Tie rod Replacement

[Detenator]

Ok, i did a search on this forum but i am still uncleear on how to replace my tie rods. The one on the drivers side has a good 1/4 or 1/2 inch of play, the one on the other side doesn't, so im gonna assume its not the fault of the rack, however, i don't feel any play in the tie rod end that attaches to the kingpin, so im assuming that the entire thing has to go. Can anyone give me a good description on how to go about replacing it? I havn't taken it appart yet so i don't know what to expect. One last thing, how much does one of these cost? Thanks for your help guys.

 

[ThumPa]

I'm assuming you mean your outter tie rod ends. All you have to do to remove them is

1. Remove the wheel (as if you didn't know that )

2. Remove the cotter pin and castle nut.

3. Loosen the retaining nut behind the tie rod.

4. Lightly tap on the knuckle while lifting on the tie rod. it should come out easily. If it becomes stuburn you can purchase or rent a seperator for this job.(in my experiance I only used this tool once)

5. Count the number if turns when removing the tie rod.

6. Replace with the new one and turn the same number of turns. Don't forget to install the grease fitting and add grease (if required).


7. Reinstall in the same order it was removed(minus the tapping on the knuckle not needed to install)

8.Take the car to an alinement shop for an alinement.

If I remember correctly I got my tie rod ends at autozone and I paid about 20.00 to 25.00 maybe less.

Good luck thumb

 

[projectSHO89]

If the entire tie rod moves and the play is INSIDE the rubber boot on the steering rack, you need new INNER tie rods (and probably new outers, as well.

Steve

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

you can spray a little paint on the old one before you remove it to make it easier to line the new ones up on the tie rod. just a quick spray and youll see a clear line where the old one was when you remove it.

 

[Detenator]

Thanks for the great description but i in fact did mean that inner tie rods. If you could be so helpful as to tell me how to do that, i would greatly appriciate it.

 

[DHMag]

from the voice of recent personal experience, having just installed new inners, outers and swaybar bushings yesterday. i bought both inners and both outers from O'Riellys for roughly 70 dollas. removing the outer is already described, but i removed the inner first, removing them both as an assembly. inners from the factory require a 1 5/16" wrench (an inner tie rod removal tool is available for renting). i didnt bother to get one though, i just used a chain wrench, after i moved the wheel to get some room. aftermarket inners are 1 1/4 or maybe 1 9/32"...not sure cause i used a cresent wrench. aftermarket outers are a different length than factory, so you cant count threads and be cool with it.

also, to aid in inner removal, pop the head off the rivet (after you remove the boot). if you can, pull the pin from the rivet too. makes it easier to trash up the rest of the rivet as you back the inner off. the left side is easier to get to than the right side. thats where the inner tie rod remval tool would come in handy. what i did on the right side was turn the wheel all the way to the left (pushing the right hand shaft all the way out). it put the inner nut just on the outside of the motor mount, but still over the subframe. space is tight, watch your hands and knuckles. sheet metal seams dont feel good on flesh. im looking at a cut on my knuckle from yesterday, caused by losing grip on the wrench and hitting the body seam......i need stitches...

all in all, including the 2 hours i spent doing an alignment, and 1 hour for the sway bar bushings...total time from front end being jacked up to front end being put back on the ground, 7 hours.

 

[shojuan]

DHMag:
from the voice of recent personal experience, having just installed new inners, outers and swaybar bushings yesterday. i bought both inners and both outers from O'Riellys for roughly 70 dollas. removing the outer is already described, but i removed the inner first, removing them both as an assembly. inners from the factory require a 1 5/16" wrench (an inner tie rod removal tool is available for renting).

Inner Moogs can be installed with the same 1 5/16" super deep (over a foot long!) socket tool as the original tie rod ends. Ford did a redesign on the inner tie rods (which is supposed to be superior to either the original Ford OR the Moog inner tie rods) which requires an entirely different set of rental tools to install.

From Autozone rent tool OEM #27024 to remove/install original factory or Moog inner tie rods. If you are going to go with the Ford redesigned innners then you'll need the more expensive rental tool set that has the special crows feet.

 

[DHMag]

shojuan:

DHMag:
from the voice of recent personal experience, having just installed new inners, outers and swaybar bushings yesterday. i bought both inners and both outers from O'Riellys for roughly 70 dollas. removing the outer is already described, but i removed the inner first, removing them both as an assembly. inners from the factory require a 1 5/16" wrench (an inner tie rod removal tool is available for renting).

Inner Moogs can be installed with the same 1 5/16" super deep (over a foot long!) socket tool as the original tie rod ends. Ford did a redesign on the inner tie rods (which is supposed to be superior to either the original Ford OR the Moog inner tie rods) which requires an entirely different set of rental tools to install.

From Autozone rent tool OEM #27024 to remove/install original factory or Moog inner tie rods. If you are going to go with the Ford redesigned innners then you'll need the more expensive rental tool set that has the special crows feet.

i didnt buy the Moogs. i dont recall the brand...but its what O'Riellys carries/supplies.

 

[projectSHO89]

O'Reilley's carries the Moogs. Yellow and blue boxes.

Steve

 

[DHMag]

nope, wasnt Moog. red, white, and blue box. the brand is...hang on, gotta look...ADC..AutoDrive

 

[projectSHO89]

DHMag:
nope, wasnt Moog. red, white, and blue box. the brand is...hang on, gotta look...ADC..AutoDrive

That's O'Reilly's house brand. They're made by Moog and probably had the Moog part number on a small slip of white paper in each package.

Good to know that these are now available in the house brand. That blue and yellow box adds a lot to the cost of the what is probably the same item. I discovered this last winter when I bought some rear sway bar end links and had the opportunity to directly compare the products from the Moog and the AutoDrive boxes.

Steve

 

[Detenator]

I went to auto zone and i got some brand called perfect circle. i duno if its any good, but im gonna take my chances, it was pretty cheep, like 17 or something, so im gonna slap that on there sometime this week. What was the part number for the auto zone rental tool again? anyone know?

 

[shojuan]

Detenator:
I went to auto zone and i got some brand called perfect circle. i duno if its any good, but im gonna take my chances, it was pretty cheep, like 17 or something, so im gonna slap that on there sometime this week. What was the part number for the auto zone rental tool again? anyone know?

From Autozone rent tool OEM #27024

BTW, that's 5 posts up.

 

[DHMag]

Detenator:
I went to auto zone and i got some brand called perfect circle. i duno if its any good, but im gonna take my chances, it was pretty cheep, like 17 or something, so im gonna slap that on there sometime this week. What was the part number for the auto zone rental tool again? anyone know?

i had Perfect Circle outer TRE and adjusting sleeves on my 94 Ranger, never had a problem with their products.

 

[shojuan]

DHMag:

Detenator:
I went to auto zone and i got some brand called perfect circle. i duno if its any good, but im gonna take my chances, it was pretty cheep, like 17 or something, so im gonna slap that on there sometime this week. What was the part number for the auto zone rental tool again? anyone know?

i had Perfect Circle outer TRE and adjusting sleeves on my 94 Ranger, never had a problem with their products.

I put them on my 91 Mazda B2600 last summer. Haven't had a problem. Still wish I had went with Moogs. I doubt the sealed Perfect Circles will last as long as Moog greaseables. They're easy enough to replace though.

 

[Detenator]

I agree
its been 3 or 4 days that i had the perfect circle inner tie rod on the car and its been going pretty good. I put it on there, set the toe with this long tool that my dad has, and ive been driving it ever since. I don't think i will need to allign the camber and caster, because it seems to be driving pretty straight. but we'll see. Wasn't a hard job at all.