(T) Steering - track rod - how to change it???

Hello to everybody.

Have somebody changed the steering track rod yet?
See the picture what I am asking about.

How to do it?
Need help!

you mean where the arrow is pointing?
thats the rack.
track rod end screw on the end

exactly the part where the arrow is pointing, no the end.

whats the problem with it?ive always just changed the rack when theres a fault beyond the rod end

i am not native english speaker, so have a patient with me

make it clear to me

so, there is the main part - steering, then the middle part - rack, and then the end - called track rod. Yeah?

So and i need to change the middle part - rack.

Is it screwed to main part of the steering, or not? Do I need any special tool?

What is wrong with it?
That is a very difficult, if not impossible, part to change with the rack still on the car. If you remove the whole steering rack then it's not a big problem, of course, but there just isn't room to turn it with it still in place. Which is why people just renew the rack usually if that part is worn

This is what we call a track rod end or tie rod end


This is what we call a tie rod - almost impossible to remove without removing the rack first

Is the tie rod bent? Are you getting a rattle though your steering on rough surfaces?
Many people think that it's the tie rod which is causing the rattle but it's more often the anti roll bar links


anti roll bar links

And you also wont be able to buy that part as fiat only supply the complete rack and not the control arm as a seperate item

You can get them from Fiat to replace say,if you've bent it

but if the tie rod bearing is worn then there's usually similar wear in other parts of the steering rack and better to change the whole rack whilst it's off the car

There is the joint on the rack, on the side nearer to the steering column. And that joint has... been "loosen".... its not firm... dont know the english word... sorry... simply its not OK.

Its not anti roll bar link. Its not bearing. And its not suspension.
Its the rack.

Yeah, I could change the whole steering, but its at least 200. And the rack is only 10!

If he's bent it I could straighten it for him problem being the distance he would have to travel

Hey Deckchair5!

What for software of spare parts do you have?????
You are the genius!

I have ePer, but there is the steering shown as one part, not as at the picture which you put here.

Now I am sure that it is possible to change it, if ithe rack is shown as separated part.

Now only the question how?

Just ePer but it's hidden away in a sub menu!
Type in product code search 9949216 then expand the menus near the bottom of the page "Stilo BZ/DS ....... etc

Be SURE that the bearing is worn out! It's a lot of work for nothing otherwise.


To test it, undo any clips and loosen off and pull back the rubber boot 1b from the bearing. Then hold the bearing whilst someone moves the steering left and right just a little. Watch your fingers! Feel it move or knocking?


Make sure it's not just the tie rod end at the other end making the noise


Ok, I haven't done a Stilo but the tie rod is usually held in by a rivet or some locking device like a tab washer and is then often fluid thread locked into place. You might be able to get access to remove the locking device but I doubt it. Then you'll need a special C spanner to turn the tie rod bearing housing. Good luck if you can!


You will, most probably, need to remove the rack and you will, most likely, need to get more space by allowing the rear cross member to drop a little and then remove the rack through the driver's side

Deckchair5, THANK YOU!

I´ve just found it in ePer also.

So, I hope, I´ll manage to change it

Good luck! Take some photos of your job for the rest of us

Hey men,

today I changed the rack and the track rod on the right side of my car. It was hard work, lasted 2 afternoons, almost I finished desperate from it yesterday.
And because of my mood, I didn´t take any pictures, sorry. But I think, the pictures wouldn´t be helpful to anybody.

There is no chance to completely remove steering without dismantling half of the car
So I only released the steering and moved it on the right side and then unscrewed the rack with more than half meter long spanner.
The ball-joint of the rack was absolutely damaged and the track rod also.

The assembling of the steering was as awful as dismantling.

Now I understand why the Fiat services change the whole steering, and not only the rack. It´s the same work and time. Only for the customer is it different, in price, 200 or 40

So the car is working fine again, the terrible rattling has gone, but I´m going to change yet the antiroll bar links in closest future.