164 Q4 steering rods (WARNING!)

[Alfan]

I am almost certain that the Q4 ones are longer than the 'regular' ones, so probably not an option!

Maybe the unoriginal longer ones requires to be threaded deeper...

[AlfaWhiz]

That might have been the case as well, memory is a bit hazy on this one

EDIT: I've just checked and actually the one needed for Q4 is shorter. See also the first post in this thread. So I'm pretty sure it was the matter of cutting the 'standard' 164 rods to length and then threading.

[Alfan]

I did write '...almost certain...'

Thanks for finding out, I will try and find the photos I have somewhere.

[Alfan]

I found the photos from my earlier posts. They show why I did not recall modifying the threads

[Cavallino]

If I remember correctly I ended up cutting the 'regular' 164 tie rods to length of the Q4 ones and then threading them a bit deeper to match the thread length on the Q4 inner rod. This has worked well for me since, so may be worth a shot for you as well. I think I wrote about this somewhere already but maybe it was in my project thread.

Do you have the link for this? I can't find it.

I've been dealing with this issue for way too long now.

Originally ordered a standard 164 inner tie-rod, the thread was correct but the tie rod was way too long. So the original Q4 tie rod was 10" long, so I found one 10" long, ordered it, but when it arrived the thread was way too big. So now I have one the correct length, with threads that are way too big -- and another (standard 164) one that has the correct threads but is too long.

[Alfan]

A search on the Meyle number gave me this:
https://www.autoaibe.lt/spare-parts/tie ... rod-152271

Whether that is actually correct, I cannot say though...

[Cavallino]

A search on the Meyle number gave me this:
https://www.autoaibe.lt/spare-parts/tie ... rod-152271

Whether that is actually correct, I cannot say though...

Thank you, good to have the link for the future and for others I guess.
I ended up using a standard-164 inner tie rod and cutting it down to the correct Q4-specific length and retreaded it, continuing the little bit of remaining thread after cutting up the smooth metal to the same length where it ends on the original old Q4 tie rod I removed from the car. Worked perfect.

[Alfan]

Great If you have the dimensions of the original FWD and modified FWD, that would be good to put here!

[Cavallino]

Great If you have the dimensions of the original FWD and modified FWD, that would be good to put here!

Good point, sorry my Alfa tech did it for me or I would have gladly documented it. Basically he just got the outer side down to make the entire tie-rod the same length as the original Q4 tie-rod he removed (about 10"). There was still a bit of thread left on the cut tie-rod, so he just continued that thread using the correct size die, up until the same point where it ended on the original Q4 tie-rod.

[Cavallino]

I found the photos from my earlier posts. They show why I did not recall modifying the threads

The photos in this post are just now appearing on my end. I'm a bit confused, which of the 3 is the original Q4 tie-rod, and which is the standard 164 tie-rod, and what's the other (3rd)?

[Alfan]

Ah, that was obvious to me, as I had been struggling with it some time ago

Top one is the used one from my Q4, so the correct size.
Middle is the one I ended up using (Meyle).
Bottom is new for 164 FWD.

[AlfaWhiz]

Great If you have the dimensions of the original FWD and modified FWD, that would be good to put here!

Good point, sorry my Alfa tech did it for me or I would have gladly documented it. Basically he just got the outer side down to make the entire tie-rod the same length as the original Q4 tie-rod he removed (about 10"). There was still a bit of thread left on the cut tie-rod, so he just continued that thread using the correct size die, up until the same point where it ended on the original Q4 tie-rod.

Exactly the same way I have solved mine. Note: in my case the newly cut thread passes through what used to be a narrowing to hold a wrench, but this was no problem as the thread continues past and you can still hold wrench as the narrowing is still there (albeit threaded now). It is working fine since it was done a few years back now.

[Cavallino]

Ah, that was obvious to me, as I had been struggling with it some time ago

Top one is the used one from my Q4, so the correct size.
Middle is the one I ended up using (Meyle).
Bottom is new for 164 FWD.

Do you have the part # for the Meyle tie-rod you ended up using? Did it fit correctly on both ends? This is good info for the future.

[Alfan]

The Meyle number is in the last photo. I don't recall that anything had to be modified, should be plug & play.

[Cavallino]

The Meyle number is in the last photo. I don't recall that anything had to be modified, should be plug & play.

thank you