Looks like Burco sorted out the dilemma. For others following along, perhaps this info will be useful.

There were actually 6 different racks from 2 different companies supplied over the years. For most folks who are replacing a rack with a remanufactured one in a stock Volvo, it doesn't matter much. With a simple installation kit which affects how the different racks bolt into the car, they are all interchangeable. My car was V8 powered - with very little clearance in the area where the pinion housing lives. So I could only use racks with the smallest pinion housing. As I went through 4 different reman-racks -- I got this piece of paper showing the different racks which might be used:



Note - 3 are from CAM/TRW and 3 from ZF.

CAM Gears was a British manufacturing company that produced steering systems for lots of different cars. Sometime in the late 60's/early 70's - TRW bought CAM Gears - hence the references to CAM/TRW racks. To make matters more confusing, ZF bought TRW Automotive in 2015. Of course, our racks haven't been made "new" for several decades. But it may help others to sort out exactly which rack is in their car. And the little decal in the trunk with different numbers for different style racks is often of little help because the many of the 240's out there have had their rack replaced with a reman -- which means the rack in the car may not match up with the type of rack that originally came in the car.

Cam Gear / TRW had two versions of rack. 87 and older used the female tie rod, newer was male. ZF's were all male.

So there are 2 brands and 3 styles out there. What they sent you was the older style Cam Gear.

With the age of these cars now most racks have probably been changed.

So anyone with a Cam rack should take a look inside the boot before ordering inner tie rods these days.
--
Bruce S. near D.C.

A look at the Volvo 240 inner tie rod offerings on the iPd site clear shows two different interface offerings between the CAM geared rack rod end and the inner tie rods.

You want the protruding thread to secure to the TRW geared rack rod ends.

106947 - Aftermarket - Inner Tie Rod - CAM Rack - 200 - 1272947

Volvo PN 1272947. The Volvo PN may be superseded.

ipdusa.com/products/6953/106947-volvo-inner-tie-rod-cam-rack-200-aftermarket-1272947

Recessed or female thread. The TRW CAM gear rack would have protruding thread rod so they secure together.






124548 - Lemförder - Inner Tie Rod - CAM Rack - 200 - 9140505

Protruding thread is on the inner tie rod. So the TRW CAM gear rack would have recessed thread rod so they secure together.

Volvo PN 9140505.

https://www.ipdusa.com/products/11060/124548-volvo-inner-tie-rod-cam-rack-200-lemf-rder-9140505




I guess you verified you have a TRW CAM rack on your 1990 240. So do my three. Protruding thread on all tie rods that secure in the recessed thread at the cam gear rack rod.


The ZF Rack includes a ridged disk on the exterior end the ZF rack inner tie rod boot secures into. Doubt you have this ZF Rack on a 1990 240 in USA.




Questions?

Hope that halps.

There were two makers of steering racks for the 240. Cam Gear and ZF. TRW is a rebuilder of original racks.

FCP sent you tie rods for the Cam Gear type. You need the ones for ZF.

I notice FCP has the Cam type made by TRW. Perhaps this is the problem.

They also have the ZF type by Lemforder which, as far as I know, is a good brand.

In my experience, when FCP has made this sort of error they have shipped me the correct part at no extra charge and not required return of the wrong part. I don't know if that policy is still in effect.

If your invoice has the name of the sales associate who filled the order call and talk to that person.

AFAIK there are two racks. Snippet from the BB archives, "...there are two kinds of racks on volvo's- ZF and CAM...the easiest way to tell is to look at the inner tie rod boots and if they have a big doughnut on the outer end of the boot, its a ZF rack. if the boot slims down right around the tie rod, its a CAM rack."

Don't quote me, but I believe CAM rack inner tie rods have female threads, ZF ends have male.

TRW is just another brand name owned by another brand name all linked back to the same factory, these days probably in China.

You should be thankful that you were able to talk to a real human on the other end of the line. Sounds like there was something lost in translation and she went into her normal routine of dealing with "problematic" customers; you may have kept your cool, but she probably deals with angry or impatient folks all day long.

She probably has access to an email account to receive your picture of the female threaded ends.

Best of luck,
Will
--
XC60 / Odyssey