Howdy all. I’ve searched and searched but find no information on the locking nut that sits at the end of the tie rod arm that is a weird shape and may need a special tool. 1. I’ve purchased new tie rods for my car as there were none fitted (the car is an ongoing project) 2. I have all new parts sat next to me, boots, arms and ball joints. 3. when I went to fit the drivers side (RHD car) tie rod arm I saw a huge nut that was loose which has two big flat sides - circled below in the diagram: The help I’m after is understanding what to do with it, specifically where it should be positioned. It seems that it will go all the way inside of the thread where the tie rod screws onto, if that is the case - how do I tighten it? And what point should I stop it turning? If anyone has any pics, info, or help on this then that’d be mega appreciated. I’m so close to getting this car finished and it’s weird little things like this that trip me up :-) Or is the long-story-short to just thread it in as far as possible and then screw the actual tie rod arm up to it? I figure the nut would be inaccessible to counter hold at that point so I’m at a loss - and I don’t want to have the wheel sticking out far too much by incorrectly installing it. Finally, should I also drop some threadlock onto it when installed? Maybe let it sit for a bit and then tighten the arm on. Thank you!!
Okay, typical, found an online manual which describes the process well / however how on earth are you meant to measure from the thread inside the actual steering rack piece (on the left of the diagram’s “b” label)? The bushes to attach the rack go here so I’m a bit confused as to even where this arrows are even pointing to as the first reference point.
You just pull the rubber boots off, and use a steel ruler or depth gauge. It's actually very easy in reality, sounds worse than it is. And it can be the difference between a numb feeling car and a nicely steering one
Thanks kindly Tristan! Maybe it’s the diagram but I can’t really work out where this is even pointing to? Or - is it literally the furthest point inside the housing of the rack? The rack is on the car with the bushes attached to the subframe - so the diagram threw me off a bit as if there would be some kind of marker or similar. I was planning to cut a small piece of plastic to 70.5mm and then insert it and screw the tie rod on until there.
I had to make a pair of nuts as there was none available. This is the picture I took of my Manual Rack conversion. It's on the car now and all in spec after toe adjustment.
KeithMac that’s a lovely rebuild, hopefully dodged the rain lol... Nice idea to use the while lines to line up with tippex and making those nuts. Curious - could you not just use a normal nut that size? Can I ask what point you measured the 70.5mm from to set the initial tie rod end? I’m also very glad to see that it sticks out absolutely loads so I can definitely get a spanner in there with the car up on stands and no exhaust.
Hey Tristan. It seems there is a “lip” on the inside of the rack that I can measure 70.5mm from and it looks like everything is in position properly. Here’s a photo of the inner lip, marked “X” and then roughly where the tie rod should be positioned. It seems KeithMac made slightly thicker nuts that may take up the extra thread space I have behind the nut as mine are OEM nuts. Thoughts? If I insert the tape measure all the way in there’s like 11cm reading, which there’s no way that’s correct as the locking nut would be all the way inside and inaccessible. We centered the rack yesterday with the same thread length exposed on both sides.
Mine looks very similar to Todd Motto's. The nuts have to be that shape because they run inside the rack at full lock iirr. Can't remember size off hand (24mm fine thread?) But the were massive before I ground them down to make then same as original part (although slight thicker). I did a manual steering conversion so measured total distance on old rack from tie rod end to tie rod end and made sure I had plenty of adjustment at the tie rod ends.
That's a Neuspeed ARB, you get the front and back as part of a kit. Rose jointed front links and polyurethane bush fittings for the front wishbones. I bought them 20 years back so don't know if they are still available, originally black but I decided to add a bit of colour (my son chose red for the 288mm front calipers) so rude not to match the arb's!.
Also rocking the 288’s in red haha! Great choice! I’ve been debating upgrading the ARB but it’s the VR6 apparently, so it’s a bit thicker than stock. Can always swap it later and drop the subframe somehow with the engine in ha :-) great stuff. Also, I’m waiting on delivery for my MK3 tie rods to fit to the steering arms at last - VR6 widetrack setup - so am being very OCD about those measurements on the tie rods. The manual image I shared definitely looks like it’s pointing to that inner lip on the steering rack so I’m going with that. And halfway mark at the end of the tie rod is easy. I’ve got it sat nicely and there’s 3-4mm of thread to spare so I think it’s all centered and measured nicely. Just need to now see what width to set the tie rod arms as the MK2 Golf is 379mm so with the wide track must be a lot wider as the stock tie rods don’t even reach.
I don’t suppose anyone knows what to set the 379mm tie rod length on a MK2 Golf, but for MK3 Wide track? I understand they’re 10mm longer or something so maybe that’s all that’s needed.
The subframes are the same aren't they? If so, it's the same setting, is inner tierod "hinge" position is directly related to the "hinge" point of the wishbones, for proper steering.
I’m using the MK2 subframe with MK3 VR6 lower control arms + Hubs, and then the MK3 tie rods. It’s the tie rods which are the same fit to the steering rack but obviously they are slightly longer to cater for wide track.
What I didn’t grasp was this image, which suggests using 379mm for both left and right tie rods. But I can’t see any info about the wide track setup on a MK2, weirdly when I measured my MK2 tie rods the 379mm didn’t even measure correctly so I’m not really sure on this manual.
I looked at Haynes manual and that didn't make much sense either. Luckily I had total width from old setup to set new one to, ensuring there was still plenty of adjustment.
Yeah it’s a weird one… I followed the Haynes too and put the ball joint onto the track rod and it measured like 390/400 fully spun down the shaft of the tie rod. So something is weird there. It’s a manual steering rack and the tie rods were new Meyle branded… I’m having a company finish up some wiring and some last installs before they do road checks, oil, MOT and mapping, so I think I’ll loosely fit them for now and then have their expertise on this job. I don’t want to mess the steering angles and full lock / turning capabilities etc. I can’t quite picture it in my head or know enough about the joints to envisage how the steering would affected with the inner tie rod further out compared with it further in - interesting food for thought. I think in my head the further in the inner rod is the greater steering angle you’d be able to achieve. But I might be wrong.
