406oc.co.uk

Hello guys and girls,

I'm trying to replace the rear track rods on my 51 plate 406 estate; I've removed the wheel, marked everything and removed the nut from the balljoint end and removed the nut from the in-board grooved bolt - and now I'm stuck.

I cannot seem to get the balljoint end up out of the hub carrier(?), I've tried it with the suspension spring compressed and uncompressed (with a jack) and I've tried smacking it with "the Clarkson" (my favourite, heftiest hammer).

Neither can I get the grooved bolt out at the in-board end of the rod - I've tried "undoing it" but it just rotates (adjusting the track as it does so) and I've tried a few experimental smacks with the Clarkson there too - to no avail.

I even dug out my old ball joint fork - but it doesn't seem to help either.

The grooved bolt - should this "un-screw" or should it slide out?

Any and all advice, shoulders to cry on and a good "there-there" welcome.
thank you

Ha ha!!! 5 minutes after posting the original message, I lay down underneath the car to contemplate - when I noticed that the ball joint end takes a Torx bit (Originally, I thought it was an allen key fitting) so I stuck a Torx bit in and started to turn - Hey ~ Presto - it "undid" and after a couple of turns the track rod end was finally separated from the hub carrier.

Now I just need to figure out the inboard end.

It can only be corroded in. Spray plently of WD40 on it, put the nut back on a few turns and hit the nut with the hammer

dummysock wrote:It can only be corroded in. Spray plently of WD40 on it, put the nut back on a few turns and hit the nut with the hammer

You were right; thank you for the information - you gave me the confidence to apply a little, no a LOT of force - I ended up using my ball joint separator fork - gradually levering it in and it worked the bolt out.

Looks like it's still in good condition so I'll grease it up and re-use it.

Thank you once again; without your post I would probably not have gotten this sorted today and as tomorrow is full, I would have had to phone work to say that I couldn't go in on Monday.
I really appreciate the help and advice of this forum.