Steering - center tie rod assembly HELP

[Hamish]

Hi

Is the center tie Rod assembly on a tr3a (1959)

Supposed to be straight ?

 

Mine isn't the center seems to be bent up and is close to the bottom pulley.

 

If it's supposed to be straight.

Can I straighten it and what's the method. Or do I try and source a replacement.

 

I have my first sprint beginning of May and a family holiday booked end April so running out of time.

Help welcome.

H

[foster461]

Are we talking about the drag link Hamish, the bar with the silentbloc's at each end that connects the steering box to the drag link ?. That bar is straight in its long center section. Any chance that the silentbloc's were installed upside down and the bar had to be bent to get it to fit ?

 

Stan

[iain]

Hi Hamish

 

it should be straight in its length As per part 36?

Edited April 17, 2017 by iain

[Hamish]

Iain

Yes that's the part.

Is it possible to straighten it?

And how does one split the connecting joints

Sorry my pic is side on

H

Edited April 17, 2017 by Hamish

[Guest ntc]

Yep with BFH

[foster461]

There are several hokey techniques for splitting ball joints but this style of tool works best in my experience:

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-4-quarter-inch-forged-ball-joint-separator-99849.html

[Hamish]

Cheers all

I tried the hammer method to split them.

And ended up at local halfords for this type

 

I will take the no 36 steering rod to a local garage to press it straight tomorrow

[ijonsson]

Big hammers might work but I prefer the tool foster linked to, for me it's been one of the better tool investments.

[iain]

You've cracked it..

 

Should straighten pretty easily.

 

Looks like a careless jack

 

Iain

[Hamish]

Thanks Iain et al

The help and moral support from the forum is great. Even on an Easter bank holiday.

All help and advice always very welcome in this little corner of Cheshire.

Steering geometry checking may need professional kit and help once back together tho !!

Thanks

H

[Alec Pringle]

Hi Hamish,

 

the centre tie rod is not a bar, it's a thick wall tube . . . . . and somewhere roughly centre is a tiny drain hole.

 

Once bent, it is not the easiest of items to straighten . . . . . and what state the centre might be in after that much stress, your guess is as good as mine ! Tubes that get bent and then straightened again tend to lose a fair wadge of strength in my experience. Possibly not something one might wish to determine sprinting at full chat ?

 

If you need a decent, ie straight, replacement I do have one. They haven't been available as new component for decades, it's good used only I'm afraid. This one has been sitting on a shelf for 40 years or so, it's decent enough.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

Edited April 17, 2017 by Alec Pringle

[Hamish]

Thanks Alec

PM'd you

H

[Les]

Hamish................I have a straight but rusty spare one removed from my TR2. Yours FOC if you fancy a trip down to Telford.

 

Les

Edited April 17, 2017 by Les

[Hamish]

Thanks to all

All sorted now

[Hamish]

All refitted today and took opportunity to replace ball joint dust covers and grease everything.

My local go to garage Mikeanics in congleton managed to carefully Bend the bar/ tube back into shape with a press and shaped proforma pipe bender fittings that kept the bars shape and integrity. My only caveat was only do it if it's safe.

He is a new and classic car race rally prep specialist and he was certain it was

Very cheap fix too.

Thanks for all the help - offers- and moral support.