c2dweller

I've had some new tyres fitted, so the guy checked the tracking at the same time.

As ever, it was out. He tried to adjust it in but the shaft which attaches between the tie rod and the steering rack turns.

Theres a few posts about this, but I'm interested to know how this is tightened and to what torque. Does anyone know this? or had a similar problem?

(I'm guessing I'll need to get a tie rod ball joint splitter to get the thing apart too)

I know these cars need to be set-up correctly, but this will come. In the short term I just need to sort out the mechanical problem

Thanks, Lee

hirstydg

Tie rod is in three parts: outer connected to ball joint, inner connected to rack and a middle rod to join the two. Outer is threaded right hand and inner left handed so once you have loosened the inner and outer lock nuts (easy after a bit of WD40) the tie rod can be lengthened or shortened by turning the middle section (there are flats on it so this can be done with a crescent wrench). Think of it as a turnbuckle. Procedure can even be done with wheels on the car. If adjusting you will need to make half the adjustment you need on both sides of the car or the steering wheel will not be straight which is very annoying for 964 perfectionists (One quarter turn of the tie rod gives about 10 degrees at the steering wheel).

c2dweller

I think I understand what your saying, but the problem that my car has is that the joint fork which goes into the steering gear is rotating. This means that when the tie rod is turned it undoes the joint fork.

I think he observed the problem on both sides - defintely on the right-hand-side.

Harry Apps

Sounds like he (?) has screwed it up (no pun intended). The inner fork arm is locked to the steering rack with the spacer/lock nut. The fork must be locked in the horizontal plane to avoid damage. There is a 4-5mm gap required between the spacer and the fork when locked. See the workshop manual page 48-3. If you don't have the manual, download the .pdf's from here:
http://www.cannell.co.uk/Manuals.htm

c2dweller

Thanks for the link

... and the ribbing.

Just downloading the 993 manual - all 1481 pages of it.

The tie rod adjustment section is quite rusty, so this explains why the problem has occured. Once I've dissambled, cleaned up the threads & greased it, it'll be ready to go back.

Harry Apps

PM Sent

boxsey911

I tend to agree with what Harry is saying about the guy that touched it. It's best to not let a 'tyre garage' touch the suspension/steering of a Porsche. They look at the tyre wear when they take off the old tyres, see that the inside edges are more worn than the outside and immediately suggest that the 'tracking' needs adjusting. When of course, it probably doesn't because a Porsche geo leads to exactly that sort of tyre wear.

I'll use normal tyre fitters to change the tyres but only let a P-car specialist touch the geo.