Track Rod Ends Robin Hood 2B Plus

[Jonty Wild]

I need a pair, or at least, an offside track rod end.

My understanding is that the rack on my car is a Ford Escort, not Sierra - maybe they all were? Certainly the steering rack gaiters were ordered for an Escort and they matched and fitted. My existing tie road ends are sided - see photos of the o/side - the nearside is a mirror image. I ordered a pair of Quinton Hazel items for an Escort (or at least I thought I did as there were 2 in every picture!). Only one has arrived and clearly it intended to fit either side and doesn't look like to would my car any way. I Googled the number on the item, but didn't get any hits.

Can anyone advise on a part number or source or the car it would have come from? Could it be that the track rod ends are Sierra fitted on to an Escort rack?

Looking at images on line perhaps I should add that mine have a tapered end that fits into the hub carrier. Some of those I have seen on line don't appear have that.

Edited August 26, 2025 by Jonty Wild

[Foz]

They look like Sierra ends to me & it would make sense as they are Sierra hubs but ............

................ do you actually need new joints or is it just the rubber gaiter that's perished ?  That's what happened to mine, the joints themselves were fine so I just replaced the rubber boots.

 

[Jonty Wild]

Thanks for the info I am thinking Sierra too now, but there seem to be several versions so I still need to be careful when ordering. Very few show the joint from above which would really help!

I wasn't aware that you could just get the rubber, that is all I need really - it has split might have been me getting it apart to replace the steering gaiters, not sure. Any ideas where I could just get the rubber from?

Edited August 26, 2025 by Jonty Wild

[Jonty Wild]

Just Googled the rubbers, loads around. I wish I had measured it while it was off the car!

[Jonty Wild]

Just to finish this one off. I ordered one track rod end for an Escort - definitely wrong as it had no offset - there are loads like that. Found some offset ones that look right, but most have no measurements, some are much longer and I don't think these would fit. Found some Sierra ones, that are indeed offset but they don't look like the ones on my car as they have a have triangle on front of each - I have a sneaking suspicion that these would fit, so I was holding these as a reserve. Found one described as for any Sierra based kit car and looked perfect, but the wrong side, so I rang them and asked of they had the other side, they pointed me to another which looked completely different. I pointed that out and they said the picture was wrong on the one that looked right . . . . damn! Found others that look the same, but although listed for various Fords are not listed as for a Sierra - I have a sneaking suspicion that these would fit too. By this time I had followed Foz's advice (above) and ordered some Sierra replacement rubbers and have fitted one. I think it would have been better if it had been a slightly tighter fit, but I think that it's done the job and I will just monitor it periodically. Tracking tomorrow, just got to decide how much toe in to ask for. Then MOT Monday.

[alanrichey]

1 hour ago, Jonty Wild said:

 Tracking tomorrow, just got to decide how much toe in to ask for. 

A smidgin 

[Jonty Wild]

I thought maybe a tad.

[IanS]

is that bigger than a gnats nudger? 

[Jonty Wild]

On 8/30/2025 at 10:16 AM, IanS said:

is that bigger than a gnats nudger? 

I think it it is a wee bit more than a smidgen.

[Jonty Wild]

Just finishing off chat (probably!): So I went for tracking and asked for between 1 and 2mm toe in. They said we only work in degrees and minutes now. . . . . doh! I couldn't convert that without a tape measure and pen and paper and some time, so I asked them to aim for a smidgin or a tad of toe in "as officially recommended by the experts at the club", which they seemed happy with. I have ended up with 1 degree 58 minutes. I have to say that it is much better than toe out (no surprise there!), but if I am honest, I am not sure that it is better than it was before I replaced the steering gaiters and track rod rubber boot, but is it as good  . . . . . umm . . . . . still thinking.

It almost sailed through the MOT . . . . .  almost!  Having checked the car over beforehand . . . .  all the normal stuff - lights, indicates, wipers, tyre pressures etc., oh and the horn. The latter several times, and it was definitely working when I went for the above tracking (Sat), driving to the MOT (Mon) not a peep! So obviously it failed on that, despite me desperate looking for a loose wire, bad earth that I could fixed in the 5 minutes before the MOT. No luck, so obviously it failed on that. I have not got a sound out of the horn when testing it directly on the battery, so waiting for a new one.

Could be worse I suppose, but b****y annoying. Hurry up Amazon.

Beep, beep!