Steering rack/tie rod boot

[Wiscon_Mark]

I noticed that mine is torn. I'd like to replace it.

1. How do I remove the tie rods? Or do I need to?

2. Do I need to replace anything else? I know it's not like CV joints where they're constantly spinning, but while I'm certain this is a recent development, I don't want to have to replace anything down the road and open it all up again.

[loganmossmusic]

You do have to at least remove one end of the tie rod. The outer end is best. Just undo the nut at the hub and in the middle of the tie rod and remove your old boot. Then simply slide the other one on and attach with the straps or wire ties that come with it. Then get the tie rod attached as close to where it was as is possible and go get an alignment. Also nothing else should need replaced. Its possible your tie rod got damaged, but mine was bad for 8 months before I replaced the boot and it was fine. I did end up replacing it then because I had the money and felt like it would be a good idea to do while I had all of the suspension apart.

[Wiscon_Mark]

Are you talking about the nut at the ball joint (with the pin in it)?

[mike-tracy]

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2012/04/366494934701png-2.jpg

To expound on what Logan was saying:
You need to take the cotter pin out of the castle nut (18) and remove the nut, and remove the outer tie rod (27) from the hub.
Then you need to loosen the nut (N 02181400) that is holding the outer tie rod tight against the inner tie rod.

The outer tie rod *should* unscrew from the inner at this point. Once it's off the inner, then you can replace the boot no problem, and reassemble.

Note! that you just messed with your alignment so you might want to measure how many threads are showing on the inner tie rod (34) before you take em apart. Or plan for a new alignment job.

Not too bad a job, but I decided to replace my outer tie rods when I did it, since the ball joint on the ends were very loose and prob. original to the car. Between those and the lower ball joint replacement my front end feels much more planted, ie. doesn't wander on the highway and feels more taut.

Let me know if I described this wrong in some way.

[Wiscon_Mark]

Okay, another question. I decided to try this when I was working on my brakes.

I got the ball joint popped out, but could not get the out tie rod and inner tie rod undone from each other. Any tips or tricks? It's kinda hard to torque with a 13mm open ended wrench, and I don't have an oversized crescent wrench (may be able to get one though).

Also - when I put the ball joint/hub assembly back together, I didn't get that *pop* like you get when it comes out. The castle nut is on about how it's supposed to be and everything moves properly and nothing feels loose. Did I do something wrong, or is this normal?

[mike-tracy]

1st part - I had to grind down an open ended wrench to get it to work. Bang the shit out of it, lol.
2nd: The ball joint is press fitted in, so what I did was lower whole car a little, with another jack under the control arm/balljoint, then tightened it as best I could. You didn't mention using a cotter pin through the hole in the ball joint and castle nut, you're using one, right?

[Wiscon_Mark]

2nd: The ball joint is press fitted in, so what I did was lower whole car a little, with another jack under the control arm/balljoint, then tightened it as best I could. You didn't mention using a cotter pin through the hole in the ball joint and castle nut, you're using one, right?

I need to get one. I'm keeping an eye on the castle nut in the meantime (I'll probably replace that too, it's very rust). This weekend I'll be fixing that. I have to get the remnants of the old cotter pin out - it rusted into the threaded rod.

Good tip on the jack, I'll have to try that. Did it make a distinct popping sound when it went back in?

[Wiscon_Mark]

Well, I wasn't able to get the tie rods out, despite bringing out a very large pipe wrench and really hulking on it, then hitting the 19mm wrench with a hammer, then swearing a lot, then doing the whole thing again. So I cleaned everything up and ended up drilling the old rusted cotter pin out of the ball joint rod, broke a drill bit, and then hammered it out, and got a new one in.

So everything's back to normal, but I still have a sheared steering rack boot. Phooey.