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Anyone know what spanner size is needed for the lock nut on the track rod end for the tr7?

Took the 7 for wheel alignment last week and the couldn't fond a spanner - they were very tight as well, so it was a quick spray and i'll go back.

Just as a general query what are the sizes on the 7 - are they metric or imperial?

Brian

Should be metric,19mm I think.Cannot believe they did not have a spanner to fit though,Steve..

Brian, if they haven't got a spanner to fit then go somewhere else

Steve @ SandS wrote:Brian, if they haven't got a spanner to fit then go somewhere else

Yeah, I tend to agree...............If they don't even have even the most basic tools to do the job and can't figure out what size the nut is, they can't be very professional.

When you complete the alignment make sure that the steering rack is in the centre. If you take out the blanking screw,on the input pinion (where you fit the grease nipple when servicing) and put a small thin screwdriver in, when the rack is in the centre you can feel an indent in the rack. There is a special tool but essentially does the same thing. You can then align your steering wheel in the centre and the 1.6mm of toe can be adjusted spot on at the garage.

Thanks to all for your input.

I was pondering removing the rack anyway and doing a full inspection, and clean up the old grease etc.

I'll probably add a couple of track rod ends as well,

Just as an aside if i centre the rack as described above, do i then align the wheel by removing it and centring?

Brian

You lucky they told you they hadn't got a spanner. When worked in a tyre centre in the late 80's, we were told if we couldn't loosen the nuts, just tap around underneath and pretend we had done the job. I refused and fell out with the boss. 1 day a guy came in with a Lada Riva, The main drag link was very badly bent so I told to go and get straightened and then we could sort it. The boss came wandering through asking were the customer had gone. I told him what I had done. He stopped £15 out of my wage that week to cover for his lost income. I told him to stick his job a week later when I found out what he had done.

Paul_TR8 wrote:When you complete the alignment make sure that the steering rack is in the centre. If you take out the blanking screw,on the input pinion (where you fit the grease nipple when servicing) and put a small thin screwdriver in, when the rack is in the centre you can feel an indent in the rack. There is a special tool but essentially does the same thing. You can then align your steering wheel in the centre and the 1.6mm of toe can be adjusted spot on at the garage.

This takes me back a few years when Mrs Busheytrader had a Mini Clubman. She took it to the local tyre centre to have the tracking checked out. The wheels were at dead centre with the rack about 25% off centre which made parking interesting!

Brianc wrote:Thanks to all for your input.

I was pondering removing the rack anyway and doing a full inspection, and clean up the old grease etc.

I'll probably add a couple of track rod ends as well,

Just as an aside if i centre the rack as described above, do i then align the wheel by removing it and centring?

Brian

Depends if the steering wheel is currently correctly centred. It is better to get the rack and tracking right and then adjust the steering wheel to suit, it does not take much as it is on a splined shaft, just make sure the road wheels are straight, remove the centre nut and position the steering wheel on the splines to suit.

Thanks all