The Camaro Club (UK)

Chaps

How do I test to find out whether my track rod end(s) are worn or not ? I suspect at least one is but I don't know for sure that it's not some other part.

I must confess that this is not my Camaro I'm talking about, nor my Firebird. It's a....dare I say it...a Ford Escort which I bought cheap about 4 weeks ago to get me around in the snowy weather.

I noticed at the weekend that when I applied the brakes in a straight line at around 70mph the car went wandering all over the place as if somebody was shaking the steering wheel left and right - it was most frightening.

I also noticed that when I corner the steering wheel doesn't always want to centre itself. Is this a symptom of worn track/tie rod ends ?

Should be an easy job on an old Ford but I'm not 100% convinced that I'm right my diagnosis, can anyone help ?

Cheers

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1993 Chevrolet Camaro - Buck

Jack it up turn steering with wheels on so you can see the track rod end pull the wheel side to side you should see play in it

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Cheers Rocky. Do the symptoms I describe also sound like the track rod end(s) is/are shagged though ?

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1993 Chevrolet Camaro - Buck

does it have a steering box, i know earlier ones do and thats just a case of tighten it up a bit, my 4x4 wonders about, thats just a loose steering box, easy to tighten

On an Escort you might be better checking the brakes it sounds like they are out of balance. You might have a sticking caliper or blocked flexi hose, Jack the front of the car up, take wheels off be better if you can get someone to pump the brakes and watch to see if the caliper pucks grip the disc and returns freely so the disc can spin.

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Also could be a worn rack

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If the rack was worn, would I not feel the play in it all the time ?

You know, I spent 2-3 hours driving about yesterday in the Camaro, I just couldn't be bothered to spend 2 minutes to look over the Escort. It's only got an MOT until August so I'm going to use it and throw it away then.

Quite glad I did go yesterday too, I woke up to snow this morning

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1993 Chevrolet Camaro - Buck