Hi guys. Does anyone know what the 2005 fabia vRS track rod arm make is, apparently there are two types, so need to know which one, just saves me getting underneath the car

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In the real world, that car will have been built with all the steering gear from one manufacturer or the other. Simo Koyo(sp) or TRW - so with that logic in mind, get in and get the power steering reservoir lid off - tho with VRS that will not be easy.(so probably forgetthat or crawl underneath)

 

Next logic is to ring a dealer with your VIN number, they should be able to work it out from that, probably a TRW by the time your car was built - but that is not a safe guess.

 

ECP sells rods are two ages of car, though hopefully that translates into one manufacturer or the other. These parts are quite cheap from ECP when compared with VAG I believe, I've only bought from ECP with a good weekend discount - seem to fit okay!

 

There is a printout that you can request from your VAG dealer called "CAR DATA" - it is meant to be a list of options fitted to that car, it can come in handy at times, not sure if it includes what you are asking here without looking at it. Essentially it would have formed the basis of the "pick list" to make that individual car.

Edited 1 August, 201312 yr by rum4mo

i went in to euro car parts give them my reg and they had the part in stock ? the 2 types they had were budget and premium ....

Easy way is to measure the tie rod that connects to the tie rod end

Theres 2 sizes and this will tell you what you need!

a genuine one was £97.11 each a couple of months ago when i checked .... euro did a pair for £50.00 inc track rod ends

£97.11 is a steering arm not a track rod end.

One piece of advice here, I bought my rods complete with ends from ECP with good discount, then I measured the diameter of the knuckle on the new rods. With that information I ordered in one of these steering rod removal tools - looks same as the Laser Tools one but a lot cheaper. Tool arrived, put the front of the car up on axle stands etc and removed a wheel and TRE, followed by the steering rack gaitor - then stood back in amazement when I saw the size of the knuckle on the steering rod that was on the car (original one)!! Tried knuckle removal tool, knuckle too big! Back into house and ordered the next size tool - which took a week to arrive due to the sender creasing the Parcel Force label - house number changed from "14" to "4"!! Anyway, these knuckle removal tools are excellent, just a pity the replacement, not OEM parts that were so cheap from ECP, were not exactly the same size as the original VAG ones. For anyone that is interested, these knuckle removal tools have a very limited size range, so if I had bought the one that fitted the original knuckle, then it would not have fitted the replacement knuckle. Still cheaper than buying parts from VAG, but car was off the road for a week due to the delivery error. Other issue with the Lermforder (ZF company) parts was that the CTC (constant tension clip) fitted to the outer of the bellows, would not open up far enough to get over the small end of the bellows after changing the rods - so I've used two small tie wraps on each side. Tip, if like me you are having trouble refitting the N/S gaitor to the rack due to the compliant sealing sleeve "walking" inwards, temporarily fit a wide tie wrap over that end of the rack, it will stop this sealing collar moving across!

 

Probably, as I was advised, but went my own way, is to buy the cheaper type of knuckle removal tool as it will have a larger (size) range, and maybe buy one of these Laser Tools or someone else's "adjustable spanner stub" that you use with a long 3/8" or 1/2" extension - if like me you don't fancy applying a large twisting motion on to the steering rack.

Edited 2 August, 201312 yr by rum4mo

£97.11 is a steering arm not a track rod end.

yes track rod and track rod end..

 

One piece of advice here, I bought my rods complete with ends from ECP with good discount, then I measured the diameter of the knuckle on the new rods. With that information I ordered in one of these steering rod removal tools - looks same as the Laser Tools one but a lot cheaper. Tool arrived, put the front of the car up on axle stands etc and removed a wheel and TRE, followed by the steering rack gaitor - then stood back in amazement when I saw the size of the knuckle on the steering rod that was on the car (original one)!! Tried knuckle removal tool, knuckle too big! Back into house and ordered the next size tool - which took a week to arrive due to the sender creasing the Parcel Force label - house number changed from "14" to "4"!! Anyway, these knuckle removal tools are excellent, just a pity the replacement, not OEM parts that were so cheap from ECP, were not exactly the same size as the original VAG ones. For anyone that is interested, these knuckle removal tools have a very limited size range, so if I had bought the one that fitted the original knuckle, then it would not have fitted the replacement knuckle. Still cheaper than buying parts from VAG, but car was off the road for a week due to the delivery error. Other issue with the Lermforder (ZF company) parts was that the CTC (constant tension clip) fitted to the outer of the bellows, would not open up far enough to get over the small end of the bellows after changing the rods - so I've used two small tie wraps on each side. Tip, if like me you are having trouble refitting the N/S gaitor to the rack due to the compliant sealing sleeve "walking" inwards, temporarily fit a wide tie wrap over that end of the rack, it will stop this sealing collar moving across!

 

Probably, as I was advised, but went my own way, is to buy the cheaper type of knuckle removal tool as it will have a larger (size) range, and maybe buy one of these Laser Tools or someone else's "adjustable spanner stub" that you use with a long 3/8" or 1/2" extension - if like me you don't fancy applying a large twisting motion on to the steering rack.

some stilsons did the job nicely for me and i used jublee clips to hold the gaitor on to the rack 

"some stilsons did the job nicely for me and i used jublee clips to hold the gaitor on to the rack"

 

Hum, space is limited for that I'd have thought having worked in that area. Jubilee clips to hold the gaitor on, that is okay as long as you remember to slacken them off a bit before getting any re-aligning done. Also, on this forum, someone complained about fluid coming out of their rack, this posting was accompanied with a picture showing jubilee clips over the small end of the bellows, one of the replies suggested that they were there to try to mask the leaking rack - we both know better than that now! I just bought new clips for the big end - they are easy to fit, I've since found some slightly larger CTC for the small end, the result of taking clips off old stuff before throwing it away "they will come in handy one day!" - yes they would have if I had found them before getting the alignment checked!