Guest mcyoungy Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Took gal in for the cambelt today. When I picked it up the mechanic says that the OS track rod end is worn - they noticed it when they took the wheel off. So......what might he have noticed? Play in the wheel when he took it off? Visible signs of wear? Car drives straight and true with no knocking or squeals. Quote
Smilge Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Took gal in for the cambelt today. When I picked it up the mechanic says that the OS track rod end is worn - they noticed it when they took the wheel off. So......what might he have noticed? Play in the wheel when he took it off? Visible signs of wear? Car drives straight and true with no knocking or squeals. Yea ...when they jacked that side up they would have grabbed the top and bottom of the wheel and given it a rigorous rocking. This will have shown wear in the track rod end which in effect is a balljoint; An MOT failure. Quote
Guest mcyoungy Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Thanks Bleeno. It's only done a few hundred miles since the last MOT. Due again in April so I'l lleave it til then and see what's said. Cheers. Quote
Dave-G Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Galaxy goes through track rod ends in less than 20k if yer town driving. If the car was jacked up and you tried to move the wheel side to side through its steering cycle you would notice free-play. Dead simple to replace, and IIRC - about 20 squiders each. Quote
Smilge Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Thanks Bleeno. It's only done a few hundred miles since the last MOT. Due again in April so I'l lleave it til then and see what's said. Cheers.Might be worth changing them yourself mate before the MOT .... not difficult if you have someone who has done them before with you for the first time and they're relatively cheap to buy. Should take about 1/2 an hour per side and a lot cheaper than getting a dealer to do it. Quote
Guest mcyoungy Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Unfortuantely I have no facilities to work in on a car. It's no big deal - I have a very honest friend who does my MOTs. If it needs replacing, he'll tell me. Steering feels fine so I'm not overly concerned. Quote
RADIOTWO Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Steering feels fine so I'm not overly concerned. Not a very good attitude You won't be saying that when one wheel goes one way and the other goes the other, and you poss go through a brick wall, or even worse hit another car ank kill the others in the car !!!!! Radiotwo Quote
MadBaz Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Steering feels fine so I'm not overly concerned. Not a very good attitude You won't be saying that when one wheel goes one way and the other goes the other, and you poss go through a brick wall, or even worse hit another car ank kill the others in the car !!!!! Radiotwo A bit ott I think, considering thats unlikely to happen because of a worn track rod end, if it snapped/worked loose from hub carrier maybe Quote
RADIOTWO Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 A bit ott I think, considering thats unlikely to happen because of a worn track rod end, if it snapped/worked loose from hub carrier maybe Have you never seen one snap? so if he plows into another car thats OTT?? when he knows about it, Quote
tim-spam Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 A track rod end anywhere near failure would be very noticeable indeed - knocking, steering wander, severe wheel shake, etc. However, it's easy enough to check, and if there is indeed excessive free play, it should be replaced ASAP. Quote
Guest mcyoungy Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 So how much play is too much? This is why I posted this topic, as I don't know. How about offering some practical advice instead of being so pompous, RadioTwo? Quote
RADIOTWO Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 So how much play is too much? This is why I posted this topic, as I don't know. How about offering some practical advice instead of being so pompous, RadioTwo? That is not being Pompous as you put it, but if it was spotted while having another job done then it must be bad enough to be at least checked out by someone who does know ! Anything steering,Brakes, suspention related should be taken seriously ! If you drive on the roads you have a responsibility to others as well as yourself. Radiotwo Quote
Guest mcyoungy Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Yes I do, which is why I didn't ignore it, and came on here to find out how I can tell if it needs replacing. Which you still haven't actually helped with. So thanks. you're right - pompous was the wrong term - self-righteous is more accurate. Quote
gregers Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 personally if the mechanic noticed it in the first place,then he wouldve told you in his humble opinion how serious he thought it would be,if he thought it was totally u.s then he wouldve recommended that you have it changed straight away? how concernd was he? i have a m8 who does all of my repairs and in the past when hes found things wrong,i allways ask does it need changing straight away,he normally says it could be ok for xxxx ammount of miles(his opinion AS HES THE EXPERT)that then gives me time to find funds to cover the repair we all come on here to glean info for various problems we incounter,lets keep it SWEET. Quote
NikpV Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 we all come on here to glean info for various problems we incounter,lets keep it SWEET. Have to agree - thanks Gregers ;) Quote
mumof4 Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Cool it please guys.....anymore and i shall close the thread.This is no way to treat anyone, let alone a new member who came to us for help. Quote
Guest mcyoungy Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Thanks Gregers. The mechanic wasn't overly bothered. He said it was "worn". He didn't say anything like "get it done straight away". He also told me that the back box was on its way out. He didn't seem overly concerned about that either. He didn't tell me to get that fixed straight away, so I guess it'll be ok for a while. I can't hear it blowing. Hence my question: How can I tell? For all I know he may see another big wad of notes heading his way. How much play is excessive? Surely there must be some movement in it? How much force is needed to generate said play? A little? A lot? Quote
gregers Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 iirc if theres ANY play then it will fail the mot Quote
mumof4 Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 If i remember correctly..there should be no more than about 1 to 1 and a half inch play in the wheel...dont quote me on it though..as i know that i covered this in my course, but i just cant remember the exact figures.not much force is needed to rock the wheel...if you jack the car up...should be able to move the wheel that way...(watch the sills though!!) Or am i thinking of summit else???? Quote
Guest mcyoungy Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Is this rocking as in rotating the wheel? Or as in lateral movement backwards and forwards? Quote
mumof4 Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 Is this rocking as in rotating the wheel? Or as in lateral movement backwards and forwards? well..im on about as if you were trying to spin the wheel.. Quote
gregers Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 i didnt think there was allowed any movement but hey im a carpenter I DONT KNOW EVERYTHING BUT IM CLOSE,i think its as in rocking Quote
Guest mcyoungy Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 aha! So possibly he found this just undoing the wheel nuts then. ok thanks. I'll pop the jack under it tomorrow and see what I can see. thanks for all the positive input. sorry it got heated. didn't feel that some of the responses were warranted. Quote
gregers Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 sorry it got heated. didn't feel that some of the responses were warranted. YOU AINT SEEN NUFING YET Quote
mumof4 Posted January 15, 2007 Report Posted January 15, 2007 If you jack a car up and try and spin/rock or whatever the wheel..there will be a little movement...(if the car is in gear.).if in neutral it will spin like a top Quote
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