MK4 golf rod help

Oh s*it.

Err, that's the track rod end which is connected to the steering arm. The track rod end screws onto the arm coming out of the steering rack which comes out of a gaitor. You need to apply pressure to the opposite side from the thread to force the tapered bit back into the hole its in.

You're at the point where you can severly f*ck it up. Take it to a garage until you have more mechanical knowledge. You're going to have to take it there to get the tracking set up anyway so might as well let them do it.

If you do insist on continuing blindly, count the number of turns it takes to take the trackrod end off the steering arm and when you replace it, turn it the same number of turns. That'll get it close enough to drive slowly to the garage to get the tracking done.

Steering, suspension and brakes aren't the things to be doing to be learning about mechanics until you at least know what the parts are, what they're called and how to take them off.

just to clarify you are trying to change the track rod end see pic

Thats the bugger a track rod end. I forgot the name of the doodah :)

I did make a tipex marking today of where the track rod if now, but I will double up with counting it assuming I get the nut off. I will get the tracking done professionally. But with that done it should be near to the mm. If you push the track rod end down from the top there is about 3mm of space where you can see the the new\un-weathered thread, I was thinking of maybe pushing down and cutting it off tommorow and that should free it and I can then unscrew it and install the new one.

Big of a bugger the bolt decided to seize right there. Literally I got the ratchet on it after some wd40 soaking and started undoing it and then it just stops in the place it is about three turns of the ratchet. I tried grabbing the end of the tie rod end thread with some pliers and mole grips to see if I could get it going again with a spanner as space was tight but not joy. Perhaps I should have tried a hammer and chisel.

I'll give you and connoros methods a try.

Rest assure good man, I just had a brain freeze on what the part is called. I know a fair bit about suspension and brakes etc etc so not gone in blind. Just hit a snag of a seized bolt. I would love to take it to the garage to do but money is low at themoment so I'm cutting back where I can.

I did this job on my wifes car, and it went simply, but sods law I hit a snag. I hope the passenger side is more kind :)

Thanks for the advice connor.

cant remember from memory but is the nut at the top ? if so try using a scissor jack or trolley jack to push it back up into the taper. Its quite common for them to do this, sometimes you can just get a pair of molegrips in between & grip the "pin". hey your not a painter & decorator are you ? I could do your track rod end you could do my wallpapering, lol.

The bolt is at the bottom.

Sadly I'm not a painter and decorator lol, although I'm pretty good at papering, had a lot of practice lol. It would be a perfect deal reg :)

Thank you kindly for the advice *thumbs up*

A bit of sucess, I stepped back and had a think about it, for once lol. I cut a slit at the end of the thread so I can hold it still with a flat end screwdriver and use a open ended spanner to turn. It worked. Phew. Next up well tommorow as I'm crackered lol is to get it all off, inner outter, boots etc. Then refit new one and boots which I have not bought yet.

Was the bolt lose before you started to undo the nut or did it come lose when you started to undo the nut?

I'll be honest I did look, I rattled the track rod end and saw the movement and thought hmmm thats damaged. I put a 19mm socket on it and cracked it and from what I remember it just kept spinning, I think corrorsion held it in place and that was the inital crack feel. So I'd bet it was lose to begin with.

It was shagged then. The new one's still going to be cheaper than the tyre wear though. Plenty of plus gas and a bit of care are worth it as you don't want to trash the steering rack arm, but it should be fine.

I forgot to add that the inner wheel thread on the tyre is bald!!

I will get the tracking done in the morning when everywheres open and a new tyre.

Do tie rod ends have to is or is advised to do them in sets ? as I noticed ecp and gsf sell them singly.

There's no particular advantage to doing them in pairs (It'll save you the price of getting it retracked if the other one goes though)

May aswell do it whilst I'm at it. No doubt its not far behind the other knackered one.

Local garage advertise as having a computerised alignment tool and they'll do it for £30 which is not to bad . A new tyres is needed, the tie rod ends I worked it out at £95 includive which isn't bad I guess. I hope the outter track rod comes off easy otherwise in comes a little aggravation. Splitting the ball joint on the tie rod end is something I have never done. I think from googling, its a fork shaped tool you wedge up in it and smack it with a hammer to split it, or theres a scisscor one which is a bit better from reading. Or just whack the knuckle a few times to shock it out :)

One thing thats being added to my tool box is a nut splitter :)

Worth mentioning on the thread on the tie rod end at the bottom of it is

From what I gather from reading found the haynes ... as the track rod arm is not at fault just worn tie rod ends I only have to go as far as changing the ends. So correct me please if I'm wrong all I do is undo the tie rod end, get that nut off either cut it, split it, or use the allen key hole to hold it whilst undoing with open end spanner, wedge a ball joint splitter, smack it to get it out. then on the outter rod it self is a opening for a 22mm spanner and a 13mm spanner so holding the 13mm one still anti clockwise turn the 22mm spanner and that should release the outter track rod *he says hopefully hoping the heavens will be kind* obviously whilst undoing that counting the turns and then put the new outter arm (bit of red locktitie on the threads?) and then not 100% on this bit push the tie rod end through the hole and bolt up with a torque wrench?) as its a balljoint it will all be connected right ? so nothing else to do ? (never handled a ball joint situation before) then assuming I'm right just torque the tie rod end up and wheel back on and take a gentle drive to get the tracking done ?

Pretty much right. You may well not need a balljoint splitter, but if you don't have a means of getting one before you start then they're not that expensive, the scissor ones work best /if/ they fit in the gap & rapping the lever where pushes on the balljoint every 1/4 turn makes them a lot easier to tighten, track rod ends aren't normally that bad though. Nut splitters are great, if you can afford it the J shaped ones