as of yet. Has something sheared towards the top of the ball joint? Or do i need to somehow hold the thread? Is a new track rod end needed?

[charlie_morris_minor]

no, you have not sheared any thing..

if i understand you, you need to tap the top of the track rod end to push the bolt into the steering arm, which will "grip it" and stop it turning as you do up the nut..

[Alex'n'Ane]

the top? asin tap the thread upwards towards the ball joint? Or tap the ball joint cover (mine has no greasing nipple) downwards?

[Alex'n'Ane]

Oh ok i see, tap it down from the ball joint cover, into the steering arm on the kingpin, which should then hold it?

[charlie_morris_minor]

yes

[bmcecosse]

Hold it down with a long bar wedged in under the chassis - and get someone to stand on the bar....... It may be a nyloc nut(?) that's gripping the thread - try pulling the taper joint in with a standard nut first - then remove it and fit the nyloc.

[Alex'n'Ane]

Thanks, a bottle jack under the arm, and a hit from above with the hammer worked ok, especially with a bit of heat applied to the nut. Thankyou very much for the help on this one was getting majorly worried, what would we do without the forum...

[bmcecosse]

NOOOOOOOOOO! Heat to the nut will have melted the nylon in the nyloc nut - so now it;s not a lock nut anymore......

[Alex'n'Ane]

It was never a nylock nut..

[bmcecosse]

It should have been some sort of locking nut (perhaps not actually a 'nyloc') - I don't understand why on earth you thought to apply heat to a new nut ??

[Alex'n'Ane]

It wasnt a new nut. In order to make it go on easier, I will replace it with a new nylock now it has tightly clamped itself in.

[minor_hickup]

When you get the old nut off it might be worth cleaning the taper in the steering arm and on TRE with thinners or brake cleaner so that it grips better when pushed down and you don't get the same problem again.