ra23 castor rods

[stradlater]

I've done my cross member conversion and I now need to adjust my castor rods.

I've tried to get the bolts undone with significant force on an adjustable wrench, but I just can't get them to budge.

I've done the usual of lots of wd40 and a bit of a tap, but still they don't come undone.

What's the trick?

[RAd28]

you refering to the 2 bolts at the front end of the rod?? from memory we didn't have any real difficulty getting mine undone, don't think there's any trick... just go the tried and tested route.. single hex socket on a good sized breaker bar..

[The Real Roadrunner]

or 2 22mm (7/8") ring spanners and pull like all f#*k.

[stradlater]

I think the later is the only option as I can't get a socket on to it.

[twentyEight]

Don't bother adjusting your castor until your car is running, and have them adjust it when you get a wheel alignment done... (Because you're going to need one!)

[timbosaurus]

Strad,

When I took my car into a canberra joint to get a wheel alignment, they:

- put it on the hoist, and dented the sills,
- Told me that the chassis must be bent (definately isn't), so therefore they could only adjust the camber "the best they could".
- completely butchered the adjustable links with a pipe wrench between the tie rods and idler arm trying to adjust the toe.
- and told me that these bolts (the ones you speak of) were too tight and must be rusted up, so they couldn't adjust the castor.

I was pretty pissed off at this stage, so when home and used a bit of WD, a wire brush to get some paint of the thread and went and bought a quality 22mm ring spanner. Then just lay on the ground and used my foot on the spanner, and they actually came off reasonably easily.

Just remember, if you are planning on removing the complete castor rod for any reason, make sure you loosen the nuts at the back while it is still attached to the control arm. As soon as it's off the car, it's a pain to try and hold the rod in the vice.

I guess, to finish my story :p, I will always make sure all adjustable bits are easy as fuck to adjust, and lubed up BEFORE i take it to a shop. Some places take little care and no responsibility for excessive force required to quickly adjust things.

Cheers,
Timbo

P.S. I've now got a nice, quality, 22mm ring spanner that I spen a pretty penny on if you need to borrow one :D

[stradlater]

Cheers Timbo, I do need to borrow one. :-)

However.

My castor rods are no longer connected to the LCA because I had to take them out to get the thing back connected to the cross member.

Therefore, I HAVE to get it undone before I can put the front end back together properly.

Might have to visit you for this spanner. :-)

[Hen]

I've got a serious 22mm ring spanner. Living out in Rosy now, and will be round for the next couple of days. Give me a call if you want to borrow it.

I could probably even drop it off on the way to work if you say... fed me and let me drink all your beer some time... well, come to think of it...

[twentyEight]

Strad, how come you needed to remove them to reconnect the crossmember?

I'll pop over this arvo, reconnect the castor rods to the LCAs, then put the LCAs back into the crossmember for you... Just like I did with mine...

[Stefan]

Answer: replace with T3 AE86 items (if compatible with A2; they are direct bolt in to your later A6 cousin).

[stradlater]

Hen: Might just take you up on that one. :--) I'll have to buy some beer though. :-)

Simon: I couldn't put my LCA's back in place to the base of the cross member without removing the castor rods. It was simply impossible. I would imagine that my alignment setup is slightly differnt to yours and the cross member is slightly further back.
You can come around and try and undo the bolts for me if you like. :-)

Stefan: What's this your talking about? Sounds useful/interesting, I just don't entirely follow.

[gianttomato]

Pretty sure I have some big ass ring spanners at home. Call me tonight, then I can answer the other questions you texted me and can't remember!:p

[stradlater]

Ah, so you did get those texts... :-)

I probably won't call you tonight as I'm going out for dinner (being my birthday and all) but I'll call you tomorrow!

Do you have some big arms to go with the big spanners so I can get these suckers un-done?

[Stefan]

Stefan: What's this your talking about? Sounds useful/interesting, I just don't entirely follow.

OK, here's a pic:
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i14/stefanra65/DSC_0620-small.jpg

What I'm saying is, if you're really having trouble with the stock castor rods, you could replace them with rose-jointed aftermarket items. The Techno Toy Tuning (T3) AE86 ones are a direct swap into A6 Celica, and A2s have more in common with AE86 than A6s do, so there is a chance that they bolt into A2 as well.

Sorry I didn't word this too well the 1st time :)

[gianttomato]

No, remember, you have the arms that look like you can probably bench my weight and then some.....

But I do have a big fuck off piece of water pipe that does the job.

PS: happy birthday you big bastard!!

[stradlater]

Stefan: Dang, they look hot, and useful too probably. What are they worth? I might get some.

GT: Thanks man.... :-) Might have to borrow that water pipe on the weekend or something.. :-)

[Stefan]

Stefan: Dang, they look hot, and useful too probably. What are they worth? I might get some.


Well, they in theory stop geometry changing dynamically, and the sperhical joints allow the struts to move freely up and down as they should (rather than binding bushing). Current list price is 200 USD + shipping, I can't remember what I paid.

Unfortunately, the thread in the middle has started to rust, but the sperhical joined end is still nice and shiny.

[stradlater]

what's it in for you, an 86 or a 60?

And where do you buy them from?

[twentyEight]

You buy them from T3... ;)

As in www.technotoytuning.com/index2.php

Oh, and your bday present might be that it's all done for you by the time you get home this arvo... In fact, just about to leave now...

[stradlater]

Ah.... Smart is this man...

I thought T3 was some sort of car or something.

[Stefan]

what's it in for you, an 86 or a 60?

A (GA)65 - see my sig :P

[stradlater]

Ahh... Tricky.

[twentyEight]

Strad, how come you needed to remove them to reconnect the crossmember?

I'll pop over this arvo, reconnect the castor rods to the LCAs, then put the LCAs back into the crossmember for you... Just like I did with mine...
Simon: I couldn't put my LCA's back in place to the base of the cross member without removing the castor rods. It was simply impossible. I would imagine that my alignment setup is slightly differnt to yours and the cross member is slightly further back.

It's a piece of piss to connect the LCAs to the crossmember with the castor rods joined...

I just came back from your joint, and have done it for you... Happy Birthday! :D

[twentyEight]

Oh, and you need to get some washers to sit under the nuts that hold the swaybar to the rod that joins to the crossmember... The swaybar bush on the passenger side has almost completely popped off over the nut!

[stradlater]

HAH Smart arse. thanks for that. I didn't even realise.. Would have been a hell of a surprise if I had gone to work on it on the weekend and found they were attached!

Did you have tools on you?

You must have only just left before I got home.

Yeah, I've got that washer, it fell off yesterday.

That will be fixed when I have to remove the sway bar entirely.

["Z" UTE]

Most of the old TA22's have so much old paint or rust on the castor rod threaded end. I undo the front nut, remove the bar, and wave an oxy torch over the end. Efffectively burning the old paint and grease off.(a butane torch will do the same job) Liberally soak with WD40 or similar. Place in vice, and wind the back nut backwards and forwards on the rod. It will eventually free up, and you can then have your caster adjusted at wheel alignment.

cheers Chuck.

[twentyEight]

HAH Smart arse. thanks for that. I didn't even realise.. Would have been a hell of a surprise if I had gone to work on it on the weekend and found they were attached!

Did you have tools on you?

You must have only just left before I got home.

Yeah, I've got that washer, it fell off yesterday.

That will be fixed when I have to remove the sway bar entirely.
Yeah, I took my tools with me...

Why do you think you'll have to remove the swaybar entirely?

You may be able to fit the pan between the crossmember and the swaybar like I did with mine, or you can just use an AE86 swaybar which will give you even more room in there...

[timbosaurus]

It's a piece of piss to connect the LCAs to the crossmember with the castor rods joined...

I just came back from your joint, and have done it for you... Happy Birthday! :D

Hey Simon...

I deliberately left MY shed and side gate open this arvo, but alas... The hilux is not running, the 1G is still not wired up in the '28, the guttering on my house is still rusty, the tree in my yard hasn't been cut down, the exhaust on the levin is still not fitted, and my shed is still not clean!!!!

I thought you loved me!!! :mad:

[twentyEight]

I would have got around to all that for you Tim, but I had to do some work for Riceburna this arvo... ;)