Converting a 16VT to 20VT hubs and brakes I read that 20VT steering tie rod ends are required so I purchased the "rod ends".




They are indeed different but the 20VT rod ends wont fit the 16VT "rack ends" or inner tie rod ends as the thread and rod is smaller. 20VT appears to be about 13mm and the 16VT is about 11mm.




So it looks like I will need 20VT rack ends or the complete steering tie rod. Can anyone confirm this and confirm that the 20VT rack end will definitely fit the 16VT steering rack. Cheers !

I've noticed some others have simply cut a section off the 16VT tie rod to make it work but I'd rather avoid doing that.

Yes the 16v/16vt track rods (and hence the track rod ends) are smaller diameter than 20v/20vt unless the 20v/20vt donor is a very early model like mine that has 16v/16vt rods/TREs. So maybe you could take the rack apart and put the 16vt track rods on it and use the existing TREs and you'd end up with something like mine? Or just use the rack/rods and TRE's as they are, or is/are the rack/rods too long? If so, presumably the fix is to cut the rods and use a die to cut a new thread on the rod end?

Had some experience of this with Alfa 155s as the V6 and Q4 have the larger TREs and the twinnies don't.

The racks themselves are pretty much identical, and the larger diameter tracking arms with screw into the ends of the rack. There might be a slight issue with the length of the arms, but measure and carefully remove an equal amount off each one. One the 155, it was only about 6mm each side, but the Coupe track is different IIRC, so need to measure.

It does all go together and work. I fitted brembo four pots to a 155 using Coupe 20VT uprights, Coupe 20VT TREs, and Coupe 20VT tracking arms. Can be hard getting the tracking arms to unscrew from the rack. I had to drop the rack off to do this as nothing would budge them with it in place.

Thanks for the replies. I've done some parts hunting and it looks like M12 threads were common on most Fiats up about 1996 when they moved to the larger M14 thread.

This morning I tried to find a 108mm centre to end, TRE with the M12 thread which would make it plug and play but I do not think such a thing exists, not in Australia anyway. So I have 2 options

1. Cut 12mm off both the 16vt rod end and rack end. To do this nicely requires the rack end to be removed from the rack and cut with a power hacksaw or similar.

2. Buy a 20VT rack end and fit it.