Reached the outer limit of the tie rods? [NA]

NicTheMx5 · Postby **NicTheMx5** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 4:37 pm

I recently installed some extended lower ball joints to increase negative camber in the front, but upon readjusting the tie rods to accommodate the new camber, I discovered they don't adjust very long...
Is there a simple solution to this? Longer tie rods? Different tie rods from other vehicles?
I'm at the limits of the tie rods and it still seems to have a decent amount of inward toe.

Will be getting an alignment soon, so hopefully they will have a solution too.

Any help is appreciated though, thanks!

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 5:07 pm

Longer rods or rod ends are likely the best option, but I do remember that some companies do inner tie rod spacers (basically chock the inner rod so it doesnt wind in as far)

They are usually sold to allow a bit more steering lock, but would likely work here.

madjak · Postby **madjak** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 6:16 pm

I think I'm going to have this problem when I install the extended ball joints too. My plan is to cut my existing tie rod end off, and do the same with an older one I have as a spare on the shelf (except add 30mm or so to it) and then but weld the longer one onto the remainder of the tie rod to join the two together. I'll then slide a large bit of tube over the two and then weld each end also. Should be strong and easy enough to modify.

The other option would be to cut a bit of the thread off the existing tie rod and add a coupler to lengthen the thread. Problem will be finding the correct threaded tube.

madjak · Postby **madjak** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 6:39 pm

I found these online. M12 x 1.25 thread pitch would fit our cars: http://diamondjcustoms.com/misc-parts/t ... sions.html (probably the 2.25" versions would be fine)
Also on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tierod-Extensio ... _A&vxp=mtr

I might make some myself out of some Chrome Moly bar. Lathe it up and tap it.

greenMachine · Postby **greenMachine** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 7:25 pm

Those are not plug and play for our application. They will almost certainly need to be cut down, and/or the tie rod cut down. They are intended for a mega increase in track, so caveat emptor and all that.

When I extended my wishbones, we made something similar, sized for the task, and still needed to shorten the tie rods - this was basically a piece of rod, machined a male thread on one end, female the other, one each side, same as the ones linked but a lot shorter.

:mrgreen:

The American · Postby **The American** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 10:02 pm

Double post

The American · Postby **The American** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 10:02 pm

Is this an NA specific problem? trackphotos just fitted the Bauer items to his NB8A with no issues (that he reported)

madjak · Postby **madjak** » Wed Mar 30, 2016 10:38 pm

I have mine sitting there ready to go on. I think I'll have issues as my tie rod is already a decent way out on the thread. So maybe it is a problem on NAs.

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 7:49 am

As The American said, I put some extended balljoints in recently and had enough thread left to be happy with it. At first when it was set to around - 4.3deg camber there wasn't a huge amount left, but when I took it to get aligned and had the camber reduced to - 3deg there was more than enough according to the suspension guy. That's on an NB, but from what I've searched the NA and NB tie rods and ends are the same part numbers. Unless the knuckles that the ends bolt into are further out, I would have thought they should be pretty much the same between models.

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