Brownjd

i've got a bad tie rod i need to get out of the rack and pinion. i have the ball joint seperated already, don't need that. just need to know how to remove the INNER tie rod from the rack. did a search and found mostly ball joint removal of outer tie rod. thanks

ZMan3000

First remove the outer tie rod. You can buy a puller to separate the outer tie rod from the control arm. Get a large plier from lowes that has a wide opening and use that to turn the inner tie rod counter clockwise. Thats what I used on my 1999 Accord to replace the inner tie rods. They say to you crow socket but I could get one for that size. My sears maxed out around 22 so You can try to get a crow socket or just get a big size plier so that you can apply torque to twist open the inner tie rod.

Good luck.

Brownjd

so the inner tie rod just screws into the rack basically? sounds simple enough. do i need to count how many turns it is to take it out so i can roughly get the new one in the same until i get an alignment?

ZMan3000

something like this with a adjustable head and a long handle.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn...=none

ZMan3000

I didn't. I knew I was taking it to sears to for alignment afterwards so why not let them work for the money. I am not sure if you need to. The inner tie rod end has to go on a little tight. You do need to count or mark the outer tie rod.

Its not hard if you use a good size plier. If you can find a crow socket that fits then that might make it even easier.

If you have a new inner tie rod, you can see is just like a bolt.

good luck

Brownjd

awesome help, gonna go finish the removal now. thanks a lot.

ZMan3000

Let us know how it goes.

Good Luck

johnlear

Don't forget the flange washer that is there (at each end of the rack shaft) to prevent the 'rack-end' (that's the term for what you're calling the "inner tie-rod end", and incorporates the tie-rods) from unscrewing should it come loose. The rack-end does need to be done up quite tightly to the rack shaft as otherwise they can become loose (been there).

Each of the flange washers are held in place (prevented from rotating) by two tabs keyed to the end of the rack shaft, and in turn holds the rack-end by having it's 'flange' folded over the hex on the rack-end in two places. To remove the old rack-end you'll need lever these folded flanges back with a cold chisel and a large screwdriver before you can turn the rack end to undo it.

As far as possible try to hold the rack shaft (for rack-end tightening purposes) with a spanner (wrench) on the flats that exist at each end of the rack shaft. This will help prevent excessive torque loading (as you tighten) being passed into the rack housing where the rack shaft meets the pinion (and any mechanism involved with setting rack / pinion clearance preload).



Modified by johnlear at 6:03 PM 5/23/2008