The grumpy thread

[SierraMikeHotel]

 

 

I paid a garage with good online ratings near work to fit new track rod ends and do the tracking

Yeah, that's why I chose the shit body shop that still have my Merc, and the shit plumber who failed to fix either of the problems we had him out for

 

Without a word of mouth recommendation there's just no way to know. Online reviews are too easily gamed.

[Rocket88]

What a fucking nightmare getting the Passat road legal for a year has been.

 

I paid a garage with good online ratings near work to fit new track rod ends and do the tracking, I was happy that it was just £120.

 

The MOT tester at the retest showed me the track rod ends and it's fucked already, the track rod ends are loose in the thread, so much that they're ready to pop out and the lock nuts not done up like the original MOT failing ones fitted by a previous owner. What the fuck?

 

Wonder how many of those "Trust pilot [or whatever]" ratings are genuine.....or just the staff going online and bigging the place up.........

[Lacquer Peel]

Aye they're far too easy to falsify.

I need to calm down for a bit before I phone the garage and ask them what they can do to make it right.

[artdjones]

What a fucking nightmare getting the Passat road legal for a year has been.

 

I paid a garage with good online ratings near work to fit new track rod ends and do the tracking, I was happy that it was just £120.

 

The MOT tester at the retest showed me the track rod ends and it's fucked already, the track rod ends are loose in the thread, so much that they're ready to pop out and the lock nuts not done up like the original MOT failing ones fitted by a previous owner. What the fuck?

A.A lot of pattern VW parts are heinous Chinese junk.

B.There could be a problem with the inner joint.Of course they could be useless rubbish too.I'd say it's unlikely that two different garages would leave the nuts loose.

[Rocket88]

TPS are good for VW parts...not cheap, but at least you get "the real thing"

[Lacquer Peel]

My theory is the garage I used copied the mistake of the person who fitted the last track rod ends.

The new track rod ends were around £20, when Lemforder ones are around £25 each.

[alcyonecorporation]

Lemförder or TPS. 

And they pay. 

[twosmoke300]

Some of those passat ones are rubber mounted . Most of the aftermarket ones are not . Also IIRC the locknut screws the opposite way to "normal" TRE's .

This is assuming its a passat of the pissing water in  the cabin and ridiculous 12 balljoint front end era

[Lacquer Peel]

Some of those passat ones are rubber mounted . Most of the aftermarket ones are not . Also IIRC the locknut screws the opposite way to "normal" TRE's .

This is assuming its a passat of the pissing water in the cabin and ridiculous 12 balljoint front end era

I wonder if the locknut screw in reverse is what keeps confusing people fitting TREe to this car.

 

It's a 1999 12 balljoint water leak version.

 

I phoned the garage proprietor, he seemed shocked and wanted to phone the MOT garage, he hasn't got back to me yet.

 

I should have DIY'd it.

[320touring]

Nah shouldn't have DIY'd it.

 

If ever there were a garage job it's Passat front ends.

[twosmoke300]

Oh yeh cheers !!

[scaryoldcortina]

Could always be worn tapers in the hub from the first slack joint, damn things go oval then won't hold another tre. Locknut won't save you either because a ton and a half of car yanking on it at corners will pop the nut up the thread if the taper isn't tight.

[Lacquer Peel]

The play isn't at the hub though, it's in the track rod end to inner track rod thread. Chinesium TREs?

[scaryoldcortina]

Oh, inner ends of the outer tre, gotcha. I bet there's no thread left in the track rod because it's been rusting internally for over 25 years.

[Lacquer Peel]

Could they seem okay when fitted but rattle loose once it's been driven if that's the case?

[HillmanImp]

Off work ill but the chuffin cleaner is round so I've made myself scarce by going to the pub.

 

Don't see the point of having a cleaner in our house anyhow as they must spend 90% of their time moving all the sodding pointless clutter, 5% cleaning and 5% sniffing my pants (probably).

[HillmanImp]

Off work ill but the chuffin cleaner is round so I've made myself scarce by going to the pub.

Don't see the point of having a cleaner in our house anyhow as they must spend 90% of their time moving all the sodding pointless clutter, 5% cleaning and 5% sniffing my pants (probably).

FFS, I've just got back after making myself scarce for 2 hours and they've not even been.

[treehugger]

Off work ill but the chuffin cleaner is round so I've made myself scarce by going to the pub.

 

Don't see the point of having a cleaner in our house anyhow as they must spend 90% of their time moving all the sodding pointless clutter, 5% cleaning and 5% sniffing my pants (probably).

Sniffing your pants sounds like a whole other thread....

[scaryoldcortina]

Could they seem okay when fitted but rattle loose once it's been driven if that's the case?

Yes, that's what I suspect is happening. I think the thread is just poor enough to seem tight when fitted but rip through when driven leading to the locknut being slack. Do it back up, paint the whole joint and locknut (tippex is good for this) then examine again after a test drive.

[Joloke]

Being in the wrong place at the wrong time and being blamed for damage you clearly didnt cause

[Lacquer Peel]

Yes, that's what I suspect is happening. I think the thread is just poor enough to seem tight when fitted but rip through when driven leading to the locknut being slack. Do it back up, paint the whole joint and locknut (tippex is good for this) then examine again after a test drive.

I would have done that but didn't fancy driving it, there genuinely doesn't seem to be much holding the track rod ends in place. It's been recovered to the garage that fitted them.

[SierraMikeHotel]

I would have done that but didn't fancy driving it, there genuinely doesn't seem to be much holding the track rod ends in place. It's been recovered to the garage that fitted them.

 

Crumbs.  That's a hell of an MoT fail!

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Clutch has gone. Standing by the roadside in a gale. Waiting for the AA. Pedal went to floor, etc. This is after it had taken me nearly 2 hours to get home. I’m cold.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

For fuck’s fucking fuck’s sake.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Should have got my clutch and flywheel done. Should have listened to Egg. I’m such a tosser.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Fuck.

[Lacquer Peel]

Fuck.

 

Shite. That doesn't look like a safe place to break down.

 

Start the car in gear with your foot hovering over the brake pedal, at least you can move it somewhere safer that way, switch the engine off or stall it to stop.

I drove a Rover 800 diesel all the way from Cumbria to the Highlands with no clutch but you're in the heavily trafficked south east.

 

Hope the AA arrives soon.

[Tamworthbay]

Ah shit that’s bad news, I hope you hadn’t detoured to pick the pedals up.

[Squire_Dawson]

FFS, I've just got back after making myself scarce for 2 hours and they've not even been.

 

Two hours in the lusher is never wasted.

[richardmorris]

I’ve had lemforder ones on my merc last year ( edit, no it was two years ago now)- about £45 fitted a side by my trusted Citroen independent and £65 for a full alignment from merit tyres in the village.

 

As to the sad family funerals I commiserate with a your loss. It’s hard on those left when relatives have dementia and it’s no life for them at all when they’re immobile so it’s a relief in a way when they die as they’re out of pain and suffering. I’ve no grandparents left now, and my godmother is now in a home in Lytham st Anne’s after developing dementia following a hip replacement last year.