The tracking on my new (to me) 03 blob WRX is out, so I took it to get sorted. The guy couldn't do it because the locking nuts near the track rod ends are seized and won't come loose even with heat, and one of the track rod ends is seized on too. He advised new track rod ends and locking nuts.

I took it to a local garage to get the above quoted, who said that the previous guy was talking rubbish and it just needs some heat, and to try a local alignment place.

Local alignment place has said that it has already been heated to the point it will fail an MOT, and that it needs new track rod ends and locking nuts (grr).

Fortunately none of the above has cost me anything except time and anger, but it would be nice to know what I actually need to do to get it fixed in case another garage wants to bull**** me.

Assuming it has seized track rod ends and locking nuts, and has been heated so heating it up with a torch isn't an option any more, will these need to be cut off?

If they need to be cut off, is it likely that I'll need new inner track rods as well (the long ones that screw into the steering rack)?

 

I had to have my trackrods/ ends replaced recently because of the same problem, same year car. The parts were around the £100 mark but can't separate the labour as it was altogether with the alignment work.
Trev

 

just buy new track rods and track rod ends, put them full of grease before mounting and it will be good for 15 years or so.
mine's are 21 years at the moment unmounted them when I bought the car, put them full of grease en remounted them, and took it in for an alignment.

If you will try to loosen these up, it will be good for 1 alignment and after it probably will get stuk again, becaus it has too much corrosion.

 

Hi mate you can get a blowtorch on the nut and get it red hot and it will come undone just clean the thread be for you heat it up and job done