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MG MGF Technical - Track rod ends

Morning all, Just a bit advice needed on my track rod ends. I replaced these less that a year ago now as there was a lot of play in the ball joint of the track rod end. Now about 10 months later it atit again, feels sloppy when going ver bumps and up kerbs etc. I know its the track rod ends as ive had it to bits at the weekend and the play there is as bad as before, any ideas as to why they need replacing again so soon???!!!!
GC

Speed bumps
Will Munns

Bloody speed bumps!? Hate them!
GC

At least TRE's arn't expensive or difficult to change!
Will Munns

very true, about 20 quid, easy to do aswell. But i'd rather have that cash to spend in prague next weekend. Nevermind, like you say they dont cost much.
GC

GC/Will, just had a call to advise I've a MOT failure on one of these. The garage reckon on about an hour's labour and recommend tracking be re-done. Does that sound right to you?
Paul Bevan

Paul

Should take a trained mechanic 30 mins but I was charged an hour by an MGR dealer (read it how you will). 4 wheel align essential afterwards.
JohnP

>The garage reckon on about an hour's labour

!!!
10 mins a side
15 if you're doing it yourself:

requires large spanner - I use a shifting wrench
a smaller (12mm?) - I use a mole grip/plumbers wrench
a socket for the TRE bolt (15mm?)
a two or three leged puller

1: Take wheel off
2: looking at the TRE it appears thet it has a hexagonal end, this is in fact a seperate nut to the TRE, use the large smanner to tighten this nut along the shaft (away from the TRE) only tighen till it seperates(1/8 of a turn)
3: Now undo the nut on the TRE to control arm
4: Using the three leged puller position the legs under the control arm and tighten the bolt against the tre shaft you have pulled the nut from (step 3)
5: with the TRE clear grip the shaft from the stearing rack firmly using either the hexagonal section of the shaft and a spanner or the mole grips
6: unwind the TRE
7: put on new TRE untill it reaches the nut in step 2;
8: now insert the tre into the control arm and tighten the nut from step 3 and then the nut from step 2
9: put the wheel back on


>and recommend tracking be re-done.

Probably worth doing
Will Munns

Thanks, I trust(ed?) this garage so will have a word when I pick it up...
Paul Bevan

If I pick it up.....not ready now until tomorrow. Locking wheel nut key has sheared off, adding a possible further hour's labour and a new set of locking wheel nuts. Smile rapidly fading... cheaper for me to do the work and stump up a re-test fee...
Paul Bevan

>Locking wheel nut key has sheared off, adding a
>possible further hour's labour and a new set of locking
>wheel nuts.

Nope!!!!

MG locking wheel nuts are marked with a number - take this number to MG and you can buy a new key off the shelf, no need for new nuts or extra labour
Will Munns

oh
Paul Bevan

Turned out that just 1 hour's labour covered fitting of TRE, tracking and the removal and replacement of the "old" locking wheel nuts. All in all am pleased with the result, despite being too late to take Will up on his suggestion of replacing the wheel nut key instead of a whole set.
Paul Bevan

Not a bad result Paul.
JohnP

Ah, all still good then. Did they replace them with MGR locks or another?
Will Munns

MGR - £32.50. Not bad if they last another 7 years.
Paul Bevan

IIRC just the key costs £15
Will Munns

I need new tack rod ends..
.. at risk of walking into a chorus.. I will ask the stupid question anyway;-
where is the best place to get parts like this..?

.. Performance parts I would always goto Victoria for.., but how about the bog-standard bits and pieces?

Neil H

Neil,
IMO at MGR dealers only, or ebay.
Dieter K.

Neil

Are you doing the work yourself? Find a local Motor Factor in your area and see what their part price is - the TRE is not unusual - and compare with MGR.

Our nearest factor were very competitive on disks & pads 18 months ago.
JohnP

Neil,

As JohnP says, you might get these cheaper at an independant; this side of the sea, it's easier to use the web...

Brown & Gammons:
TRACK ROD END MGF (GSJ827) @ £28.43 EACH

I replaced these myself at some point last year. Won't touch MGR (in Ireland) with a barge pole. Got some wheel nuts off B&G a while back @ £ 2.98 each (about 4.30 euro). Local MGR charge a staggering 13.30 euro.

Col

Colin McIlwaine

Tops, thanks guys..,
yeah, I will probably have a hack at it myself..
B&G sounds good as there isn't a Motor Factor so close..
Neil H

Neil

Are you miles away from Chesham, Aylesbury, Wycombe, Bourne End? I know that is often time and convenience rather than distance but http://www.yell.com/ucs/UcsSearchAction.do?searchType=classic&ooa=on&keywords=motor+factor&companyName=&location=Buckinghamshire&Submit.x=44&Submit.y=9
JohnP

Yeah.. near Wycombe.

So Chiltern Brakes will do TRE's eh?

Thanks John.. I will ring 'em.
Neil H

This thread was discussed between 28/02/2005 and 03/03/2005

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