Cortina Steering Rack Remove/Fit Question

[danburger28]

Hi all, little question here.
Took my Cortina IN For MOT this morning, and along with other things, it failed on the steering rack, or at least one of the couplings in it.I'm going to replace it altogether(in a mad panic as it all needs to be done by Monday night!), which doesn't seem a hard job according to my Haynes. I don't even need to take the wheels off!But, it does make mention of having to split the trackrod ball pins from the steering arms. This is the question, stupid as it may be, but, does this mean I need to replace something else too when I split them?Or can they just clunk back together?Having not done one before, I'm not sure.And if I need new bits, this could be a problem!
Any advice welcome
TA

[composimmonite]

Personally if fitting a new or recon rack unless the TRE's are newish I'd automatically change them at the same time. However if it's the column couplings then I'd try to change them without disturbing the actual rack at all.
Might be worth letting us know exactly what the MOT fail sheet says is wrong.

Paul h

[danburger28]

May 11, 2012 20:11:52 GMT composimmonite said:

Personally if fitting a new or recon rack unless the TRE's are newish I'd automatically change them at the same time. However if it's the column couplings then I'd try to change them without disturbing the actual rack at all.
Might be worth letting us know exactly what the MOT fail sheet says is wrong.

Paul h

Ok cheers. The fail sheet says 'ball joint has excessive play' Near side. \you could see it moviing about pretty freely under the steering gaiter!

[mk2cossie]

if its anything like most things, you should be able to get just the rack end. can leave the rack in place that way then ;D

[bortaf]

If it's the inner rack joint that has play you can tighten them but TBH a new rack is only £35 and easy to do so i'd just change it as the inner joint is probably worn and will still have play after tightening you may be able to get just the rod but it's usually the seat it sits in that wears and you cant get those or the plastic spacer the ball end sits in
This is the insert that wears as well as the joint'




You can reuse the track rod ends if you split them using ball joint seperator like this
www.diytools.co.uk/draper-63770-expert-ball-joint-separator.html?utm_source=Google-Product-Search&utm_medium=Organic-Feed&utm_campaign=Google-Product-Search&gclid=CPrixqKW-a8CFYpjfAod-hggGw

If you use a ball joint splitter (the type below) it will destroy the rubbers and render the TREs pretty useless so as compo says i'd just replce the TREs at the same time, they are usually under a tenner each
compare.ebay.co.uk/like/150799821301?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&adtype=pla


It's a fiddle getting the rack out past the ARB but doable with some swearing (never underestimate the power of swearing) ;D

[danburger28]

Well done mate, ta very much.Ive got a whole new rack, picking it up tommorow.\might have to order some tre when I pick it up then.Thanks again!

[bortaf]

May 11, 2012 22:05:16 GMT danburger28 said:

Well done mate, ta very much.Ive got a whole new rack, picking it up tommorow.\might have to order some tre when I pick it up then.Thanks again!

Any time mate just don't expect a short answer ;D
the old anorac comes out and off i go

[danburger28]

May 12, 2012 12:25:40 GMT bortaf said:

May 11, 2012 22:05:16 GMT danburger28 said:

Well done mate, ta very much.Ive got a whole new rack, picking it up tommorow.\might have to order some tre when I pick it up then.Thanks again!

Any time mate just don't expect a short answer ;D
the old anorac comes out and off I go

I'm alright with that mate, always up for learning more Ford goodness! ;D