i noticed i needed new tie rod boots. so i end up having to cut the one off, and finally grease it and try to put it on and it won't go! it seems to small. i can't get the edges to expand enough. is there a trick to this or did i maybe order the wrong parts?

i ordered them from hondautomotiveparts.com and the diagram showed the boots being for the upper control arm ball joint but the description said they were tie rod boots.

 

bump

 

bumpizzle

 

Try heating it up slowly. Usually the rubber parts are so new that they expand and contract. try talking a hair dryer lightly to them but be careful not to get them too hot or rip them. GOod luck!

 

so you're saying the upper balljoint boot is the same size as the tie rod ball joint boot and that i just have to heat it and play with it to get it to fit? it seems smaller, but maybe that's cause it's new...

 

ok, i've tried and tried again to get those boots on and i swear they won't go on. i've heated them with a little torch and they still don't expand. is there a trick to them?

here's some pics to show you much smaller in diamter the are.

this is a pic of the one boot on the other side's stock boot.


this is a pic on the side that it's supposed to go. it has to go over the second big lip, not the first one.

 

Man... you should just replace the whole tie rod end. They aren't that expensive from an aftermarket source. Just count the threads before removing the old one, slap on the new one, and if you're good at counting your allignment should be fine. If you suck at counting......

 

yeah you should have just got brand new tie rods. They are like $30 from ebay man.. saves a lot of hassle...

 

I agree with them! buy the tie rod and save time for doing other things...

 

ok...maybe i'll do that...maybe i can return the boots and clips that i didn't use and that money should help pay for the tie rod ends...thanks guys!

 

Go for new tie rods make sure you break the locknut just barely free than spin the tie rod off. Then make the new tie rod the exact same length...thus you shouldnt have to do an alignment if you do it right, saves me from doing alignments at work

 

it doesn't matter; i have to get an alignment anyway because the whole suspension is ripped apart. unfortunately, i can't return the boots because it's been to long oh well, i ordered an aftermarket tie rod end today for 20 bucks.

 

Good deal.