Started putting my lowering kit on today and the nut for the track rod end won't come off, I've tried everything.

My only option is to cut the nut off and get a new one, what thread size is the nut?

Cheers, mike.

Edited 22 September, 201312 yr by Mikeloon

Which nut? The one that holds the steering arm on to the strut?

If you cut the nut off you'll need a new track rod end surely?

I should be able to cut it without damaging the thread on the ball joint.

Yeah its the one that holds the track rod onto the strut.

Mike

try plusgas ?

Whats wrong with it, is it seized on, or is it just spinning?

It's just spinning, I've done one side and it worked fine but this one doesn't want to move, I'm changing the strut too so I cant take it off from the steering rack end.

What is plusgas?

A nut splitter might be better than trying to cut it off

Have you tried putting weight on it whilst trying to undo it?

Yeah I've tried everything, holding the taper together with clamps, putting the weight on it, burned the nyloc out of the nut in the end and it still just turns the whole ball joint :( yeah I can use a nut splitter, just need to know the size before I break the nut really.

You just need to clamp the steering arm back into the strut, so that it holds the ball joint in place.

If you use a splitter, you will need to replace it with an m10 nyloc nut

Thanks for the help, will get back under there tomorrow and hopefully get my car low on both sides! Will grab a splitter for it i think, will replace the nyloc nut anyway

Plusgas is releasing spray a lot better than wd40 but its sound if you way past that lol . also if you have heat on the tie rod you may need to change it ?

Put a jack under it and jack it up till the weight of the car is on it. Should stop it moving

Plusgas is releasing spray a lot better than wd40 but its sound if you way past that lol . also if you have heat on the tie rod you may need to change it ?

Yeah, I would re grease the track rod end

i used a trolley jack with a lump off wood to jack it up enough to put some weight on it

i used a trolley jack with a lump off wood to jack it up enough to put some weight on it

Yep, I can't see how it can possibly spin if you use this method

if it still does spin then the joint would have to be worn to bits so hacksaw it off

As mentioned above, jack the car up using the ball joint as the pony of contact. Obviously don't hack it right up, but enough so a substantial amount of the weight is transmitted through the ball joint. This should force the steering arm back into the taper, provisding enough friction to stop it spinning

watch replacing the nut. i did this before and the thread was something oddball and i'd a hard time getting a replacement nut.

All done now guys thanks for the advice, split the nut and replaced it with another one, it wasn't an m10 it was a finer thread but I got one from a fasteners near me that have everything you could ever need and usually free for the odd one or two nuts and bolts.

Car drives much better with the h&r kit on it.

I did heat the nut up but only with a small blow torch with a sheild over the rubber boot. Shouldn't be hot enough to effect the metal on the balljoint.

Just need it tracking up I think now and it should be perfect!

Will stick some pics up after a clean too.

my suspicions were confirmed then lol. glad you got sorted

Track rod ends are a few quid, after all that I'd say its about time you changed it.

Aye it will be getting both done in the near future but unfortunately I couldn't get one today and needed it moving back to my house. There is no damage to the track rod end at all mind. The heat applied was only enough to soften the nylon.

Edited 23 September, 201312 yr by Mikeloon

Track rod ends are a few quid, after all that I'd say its about time you changed it.

While I changed my front shocks and springs I changed both tie rods track rod ends and steering arm and front anit roll bar bushes along with lower suspension arms job done I think ?

The thread is M10x1 for future reference