Locked Track Rod Ends

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

I need to sort the tracking on on my PAS equipped 1.6 GTI but the TRE's are so tight that I suspect they may have been thread locked in

 

Assuming I can't remove them is the only course of action to change the steering rack or can the rods be changed independently of the rest of the rack?

[GLPoomobile 958]

What have you tried so far?

 

The track rod has a flat on it nearer the boot. If you whack a spanner on that and then jam it against something close by, you can then stick another spanner on the TRE and teach it a lesson with the BFH. Use plenty of Plusgas/heat/cold too.

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

So far i've just tried a spanner round the flat you mention and another on the TRE and then trying to beat it to death....thus far this approach has been unsuccesful

 

I'd like to try heating it but I have no means of heating it.

[oli-pug 6 2 Cars]

As said, use lots of heat and penetrating fluid and lock a spanner in against something on the track rod flat. Use a really good fitting spanner on the rod end lock nut and give it s*it. Failing that, a set of Stilsons usually does the trick!

[j_turnell 134 3 Cars]

You'll only do it with heat, Oxy-Acetaline, works every time!

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

I'll have another crack at it, but if it doesn't budge then it'll have to be a trip to the local spanner

[welshpug 1,646]

Stilsons FTW

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

If not you can always replace the control arm, there only around £18.00 each and you get another nice new joint on the rack which most people forget about as they do wear

[MerlinGTI 3]

Oxy! It does indeed work every time.

 

Saying that chances are the cup and ball joint thingy closest to the rack is on its way out anyways.....

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

If not you can always replace the control arm, there only around £18.00 each and you get another nice new joint on the rack which most people forget about as they do wear

 

Forgive my lack of knowledge (first time i've worked on a steering rack) but how does the control arm connect at the rack end? Is it underneath/near the bellows? If it's accessibile with the rack on the car then that might be the next step if the TRE's don't come out. Also are the control arms available from GSF and the like?

[Tom Fenton 1,536]

You don't necessarily need oxy-acet to free off track rod ends, a plumbers blowtorch flame played on the area for 5 min will be sufficient in 99% of cases. However a decent pair of stilsons as said will usually shift them.