Shop Discount Tie Rod Ends

I see how that tool works. So you just blast it off with an airtool plus that special tool? How do you support the rack against the pinion? Won't the force of using that without holding the rack shaft damage the guts of the rack teeth to pinion?

Looks like you have enough room to swing a pipe wrench. Put the pipe wrench on the inner tie rod housing. Most of us have done hundreds of inner tie rod replacements in the vehicle and haven't snapped a rack gear. If you can break a rack attempting to unscrew a tie rod, then something is seriously wrong with the rack.

What ever you do, don't put any heat on that unless you want to buy a new rack. Plus you get it too hot and you'll make the steel brittle as glass.

The pic looks like the steering gear is on the ground or on a workbench. if so, you can use an open end wrench of the proper size or a pipe wrench if necessary but you'll need to secure the unit to something in order to break the nut loose. They ure usually pretty tight. Use caution if mounting it in a vise to not break the housing.

A 1/4 inch is HORRIBLE! That's about ready to fall off when that bad. No play is acceptable,

T

I am planning to do this job myself, as I do most of the maintenance on this car. I really would appreciate some info to help guide me, such as the tool and how to. Thanks for any help

If you are going to do it yourself and haven't done one before you should take HT's advise and get the tool. Check parts houses & tool rental places to see if you can rent one.

This is one of those jobs that sux if you've never done it before but is actually pretty easy after you do a few. If you have a very small pipe wrench, that will work to loosen & tighten the end (did I mention you might want to get the tool for this job?). It's a hard way to go but does work. just remember you can move the wheel until the end you need to loosen is at best possible spot to get at with a wrench.

As far as the metal band around the boot, cut it & use a tie strap to resecure it and finally you may want to rent the tool for this job....

One final question I have is would it make better sense to purchase a reman rack and pinion and put that in instead? Seems like maybe I would be better off in the long run to do that. What do youall think? I really appreciate your opinions and knowledge, because for this type situation, I am a novice. Thanks

Rack replacement is more difficult that the tie rod. If the rack is not leaking any fluid than tie rod is the way to go.

Yeah you're right, I was just reading up on it today and I agree. I am still trying to figure what is the specific procedure, since Autozone doesn't give reference to the inner tie rod end only to the outer tie rod end. Are there any websites that can show me step by step instructions, I'm just not familiar with this, however I want to do it right. Thank you

The following instruction are a portion I took from the total dis assembly instructions for the rack. This is just the part that deals with the inner tie rod end.

I greatly thank youall for your information and especially the diagrams, they are most useful. I really appreciate youall's help, because I couldn't have done the job without it. I will do like you said and go buy the part and take it from there. Thank you

Good luck on the job

I'm sure you know but I say it anyway. The car needs to be aligned as soon as you finish...

A little trick I use that gets it real close is to set the wheel straight & look down the inside of the frt tire. line up the frt & back sidewall edges of the frt tire (kinda like a sight) and then look to the back tire, you should just be able to see just a little of the back tire side wall, adjust until you can. (if you only do one side you can use the other side as a reference).

It may sound complicated but it's not and way faster & more accurate than counting turns.

Make sure you put loctite on the threads when going together. If not and it is your 1st one the threads could come loose and tie rod fall off while driving down the road. Just an extra precaution for someone doing it for the first time.


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I really appreciate that info. Which Loctite do you rcommend, the red or blue or what? Thanks again Also I was wondering if I should maybe go on and change the outer as well since I have to take it off anyway? What are your thoughts on that? That way it would have a new grease fitting on it. Thanks

I wouldn't worry about the Loctite. The factory doesn't use any. Most of the tie rods have locking tabs to bend over anyway. Just make sure it is good and tight enough.

As far as the outer, that's up to you. If it has no wear, it's not necessary but it sure wouldn't hurt anything to change it.

Thank you for the information and I will look once again at the outer before I start and double check it. I appreciate the info

Go and buy your new part and look at it. The outer tie rod screws on to the inner tie rod. This will make since when you see the part. How to do the job will make more since once you have the part and the tool to do it with.