Hi,

whist fitting new front discs and pads on my Fabia estate 1.4 16v BBZ today, I noticed that the spring retaining circlip on the track rod end rubber boot was all mangled and out of place. No doubt happened when I had my steering rack replaced twice. 
So on checking my trusty Haynes manual the tightening sequence says stage 1 - 20Nm then stage 2 - angle tighten a further 90 degrees. 
However, I just watched an Autodoc video where it was just tightened to 47Nm and nothing else. 

Bearing in mind my Haynes was published in 2006, which is the correct technique to use. I have always trusted Haynes for many years but I don't want my wheels doing their own thing!

The locknut on the track rod looks challenging at 50Nm. any tips on this one  as I don’t have anything other than a conventional torque wrench. 
 

Also looking on ECP, it looks like there are some cheap companies that make track rod ends that I have never heard of. At the expensive end there is Lemforder, is this company any good?

Skoda themselves say 20 Nm + 90°

 

Scroll to bottom of this page...

 

https://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/fabia-mk1/chassis/steering/track_rod_ends_track_rods_for_power_steering_and_mechanical_steering/removing_and_installing_track_rod_ends/

I recommend Meyle HD as very good quality parts. Their drop links for example are top notch.

 

Meyle HD part numbers for Fabia Mk1....

 

 

Edited 25 March, 20224 yr by TMB

17 minutes ago, prt57 said:

The locknut on the track rod looks challenging at 50Nm. any tips on this one  as I don’t have anything other than a conventional torque wrench.

 

I've always managed those with a normal open-ended spanner.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194590409337?epid=250644181&hash=item2d4e7e0279:g:LW0AAOSw3WNhlWos

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403342241013?epid=250732882&hash=item5de9122cf5:g:KToAAOSwFrVhlWoz

Thank you very much for your excellent info TMB. 
I need to get the car back on the road due to work tomorrow lunch time and Monday plus a course all day Sunday hence having to resort to ECP. 
The Lemforder parts are available at 8.00am as the more expensive option. Researching elsewhere suggests they might be an OE supplier for VAG

No problem 👍

14 minutes ago, prt57 said:

Researching elsewhere suggests they might be an OE supplier for VAG

 

They are indeed.

11 hours ago, prt57 said:

Bearing in mind my Haynes was published in 2006, which is the correct technique to use.

If you have a statement of N lbft, then angle tighten theta degrees, that is always more correct than someone else's value of M lbft (where M > N).

6 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

If you have a statement of N lbft, then angle tighten theta degrees, that is always more correct than someone else's value of M lbft (where M > N).

 

Ken is right, angle torque is a much more accurate and reliable way to achieve the correct clamping force in a robust fastener, doesn't work on small stuff though.

The job is done and well worth doing as well. 
As mentioned in my first post, the spring clip was damaged on one of the track rod end boots. I changed that one first noting the nyloc ring was missing from the nut on the damaged component as I removed it and I then used the recommended tightening technique with the new part.  
However, on the other side, the original nut holding the track rod end in place on the steering arm was only finger tight and the thread stripped. 
As the rack was changed twice last year this is there the damage and poor workmanship must have occurred. Certainly no replacement nuts were used and grossly overtightened to strip the thread. I used what appeared to be a knowledgeable establishment for the refurbished racks and the fitting. Maybe I was attracted by too cheap a job so big lesson learnt. 
It is certainly a good job that I checked but worrying that I have driven maybe 3k miles since the last rack was fitted!

2 hours ago, prt57 said:

However, on the other side, the original nut holding the track rod end in place on the steering arm was only finger tight and the thread stripped. 

 

That is pretty dodgy. Was it not rattling/knocking when you were driving?

7 hours ago, TMB said:

 

That is pretty dodgy. Was it not rattling/knocking when you were driving?

Luckily, on the side that had the stripped nut, the taper of the track rod end was tight into the location on the steering arm and I did have to use a splitter. On the other side where the nyloc insert was missing, it only needed one tap with a hammer on the side of the steering arm to shock it free. 

On 01/04/2022 at 21:24, prt57 said:

Maybe I was attracted by too cheap a job so big lesson learnt. 
It is certainly a good job that I checked but worrying that I have driven maybe 3k miles since the last rack was fitted!

Not all bodgers work for lower prices, some com-artists charge high and may even have a reputation for good work, con-artists know about PR and how to market and sell themselves.  As you've found it was a cheap job but not inexpensive because you have had to redo it and it could have had worse consequences.  The car trade is full of many such people I'm afraid. ☹️

 

15 minutes ago, nta16 said:

Not all bodgers work for lower prices, some com-artists charge high and may even have a reputation for good work, con-artists know about PR and how to market and sell themselves.  As you've found it was a cheap job but not inexpensive because you have had to redo it and it could have had worse consequences.  The car trade is full of many such people I'm afraid. ☹️

 

I’ve also had bad jobs done at Audi & VW main dealers. A few years ago the local VW garage stripped the sump plug on my Mk 4 GTi. They had to fit a brand new sump.

Local Audi garage ripped the fasteners out where the undertray attaches to the arch liners on my S3 due to overzealous tightening with the zip gun but would only pay for 50% of the damaged parts as I could not prove it was them. 
Also, they won’t service modified cars any longer and my S3 8P is at stage 2+. 
Consequently, I have never been back. 

My son now will only use a trusted independent garage but even there you have to be careful as last time the final bill was approx £150 more than the true amount until I queried the amount. 

 

Maybe time to get a bus pass!

38 minutes ago, prt57 said:

Maybe time to get a bus pass!

Probably be counterfeit.  😄

 

I have a very unfortunate knack of finding those that would normally be at least reasonable if not good and then something happens to them or someone close to them.  I warn them now that taking on my car could be bad for their health or fortune.  Certainly has been for me and my VERY. VERY, reluctant work on it.  I got to the stage where I thought if I have to employ someone to do poor quality work it might as well be me, at least  I don't pay much for labour (though the rate per hour/day would be very low base on the time a job takes to complete) and when the job is finished (or part finished) and where the bodges are.

 

About 15-20 years ago I had a distrusting mate who was loosely associated with the motor and he marked up bits on his wife's Vauxhall as it was going into the local Dealership as he didn't have time to do the work and when his wife went to collect the car there was a tale of some additional work required that needed doing very soon.  He checked the car and not only was the additional not needed something(s) on the service hadn't been replaced but charged for.  He got his money back, apology and offer of a free-service time.  He always recommended the 'foreman' and mechanic that set up as independents that left a Dealership as they could no longer take what they were being asked and told to do with customers' vehicles.

 

I've found this too, particularly with Dealership salesmen, if they seem too decent to be doing that job they often leave after a reasonably short time of taking the job.  I personally know that some in the trade think customers are something they've stepped in and wiped off the sole of their boot.  There are some good ones but you can never get near them as they have more work than they want or need and a waiting list for their services.