What is a track arm.
 

Spent two hours at the dealership today and they told me I need to replace the track arms (among other things). What exactly are these?

Something to do with blinker fluid perhaps? Did you have your tires filled with nitrogen?

Aren't track arms used to brace the spark plug wires?

Of course I'm assuming you were not at the Ford stealer, but this is all I could find...

Roller Track Upper Control Arms
Maximize the handling potential of your '65-'73 Mustang with ORP's Roller Track Upper Control Arms. Featuring replaceable sealed roller bearings with custom fabricated 4140 chromoly shaft, ORP's Track Roller Upper Control Arms eliminate the need for zerk fittings and grease maintenance but most importantly prevent caster changes with suspension movement, a problem that plagues all factory shaft mounted control arms.

Designed for heavy duty use, ORP Track arms also feature additional reinforcement to eliminate flexing under hard cornering and braking. The upper ball joint angle has also been modified to allow the upper control arm to be mounted a full 1.50" inch lower on the shock tower for maximum negative camber gain and traction. These arms also work well with the well known 1" upper arm drop although maximum grip is achieved with the recommended 1.50" drop. ORP roller upper arms are state of the art for vintage racing and are vintage legal. Fully assembled and ready for installation with a new Moog heavy duty ball joint.

Found at http://www.opentrackerracingproducts.com/trackupper/

Perhaps they mean control arms?

Which would be? It says track arms.

Maybe the guide rods up front? That is all I can think of that would be a possibility for replacement, or upper control arms....

track rods are just another name for guide rods. Did they say the track rod mounts needed replacment, which means guide rod mounts.

I went through that recently too. The dealer called them track rods and told me I needed to replace the "rear track rod mounts".

I guess the terminology is different depending on who you talk to.

I ended up replacing the "rear guide rod mounts". The "front guide rod mounts" can wear too, but not as much as the rear as they don't see the same range of motion and are in more of a fixed position on the W123.

You should not have to replace the "guide rod's" unless they are bent, stripped out or heavily rusted.

Hope this helps.

Maybe they mean trailing arms?

I would like to see the price and installation quote to replace those!!:eek:

to be safe, change that blinker fluid with full synthetic. And check your torsion rod spring mount bushings for wear.

A track arm is what NASCAR drivers get about lap 450. HA HA HA!!

Sorry, couldn't resist..... :)

in the service manual for my 1961 British Ford Van they refer to tie rods as track arms

It sounds like a corruption of the term that's used in Britain.

The arm connecting *either the rack, or the pitman arm / idler arm to the hub is usually called the track rod, while the ball joints at each end are called track rod ends, inner and outer.

*on commercial vehicles, the track rod goes straight from one hub to the other, running near parallel to the axle itself.

LOL, Please..... don't try mixing BRITISH into this mess also...

As an old guy I have more experience ( it looks like ) in this nomenclature mess.

They are calling things different names now in some instances.... but the tie rods are not included in this mess...

The Control rod on my Ford Pickup for instance attaches to the lower A Arm and keeps it from being deflected towards the rear under braking for one example and hard cornering, etc.
It is at the lower part of the firewall near what would be under the left foot of the driver on the left side and goes in a horizontal fashion to the back side of that lower A Arm. There is a matching one on the other side.

In the old days of ' live rear ends' which none of you have in your MB... a track rod was a rod which attached to the middle of the rear axle to help keep it in the mid line of the automobile during cornering. It runs 90 degrees from the long axis of the car behind the axle.

I just had a knowledgeable mechanic tell me I had to replace the inner left tie rod on my 82 300D. (Knowledgeable means "can change a tire without causing undue harm.) I went to a parts place on the web, ordered a tie rod and after it was placed I checked the thing under the car. They do not look the same. :( Anyway, the MB repair manuel calles them "track rods", and they are between the wteering knuckle arm and the intermediate steering arm. It is procedure 46-540 if interested. I tried to copy the picture to this answer, but the machine won't let me without I do some machinations.

Hope this helps.

When I get the tie rod delivered I will have to return it and order a track rod. Probable will get both sides this time.

dont worry about that right now--there's a benz truck on ebay with a 352/5 speed right now, a 91-2 like the old round hood ones.its got a ugly 90's style grill. you know what to do, line up 7,8 keystones.-have the wife ready to poke a hole in the bottom of each and pop the top and shotgunn them one after the other-about 25 minutes before the auction ends!http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...cons/icon7.gif