h011yw00d

Hey Guys,

Did a search and can't find the answer. I ordered the correct tie rods for my 85 and they are about 1 1/2 inch too short (see picture) . The steering rack looks new. If the PO put a late model rack in would the tie rods be longer?

Thanks for your help with this.

JHowell37

Adjuster sleeve is tightened down all the way on the inner tie rod.

h011yw00d

The inner tie rod adjusts? How?

JHowell37

That black sleeve on the right side of the inner tie rod is threaded onto the inner tie rod itself. It just screws on.

h011yw00d

Really??? It doesn't want to budge and it looks like the sleeve is pressed in to hold it in place.

76FJ55

if the inside where adjustable wouldn't it have to have a lock nut?

Bill Ball

AFAIK, there is no adjustment at the inner tie rod.

86 onward is shorter than 85, but only by 10mm (less than 1/2 inch). See pic below. BUT the newer (lower) tie rod in your pic looks a lot different than any I have seen, regardless of year. Anyway, I agree it is too short - quite a bit more than 10mm shorter than the older tie rod you show.

Bill Ball

AFAIK, all replacement racks are 810mm across. There was a shorter (795mm) rack at some point but it is long gone. So, I think you are supposed to use the 86 onward tie rods with any replacement rack. But I haven't done steering work on anything other than 87 onward, so I'm not all that clear on this. There is some coverage of this in the WSM, volume 4, section 48, pages 6a-6d.

h011yw00d

Thanks for your help, guys. You're awesome.

The new tie rod has X measuring 220mm. The part number is 928 347 031 01 (which should be correct) from the manufacturer Hamburg-Technic. I got them from Deutschpartsusa on Ebay so DON'T get tie rods there until they get it worked out.

Mike Simard

That's the Chinese waterpump selling ebay account.
So now we have to deal with Chinese tie rods, great.

Bill Ball

I hope you learned a lesson. It does not look at all like a stock tie rod. The crimp of the center tube on the inner tie rod looks inadequate. I'd be worried it might come apart. The stock tie rods are good for more than 100K miles before any significant wear happens in the inner tie rod. I'd have my doubts about the one you got lasting very long.

What does your old tie rod measure? Get the tie rods from one of our 928 vendors.

h011yw00d

The stop is aluminum so I figure it's an early rack. The only thing that made me think it might be a switched out later rack is it looks new and I didn't realize the manufacturer was Chinese. Had I known that I would have suspected them first.

h011yw00d

I'll measure my old rods tomorrow to make sure. AND get the right rods from one of our vendors.

Thanks again guys. I was freakin' out.

ROG100

I refuse to sell anything from Hamburg Technic - total crap.

We sell the correct tie rods made by Lemforder for $58.95 each.

fraggle

Mmmm. Burgers. Technical burgers.