Any Advice, Part 2!

[Chris152]

Thanks so much for your reply, Dave. Fortunately, we have a really good nuts and bolts supplier nearby, and I have the old bolts to take to ensure the right fit and will be clear about the required torque. Getting into all sides of the two bolts that can't be replaced isn't easy (I already tried, when cleaning the burr from the threaded nuts) but I'm sure we can get them pretty clean with effort.

In the good news, the splitter is here so we can get that job done later in the week. Assuming the coming monsoon doesn't hang around too long. I'm sure I'll be back soon with an update/ more woes!

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Thanks so much for your reply, Dave. Fortunately, we have a really good nuts and bolts supplier nearby, and I have the old bolts to take to ensure the right fit and will be clear about the required torque. Getting into all sides of the two bolts that can't be replaced isn't easy (I already tried, when cleaning the burr from the threaded nuts) but I'm sure we can get them pretty clean with effort.

In the good news, the splitter is here so we can get that job done later in the week. Assuming the coming monsoon doesn't hang around too long. I'm sure I'll be back soon with an update/ more woes!

You're welcome Chris, hopefully your supplier can find the right things but point out they may be Imperial rather than Metric, i'm not sure when Volvo changed completely to Metric and some things were carried over longer than they should have been!

Also just for future reference, if i have to reuse an old nut for whatever reason and it's tightened to a high torque setting, i usually derate the torque setting by ~20% on the grouns that the threads in the old nut are used and as such may be weaker than they should be. The driveshaft nuts on my Rover are tightened to ~250lbft for this very reason, correct figure is ~315lbft for new nuts.
They can't go anywhere though as they are staked over into a groove in the end of the driveshaft so can't come undone! Got a few other nuts in various places where i've derated them as well but not many.

[Chris152]

Glorious! (Photo) New track rod ends, tie rods and ball joints fitted. I've still not bought new nuts to replace the questionable new ones, but then, it's not left the drive since we had the stripped nut problem.

Quick question - when a nut with built-in washer is removed, should we be placing a new washer inside the new nut? Some of the parts we ordered came without a washer, but on the track rod end we put one in where the old nut had one built in.

ps When we did the track rod end, we just slackened off the nut on the track rod without moving it any more than necessary, unscrewed the old end, and screwed on the new one on hand tight and brought the old nut back to lock onto it - is that a reasonable thing to do? Marking seemed like it'd be no more accurate, and counting turns unnecessary? Whatever, it'll need to head to the garage for alignment soon.

We even put copper grease on the track rod thread, pretty much pros now.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Quick question - when a nut with built-in washer is removed, should we be placing a new washer inside the new nut? Some of the parts we ordered came without a washer, but on the track rod end we put one in where the old nut had one built in.

ps When we did the track rod end, we just slackened off the nut on the track rod without moving it any more than necessary, unscrewed the old end, and screwed on the new one on hand tight and brought the old nut back to lock onto it - is that a reasonable thing to do?

If the nut that came off was a flange nut Chris, ideally you should replace like for like, however adding a washer is a good substitute. There is a school of thought that says a flange nut spreads the load better, i don't think there's much in it TBH but prefer to use flange nuts where they were originally fitted.

As for the track rod ends, perfectly reasonable. The downfall of your method comes from different manufacturers having different lengths that screw onto the track rod, measuring is the best way between the centre line of the taper and a point on the track rod. You will sometimes find the new track rod needs an extra turn or one less to achieve the same length.
However as your first port of call will be to have the wheel alignment checked/adjusted you've covered your bases and there's not much more you can do unless you (almost forensically) measure the old and new track rod ends to be sure they go back with the right length.
Expect the steering to be a bit strange on the journey there though, i wouldn't recommend letting your lad drive until you've had the wheel alignment checked/adjusted just in case - you'll understand why when you drive it if it's out.

[Chris152]

Thanks Dave. We went to the shops in it earlier, seemed fine to drive but point taken about the lad not driving any more til we've had the tracking checked.

But - the power steering's still the same, heavy on start up, left isn't bad but very heavy to the right, improving as it warms but still heavy. Once warm, in both directions it resists, then the power kicks in. Always easier to the left, tho, and sometimes the right goes back to being heavier again.

So - my understanding now is, it's valves / the rack. We still haven't done the full ATF swap as per your advice, as we're not covering enough miles to make the change fully, we just managed one tank full (about 1/3 litre) before lock down. But in any case, the fluid and pump aren't likely to account for the difference in assistance to left vs right? I can get a refurbished rack for about £250 - is that a do-able job for newbs?!

[Chris152]

ps Is what Haynes calls the 'steering gear' what I'm calling the steering rack?!

If I've got the right pages in the right manual (we have a collection, if you remember?!), it's not the fitting that's tricky, but the setting up/ adjusting balance that's tricky and needs special tools?

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Chris152

Thanks Dave. We went to the shops in it earlier, seemed fine to drive but point taken about the lad not driving any more til we've had the tracking checked.

But - the power steering's still the same, heavy on start up, left isn't bad but very heavy to the right, improving as it warms but still heavy. Once warm, in both directions it resists, then the power kicks in. Always easier to the left, tho, and sometimes the right goes back to being heavier again.

So - my understanding now is, it's valves / the rack. We still haven't done the full ATF swap as per your advice, as we're not covering enough miles to make the change fully, we just managed one tank full (about 1/3 litre) before lock down. But in any case, the fluid and pump aren't likely to account for the difference in assistance to left vs right? I can get a refurbished rack for about £250 - is that a do-able job for newbs?!

Before you condemn the rack Chris, i'd get as much of the PAS fluid changed as you can but do it in stages - i know that's going to take time at the moment for obvious reasons but on the upside you can't go far in it anyway.

I take it when you did the part-change on the PAS fluid you bled it by turning slowly from lock to lock several times with the engine idling? Also that the belt is tight?

Changing the rack isn't much more involved than the track rod ends although obviously more work is involved. Some cars need the engine to be lifted a little to enable the rack to be removed, i can't remember if that's the case with the 240 or not. I do know that no matter what car it is, it's not a nice job, especially at this time of year because of having to grovel about on the ground to do most of it.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Chris152

ps Is what Haynes calls the 'steering gear' what I'm calling the steering rack?!

If I've got the right pages in the right manual (we have a collection, if you remember?!), it's not the fitting that's tricky, but the setting up/ adjusting balance that's tricky and needs special tools?

You've got it Chris, i think they use a standard phrase to cover a variety of cars as some have steering boxes instead.

The setting up etc that you describe is more if you overhaul the rack yourself and/or adjust things yourself.

If you buy a reconditioned rack that should already be done.

In other words, it should just be a "spanner job" - old one out, new one in - to do it, obviously making sure the new rack is centralised as close as possible to the centre of the rack when the steering wheel is in the straight ahead position then refit the TREs as you've already had some practice at doing!

[Chris152]

Thanks Dave - I've read Haynes and it doesn't mention raising the engine at all, but that might just be one of their little omissions. We're in no hurry, so will do as you say, get some miles on once we can and continue to change the fluid. And yes, first time we tried to change the fluid we did short journeys and lots of turns, but following your advice want to put some miles in before each replacement.

OK, we have headlamp reflectors to do next, then it's on to the rear shocks. One's self-levelling, the other's not, apparently. I believe self levelling is better, so will order some of those (apparently best to do both). Do we want the gas filled kind - does gas filled mean self levelling?

Thank again.

[Chris152]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

You've got it Chris, i think they use a standard phrase to cover a variety of cars as some have steering boxes instead.

The setting up etc that you describe is more if you overhaul the rack yourself and/or adjust things yourself.

If you buy a reconditioned rack that should already be done.

In other words, it should just be a "spanner job" - old one out, new one in - to do it, obviously making sure the new rack is centralised as close as possible to the centre of the rack when the steering wheel is in the straight ahead position then refit the TREs as you've already had some practice at doing!

That's good news!