Outer track rod end confusion
Discussion
The youtuber was right if you are replacing like for like but just to get close enough to then drive it to the alignment shop.
In your case you need to figure out how much longer they are. Measure centre of ball joint to end of bar on new versus old. Then figure out the thread pitch. It'll be something like 1.5 maybe. Count 10 threads and measure, divide by 10. Figure out how many pitches in the extra distance (say, for example, pitch is 1.5 and extra length is 18mm then 18 divided by 1.5 is 12, so 12 extra turns). Then alignment shop.
In your case you need to figure out how much longer they are. Measure centre of ball joint to end of bar on new versus old. Then figure out the thread pitch. It'll be something like 1.5 maybe. Count 10 threads and measure, divide by 10. Figure out how many pitches in the extra distance (say, for example, pitch is 1.5 and extra length is 18mm then 18 divided by 1.5 is 12, so 12 extra turns). Then alignment shop.
CWFN2 said:
Hypothetically speaking, say if i leave it at 13 spins which is the same as the old shorter rod and take it to alignement, what would happen after its aligned? Would it drive dead straight or would something be wrong?
If you drive the car with the track rod lengths wrong by a couple of cm the tyres will suffer a lot of wear. Maybe OK for a mile or two but far from ideal.If the threads have enough adjustment in them to take up the extra length then after the alignment is corrected there will be no impact at all, it will be as good as new. But that is a big difference to take up.
CWFN2 said:
right, well rain kicked in so couldn't change it out. But to summarise, I will remove the outer track rod, work out what the difference equates to in spins and then do 13 spins + the number of spins to cover 1.5cm and then lock the jam nut in place. This way relative to the old rod, the setup will be similiar?
Sounds correct to me. Bear in mind that I haven't see the two parts you're talking about so I'm just going by your description.If you do one side, keep winding it on until your steering wheel sits straight when you drive it up the road. Then it won't be far off where the original ball joint was located.
Repeat on the other side and you'll be somewhere close to where you want to be. Then take it to a garage and get it tracked up 100%.
Repeat on the other side and you'll be somewhere close to where you want to be. Then take it to a garage and get it tracked up 100%.
CWFN2 said:
GreenV8S said:
Sounds correct to me. Bear in mind that I haven't see the two parts you're talking about so I'm just going by your description.
I did 12 turns (i cant remember if the original was 12 or 13 turns). 10mm of threads were 7 so 1 thread is 1.428576... so rounded to 1.5mm a thread as stated above. Then i worked out the total rod lengths with a ruler. It seems they are exactly 1cm apart. So 10/1.5 = 6.6 turns. So rounding down I did 12 + 6 = 18 turns.It looks like this, there doesnt seem much threads behind the jam locking nut. https://imgur.com/a/Y4YxMFb
What do you say? Should I just stick to this number of 18 turns and do the passenger front and then just leave it for alignment?
https://imgur.com/a/gfriMiW These are the rods. f
k sake why couldn't they just be the same size!! 
CWFN2 said:
It's defo the right part. The numbers matched and the listing shows its for the FN2 type R.
Never trust an eBay listing when it comes to any kind of unusual car, always use the manufacturers website if possible.I have a PH2 MK2 RenaultSport Megane. Some rear discs listed as being compatible with my car are for the PH1 and won't fit, and some are for the non-RenaultSport models so definitely won't fit. Even stupid stuff like front pads (4 piston brembo caliper vs single piston sliding caliper). I buy about half my car parts from eBay without issue - you just need to double check it's the right part.
In this case the part number listed is right for an FN2 Civic Type R - but it's listed as being 195mm long.
https://web2.carparts-cat.com/default.aspx?32=2658...
EDIT - Although those aren't Meyle HD as you said. The Meyle HD part is 31-16 020 0054/HD - https://web2.carparts-cat.com/default.aspx?32=2658...
Edited by Jakg on Saturday 31st August 19:36
CWFN2 said:
Say one car did 15 spins and goes to get alignment, and one does say 20 spins and goes for alignment in the end would it matter? As in will the alignment make how many turns the outer rods made on the spindle irrelevant?
Well of course it won't make any difference, as they will then be adjusting them to make them right!That is given the caveat mentioned a few times already that you have not got far to go & will only be going slowly as you handling may possibly be a bit strange if they are too far out, you may possibly get a lot of tyre squeal depending on the road surface, and you may possibly get a (relatively) high degree of tyre wear.
Although I have to admit that after telling you to just add the number of turns it took for 1cm I have no idea why you then rounded it to the next number twice before doing it to a different place, so even then it was going to be wrong.
CWFN2 said:
E-bmw said:
No they are exactly the same for the very reason that you replace them the same number of turns & so end up with the same alignment & level of adjustment remaining.
What are exactly the same? You mean the old and new rods apart from the 1cm extra? 
CWFN2 said:
spinning the inner rod makes the number of turns on the outer rod irrelevant.
Pardon?You MUST be able to understand that the whole idea is to get the actual joint at the end in the correct place to point the steering in the same place as it was before you started?
So if they are longer you need to screw them in by the same amount more.
That is a really simple concept, otherwise the wheels will both point in by too much.
(they still should be the same as the originals though, so you likely have the wrong ones as others have said before me)
Edited by E-bmw on Sunday 1st September 19:44
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