So I have an issue where I don't have enough threads on the inner tie rod end to get the car aligned. I have a 91 fc with tein lowering springs. No other mods on car. Has anyone had this issue before? I have tried using inner tie rods from an S13,S14 and nothing fits into the rack (power steering). If anyone has another leads that would be great. trying to make it to Sevenstock

 

Are you are saying thee tie rod is too short, or too long?

Are you talking about the side that attaches to the spindle. That is where the adjustment is. That is the OUTER tie rod end.

What outer tie rod end are you using, stock or something else? What other suspension mods do you have? Are you running inner tie rod spacers for more steering angle?

 

They are too long. I need to come in more with the outer tie rod ends. And no other suspension mods. The alignment guy said we need to come in more but there are no more threads on the inner tie rods. And I am using Mazda inner and outer tie rod ends. I will be returning them since they are not what I need. I need shorter inner tie rods.

 

So you have their drift kit?

You have a couple options.

Cut down the tie rods, or return the rack to stock.

I had a similar problem with their road race tie rod ends. I had to tap the coupler deeper to get it to work and align the car.

 

Rack, inner tie rod ends, outer tie rod ends are all stock. Its just the springs that are a " Mod" on the car. I will have someone cut them down and add more threads on them. I was hoping to just hopefully grab another set of inner and outer tie rods ends that would fit in the stock fc steering rack.

 

I'm sorry.. I had thought I read Mazdatrix, not Mazda in your post above. Disregard what I said above.

The springs have nothing to do with this particular problem.

If everything is stock aside from springs, you have the wrong inner tie rods or the wrong tie rod ends on the car.

Is the car a manual or power rack? The manual rack uses a unique tie rod on the right side. The left side of the manual rack and both sides of the power rack are all the same. Perhaps you have the wrong inner tie rods?

 

POWA steering rack. I have the right inner and outer ends for the car. I got the parts from Mazda and gave them the vin. fb01-32-240A is the part number that I got from Mazda. It fits into the rack and goes in, but according to the wheel aligment tech ( at two different places) they are too long and they need to bring in the wheel more. But there is no more threads on the inner tie rod. So the outer tie rod ends bottom out and I still need to come in more. :/

 

Can you thread it further on the opposite side to get enough threads on the problematic side?
The steering wheel probably isn't centered on the rack. After you align it, you can remove and re-align the steering wheel.

 

agree /\ ,, undo the steering shaft couple and recentre the rack and then re-engage the couple

remove steering wheel with puller , and align the cancellation position sensor
( has align arrows )

 

We centered the rack, counted the turns and divided them in half. I have 3 full turns from end to end when turning the steering wheel. so now when its centered, the steering wheel goes one and a half turns left and and one and a half turns right. We took the inner tie rods off and I am going to be sending them out today to be cut ( they are probably going to cut off about 3-5 threads off and add more threads to the inner. Hopefully this will work.

 

This doesnt sound right.. could have sworn the s4 power rack was 2.7 turns lock to lock or thereabouts... I just replaced my rack, steering shaft and inner and outer tie rods. I used raysbestos inner and mevotech outers.. oem rack bushings and a used steering shaft. I eyeballed the rack centering like a moron but I thankfully had It spot on and have even steering angle. I think you got sent the wrong inner or outer tie rods...

Edit: I take that back. It does sound about right. Either way it doesnt sound like the rack being centered is an issue here and I maintain my earlier statement.

 

if you have the rack centered, with OEM tie rods and it doesn't have enough range to adjust, something must be bent, yes?

 

^ I agree. Maybe a control arm. It bend.

 

I dont think a bent suspension component would cause an issue to the severity of the OP and not be destroyed or undrivable.

Here's an idea... measure the overall length of the inner tie rod by itself. Ive got my old ones lying around.. i could measure mine for comparison ;-)

 

I sent them out this morning to add the treads. I have an s5 but the rack should be the same as the s4. I even have my rack from my vert, and its the same legth after we measured it. Control arms don't look bent or swapped out for aftermarket ones.

 

The racks are the same overall length assembled, yes, but the s4 and s5 racks are different in their hydraulic setup. The s4 used speed sensing variable assist and has two pressure lines and a return. The s5 is an rpm sensing variable assist and has a single hydraulic line and a return.

Its clear you have some wrong parts.. I'm personally quite confused as to why youre doing this whole song and dance modifying the wrong ones to fit.

 

^ I thought it was the other way around. S4 RPM sensing, S5 vehicle speed sensing. But not sure.

Everything else I agree completely. I'd double check by measuring turns lock-to-lock and finding center. Prolly the steering wheel is on the wrong splines. This can happen even with the angle sensor correct (tabs into the back of the steering wheel).

 

the vehicle speed sensing system was used in the S4 AND the S5, 3 line rack/pump. the engine speed system is S5 only, conventional 2 line system.

the engine speed occurs in the lower models toward the end of production, so an 89 GXL will probably have the 3 line system, but a 91 coupe will probably have the 2 line system, in the middle it can go either way

 

Once I come back from my trip I will be jumping back on the car and start all over.

 

I always thought it was the S5 Tii's had the 3 line racks and the S5 n/a cars had the two line racks.

 

i've had a bunch of S5 Na cars with the three line rack. the newer the car the bigger chance it has of having the 2 line rack.

 

I have a rack off my vert s5 sitting in the car. I'll take a pic of it and posted up here.