tracking

[hiluxlover]

Hi all

So took my surf to be tracked today, and i was told blah de blah blah all the relevant parts were rusted and ceased and that nothing could be done until they replaced all the parts with new parts. Now i am no mechanic but the adjustment rods did not look rusted and ceased to me and there was no evidence of any lubricant used, Anyone had this problem before or is this dude trying to pull the wool over my eyes???? having that said they are supposed to be a reputable company? Thank you in advance.

[Koi]

Hi and welcome.
Its not uncommon for them to seize up, however I would expect to see some WD40 or the like sprayed over them, some tool marks on them as well where they had the grips etc on them.
Try freeing them up yourself then take it somewhere else to get the tracking done. If it does need parts don't let them get them look top right of this page to get the parts yourself.

[animal]

by the sounds of it they just couldnt be arsed to do the job,
my track rods were all seized on my 2.4 , but 5 minutes with some wd40 and some heat and they turned nicely , take it somewhere with some competent mechanics instead

[TonyN]

I always free them off before hand, as they are usually siezed up, and they will only try so hard to move them.

Most need WD40, heat and big pair of stilsons.

If they are really bad, you'll crush the adjuster tubes, then won't be able to adjust them properly.

[hiluxlover]

tracking

Cheers guys for the info all very informative, my update is I took it to another garage and in fairness he spent about 20 mins with gas on one of them and said the same thing without me telling him about the previous guy.
Now yes my next step was going to give it a go myself with WD40 and gas as i do love a challenge and succeeding when so called mechanics fail
But having come away from there in fairness to the fella he showed me that the tracking was not off that much (1 degree he said) so now I am wondering could something else be causing the over and back motion while traveling slow and the pulling hard to the right on normal traveling??

Cheers again in advance guys!!

[BUSHWHACKER]

I always free them off before hand, as they are usually siezed up, and they will only try so hard to move them.

Most need WD40, heat and big pair of stilsons.

If they are really bad, you'll crush the adjuster tubes, then won't be able to adjust them properly.

A good idea I saw once was to shrink some heat shrink sleeving on new TREs once they've been set.

[hiluxlover]

very interesting bushwacker cheers mate.

[hiluxlover]

Hi and welcome.
Its not uncommon for them to seize up, however I would expect to see some WD40 or the like sprayed over them, some tool marks on them as well where they had the grips etc on them.
Try freeing them up yourself then take it somewhere else to get the tracking done. If it does need parts don't let them get them look top right of this page to get the parts yourself.

Cheers Koi very helpful

[TonyN]

A good idea I saw once was to shrink some heat shrink sleeving on new TREs once they've been set.

Yeah, its a good idea. I never remember though.

I usually paint copper slip all over the threads before and after assembly

[Bogus]

And as good as wd40 may be it is not a penetrating oil

[KrisW]

And as good as wd40 may be it is not a penetrating oil

neither is Coca Cola but is works somehow

[hiluxlover]

Yeah, its a good idea. I never remember though.

I usually paint copper slip all over the threads before and after assembly

all very good advice cheers, fella number 1 said that if i replaced rod ends it would solve the shaking is he right?also not sure if he meant both inside and outside rod ends do you reckon outer ones would suffice?

[Dodge]

... so now I am wondering could something else be causing the over and back motion while traveling slow and the pulling hard to the right on normal traveling??

Cheers again in advance guys!!

Worn track rod end(s), imbalance in the tyre pressures, worn steering idler, odd tyres, duff shock absorber, uneven suspension, duff steering damper, dry wheel bearing, overweight driver?

[MWS]

, overweight driver?

Someone call my name?

[andy_enuff]

Invest in plusgas.... or 3m penetrating oil, use lots of copper slip and heat shrink in the future - and most places that do tracking seem to do so with much disdain for the user - most of my local garages seem to really not care as long as the computer says it's right - steering wheel wonky or not - they just care about the figures on the machine/laser levels.

I did have a good laugh watching the chav kid at one of my local garages pretty much knock himself out trying to adjust the camber bolts using a breaker bar which slipped off and he went flying towards the ramps and bashed his head. surf's do like to injure people :P