Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2008 21:26:16 -0800
Reply-To: Kevin Carrubba <kcarrubba@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kevin Carrubba <kcarrubba@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Tie Rods
In-Reply-To: <034201c87f3d$6e399820$6401a8c0@DJZL7KF1>
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Hi Scott,
Thank you for sharing your experience, I appreciate it. Sounds like
were on the same page on the if it ain't broke don't fix it. I sold
my 70 bug recently because the replacement parts were making the car
unreliable. Looks like I need to check the rack first, great idea I
would have never thought to check that.
Thanks Again
Kevin
On Mar 5, 2008, at 7:51 PM, Scott Daniel - Shazam wrote:
> They’re not weak or usually failing on vanagons in my experience.
> I tend to leave good working parts in service.
> Depending on what you get as a replacement, the replacement ones may
> not even be as well made as originals from ‘the fatherland.’
>
> It’s not a full alignment of course, but you can adjust toe just
> fine yourself without getting a whole official alignment,
> You can even center the steering wheel ( besides just re-spline-ing
> it where it attaches to the steer shaft ) by figuring out which tie
> rod to lengthen or shorten while you dial in the toe.
>
> However a full real alignment of course is much better.
> I would say tie rods only fail from jillioins of miles, or out of
> round tires, or out of balance tires, or tires feathered from not
> having it alignment, or worn shocks.
> ‘by themselves’ they don’t just wear out really, or not that
> easily. It’s all the other factors.
> I see a hundred different vanagon tie rods a year, and barely find
> one or two bad, if that. Vanagon front ends are really good,
> You keep good smooth balanced tires on there, and good shocks,
> And drive it nice – vanagon front ends last really well.
>
> Tips – don’t wrench of the rack itself undoing the inner ends if you
> can help it.
> Count threads when you unscrew the outer end, so you can get back
> close.
> If it’s just the outer ‘ball pivot’ at the wheel that’s bad, you can
> just replace that. They are ALL, fortunately, right hand thread
> where they screw on the tie rod. That helps a lot. Some cars have
> left threads on one end, right on the other, and some people mix ‘em
> up, or you forget which way to turn it to adjust toe, it’s a mess,
> but another GREAT things about vanagons is the tie rod ends both
> have right hand threads.
> Have fun !
> Do good work. And just to be clear, the ‘right thing’ is a full
> complete alignment afterwards. The tie rods are so reliable, that
> I think I’d take good original ones over aftermarket ones many times.
> Check tires for out of roundness and trueness while it’s up.
> Tire balance has to be decent too, otherwise it beats the tie rods
> and rack.
> Oh ! – make sure your play at the wheel is really tie rods and not
> the bushing in the end of the rack being shot, allowing up down
> movement there, which shows up as what appears to be tie rod play
> out at the wheel.
> And gotta have medium decent shocks at least too of course.
> Scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of Kevin Carrubba
> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 7:32 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Tie Rods
>
> HI Folks,
> I'm back in lurker mode as my van is finally starting to dry off after
> another wet winter. I'm noticing my right tie rod has some play in it
> and I"m sure needs replacing as it has not been replaced since I have
> owned the van. So is it recommended to do both sides? The other side
> seems tight but I would hate to do this and need another alignment a
> week later. I've never done these before any things to watch out for?
>
> Thanks
> Kevin
> 87 Westy EJ22
> Vashon WA
>
>
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