Uprated centre tie-rod end pins and bushes 133101U

[Orlando St.R]

I discovered, whilst having front wheel alignment undertaken on my car, that there was a fair amount of slop in the centre tie-rod end pins and bushes. The rubber that keeps the pin separate from the bush disintegrates. This allows the pin to move without that motion being transmitted along the centre tie rod. So, the right wheel on RHD cars moves in response to your steering input, but the left wheel doesn't; vice versa on LHD cars. This makes the steering feel vague and causes wandering. If you're trying to imagine what I'm talking about, see parts diagram below (which actually shows only the centre tie-rod and just one of the pin/bush assemblies installed in one tie-rod end. There are, of course, matching parts at the other end of the centre tie rod).

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It's a bit of a faff getting the centre tie-rod off and, where the service manual reads 'tap the tie rod ball pins out of the steering arm and track rod end in which they are a taper fit', you will actually need a ball-joint separator.

Given that my standard tie-rod end pins and bushes had lasted only 6,000 miles, I decided to try the uprated version from SNGB, in which the rubber is replaced with PTFE: https://www.sngbarratt.com/uk/#!/Englis ... c8db1911e0

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I had the new parts pressed into the tie-rod ends by a local engineering shop. These then slide into the steering arms okay, although a fair bit of the shank of the pin is left visible because it doesn't seat quite perfectly in the taper. The silver lining in this apparent cloud is that it will be easier to get the ball-joint separator in there when the time comes for replacement.

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The result is that the wandering is more-or-less eliminated. I don't think this design of steering will ever be as good as a rack and pinion set up, but the car no longer needs constant correction. I can't detect any downside to the uprated pin/bush design. If anything, it makes turn-in a little sharper, which I guess most people would welcome.

[Jose]

I installed those in mine too. Had to take them to a machine shop to get the old ones out and new "improved" ones pressed.

[Glyn Ruck]

I also used the uprated pin. Hope I get reasonable life. While originality was very important to me I briefly looked at the rack & pinion options & all the ones I looked at screwed up the Ackerman angles.

[Jose]

I have no clue what an ackerman or ackerwoman angle is

[NigelW]

I fitted these to mine about twenty five years ago so I can vouch for a long life, I fitted them myself as fortunately I have a hydraulic press.

[Orlando St.R]

Wow! That's good to know, Nigel.