Which steering tie rod ends?

[Barreti]

I replaced the hubs on the Griff this week, and because I smacked the rubber on one of the steering tie rod ends with the hammer and split it I bought a pair to replace them.

I bought offset ones (MK IV Escort I think they said, or MK III) because that is what I had in my hand from the offside.

Only when I came to do the nearside and the damned thing isn't offset

So the car looked like this
NS HUB ------ STEERING RACK -----¬ OS HUB

Now I've got a pair of offset ones on the car, so both are like the offside (only reversed for the NS obviously but I dont have a mirror of ¬ on my keyboard )

When I realised I had odd ends on I started to have a look around and found the one on the Offside has a L on it and Nearside has an R.

Question time then;

1. Does this change the geometry (concensus is no, because the pivot point at the hub is the same)
2. Does it make any difference other than for possible wheel clearance - which I don't have a problem with.
3. Does it matter that I may have Left and Right on the wrong way around if I believe the L and R stamped on them?

What sort of effing numpty fecks them up in the first place
Probably the same tit who thought it OK to twist the wiring together for my indicator and alarm

Edited by Barreti on Thursday 13th March 01:02

[spend]

I used Lockheed AP part No TA687.

I can't see the need for cranked ones, the rack sits a little higher than the wishbones? Same as the rest of the geo having the rack at full extent (level) when neutral, and shortening (toe in) on deflection seems logical. I would guess having cranked TRE's would influence this detrimentally.

Dave

[Barreti]

spend said:

I used Lockheed AP part No TA687

Thanks for the info Dave. These were from Parkers and have their part numbers on them - FTR4414 and FTR4415

spend said:

The rack sits a little higher than the wishbones?

spend said:

Same as the rest of the geo having the rack at full extent (level) when neutral, and shortening (toe in) on deflection seems logical. I would guess having cranked TRE's would influence this detrimentally.

I think I see what you're getting at Dave - sort of.
Would this be to the detriment of how it feels, or only visible on tyre wear?
Are the Lockheed parts not cranked then? so like -O rather than ¬
I'll have a look tomorrow at the old parts to see if I can find numbers on them. Don't remember seeing anything though.

Edited by Barreti on Thursday 13th March 01:13

[spend]

No the ones I got were not cranked Ian, the track rods line up with the ball joint (kind of inline above the hub connection - but they are also level when the wishbone is level). The arcs should add camber and toe as the wishbones move up or down away from the neutral position (level) - this will be different geometrically if they are cranked?

Dave