Freelander 1

Hi, brand new to this but looking for some advice. I was changing the track rod end on my 55 plate freelander when I hit a problem trying to get it to wind off. Lots of swearing and some manic angle grinder strokes later I have damaged the thread on the track rod inner bar have ordered a new one but now I need to get the old one off. I see its held on by torx bolts but I am unable to fit the torx socket and ratchet into the gap. Is it possible to use an open ended spanner, 15mm seems to fit, and are the torx bolts left or right hand thread any advice will be gratefully received

Try a Torx socket on the bolt and a small stilly around the socket?

Jayridium said:

Try a Torx socket on the bolt and a small stilly around the socket?

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I don't think it would get enough grip on the socket, they feel fairly tight like

Welcome to lz

What about some E-Torx spanners then? For Seven quid I've just ordered a set of these:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BERGEN-E...053142&hash=item2359cf57e7:g:lwIAAOSwuTxWB9Wz

I'm thinking if they are that tight, whcih they probably are given what hey do, the idea of using a normal spanner on them is a no-go as you'd most likely round the bolts.When I did mine, I done them in situ with a socket and ratchet, I seem to recall something about removing the top engine mount and putting a screw operated jack between the bulkhead and the engine to move it forward to give me more room.

Jayridium said:

I'm thinking if they are that tight, whcih they probably are given what hey do, the idea of using a normal spanner on them is a no-go as you'd most likely round the bolts

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Yes they're pretty tight, but more importantly they're patch bolts, so are stiff the whole way out.

Jayridium said:

I seem to recall something about removing the top engine mount and putting a screw operated jack between the bulkhead and the engine to move it forward to give me more room.

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That's what I'd do, to get more more space for the socket. Turning the steering full right lock also helps gain extra space to work.

Thank you Jayridium and nodge68 for your advice, I think I will try ang get a socket on it, seems a bit iffy using spanners and what not. Engine mount etc it is, glad the weather is nice to work in

Update on the progress or lack of on my inner track rod dilemma. The new inner arm came yesterday but with no thread on the end. So I have the new track rod end with no thread and a new arm also with no thread. Problem is, it's only the thread bit I need. So today I managed to get the old thread out, easier than expected, and then I have cut about 1/2 an inch off it where the thread was damaged, now I will wait for the engineers to open tomorrow and see if I can charm one of them into re threading the aforementioned bar that I cut. Will let you know how it goes, could even put some pictures on of the leftovers of my act of senseless violence on the original track rod end, and bit of bar/thread that doesn't come with either part. Just to clarify my insanity, and to encourage ridicule from you kind folk

I'm just down the road from you, in Peterhead, pm me your number, I'll lend you a thread file to dress the ends of the male thread. I don't have taps of the thread of the trackrods, so I cannot help you out with threading the female part, but in all honesty it sounds like you have the wrong parts? I mean, I've never heard of track rods without a thread.

Oh wait a minute, is it the double threaded adjuster you've damaged? Right handed male thread, hex, left handed male thread?
Sort of ====II==== kind of thing? With the inner and outer track rods being female threaded? If that is what you've damaged, depending on the damage you've done to it I can likely chase those threads with a threadfile? I might even have old track rods I could give you, assuming they havent been slung in a workshop tidy up as I replaced the complete arms last year...

If its that bit you've mullered I can try to threadfile it back. If you'd rather get it done with proper thread dies, when you are asking around I'm pretty sure the thread is M16 x 1.00 pitch

Landyboy of birdflock said:

The new inner arm came yesterday but with no thread on the end. So I have the new track rod end with no thread and a new arm also with no thread.

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You didn't get one of these then? The complete assembly is just over £50 from AF.https://www.advancedfactors.co.uk/qfk000080-borg--beck-bdl7258-tie-rod-qfk100093-1310170-p.asp

Jayridium said:

If its that bit you've mullered I can try to threadfile it back. If you'd rather get it done with proper thread dies, when you are asking around I'm pretty sure the thread is M16 x 1.00 pitch

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The thread is both LH and RH, so depending on which thread is damaged, it's easy or hard to fix. Personally, I'd replace it, as it's a safety critical component. The whole assembly isn't expensive.

Thanks very much you pair, yes it was the adjuster I 'mullered' but since my last thread I have had a further engagement with the task at hand. I managed to get the adjuster back in to both the old inner arm and the new track rod end, however, I think I may have put the adjuster back the wrong way around so tomorrow I will take it back off and spin it around now that I know both ends WILL thread into the other. Drove to the shop and back and didn't feel totally in control of things to be honest. Thanks again for all your advice and even offers of help ( Jayridium) very much appreciated. Will update you tomorrow if I am still alive, or if I can use my phone in A+E

I had just logged in to say its actually m16 x 1.50 pitch, and I've checked my thread file and I can "dress" that thread for you. However, since you think you've crossed the threads on it I'm going to say take it out and look, if you have managed to force a left hand thread into a right hand etc I'm inclined to go with Nodges and just replace the complete arm. Being honest with you I dont think a LH thread would screw into a RH assembly so you should be OK. The wayward handling might just be the alignment being out. Mine is badly out of alignment and it totally transforms the vehicle, before it used to handle like a hot hatch, now its like a live axled landy with worn out steering joints.

PS: that advanced factors nodge recommended has a great website, its like they have integrated their store into a "microcat" (the landrover computerised parts catalogue system) - orth keeping a shortcut for that on your desktop.

I originally had this adjuster sticking out with lacerations caused by me.

So once I got it out of the inner arm, I cut it back to get rid of the damaged thread. I was then attempting to get this freshly cut end into the new track rod end with no luck. I then decided to make sure there was nothing wrong with the female thread on the new tre to put the other end of the adjuster in. At this point I did not know the adjuster was half left hand/ half right hand threaded. This only became obvious once I was trying to marry the fresh cut end to the inner arm. So tbf I think it is probably pointing in completely the wrong direction hence the lack of control going the shop

I had just logged in to say its actually m16 x 1.50 pitch, and I've checked my thread file and I can "dress" that thread for you. However, having seen that picture, I'm inclined to go with Nodges and just replace the complete arm. The wayward handling is most likely just be the alignment being out.

I agree - replace the whole arm. Easy to do and as Nodge says, it is a safety-critical item that needs to be 100% right

I think you guys may be right, I may be crazy, will order it off that earlier thread, thanks boys