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Inner tie rod replacement

B

brugg125er

New member
For ****s and giggles I went to firestone for an estimate to replace the inner and outer tie rod on my driver side. They quoted me $559. $75 for the outer and $95 for the inner and about $240 in labor and another $115 for an alignment. So I hopped on rockauto and bought moog problem solver for $55 and I will be replacing it myself. My question is for those of you that have replaced yours did you stake the inner tie rod housing? Because it's very tight in there for a hammer and punch to bend the flange and it didn't have a pre drilled hole for a stake. I have watched some YouTube videos where guys would use just loctite on the threads because it's impossible to do otherwise.
 


i have no idea what you were told, but you rent the tool. (free at autozone) remove the outer tie rod, then slide said tool over the inner rod, then with a 1/2 drive ratchet break it free and unscrew it.

you also need to remove the dust boot. then re clamp it on there and dont forget the little tube.
 
In the directions that I got for the inner tie rod it says to "stoke or crimp both sides of the housing to the rack at the flats provided on the rack end" they are saying to crimp the housing on the ball joint end. I'll try to find one of the numerous videos I watched where a guy used just loctite on the threads of the rack end of the inner tie rod.
 
I was just about to post that same video. What I was wondering if you skip to 5:42 and watch from there he talks about the service manual stating to crimp the flange on the housing, but he just used blue loctite instead because it's impossible for him to get in there with a hammer to bend it. Just so that the part wouldn't back out on the threads over time and the part falls off.

I just feel that loctite isn't strong enough. But would you recommending doing just that. I only plan to have the car for maybe another year or 1.5 years.
 
i never punched mine, or used loctight, never came, off, nor did i tq it.

it is rather tight in there too. i ripped off the clamp on the dust boot, then used a zip tie on the dust boot, it also never came off.
 


and count the turns it takes to get the outer rod off, then put it back on that many turns, you'll be close that way on the alignment.
 
i cant see it coming loose, thats silly. be like saying the motor mount nuts or brake caliper bolts will come loose too. maybe them lim bolts will come out? silly gm specs.
 
Inners can come loose. Been doing frontend work for 30 yrs. I have a homemade (well work made tool) to knock off larger oetiker clamp and discard. if it has the plastic sleeve over tie rod end it has to be pushed off to install tool to remove inner tie rod. Now I always install tie rod socket then turn wheel to move it back inside the rack to support it more. I even use impact as it puts less stress on rack BUT you can use breaker bar.
I use RED loctite, then have the rod off an old toe rod ground to a point and use it OR a long pointed air hammer punch to stake the bottom side of inner . Yes I use an impact to impact to tweak the inner tie rod and yes I DO count turns off and on off of inner tie rod. If I am in shop Im doing alignment in I dont always worry as much as it only has to drive to the rack but it helps in machine setup.
And yes a long black ziptie holds boot just fine and yes make sure vent tube gets reinstalled in BOTH sides or water can get into the rack.
And a little silver (nickle based) anti seize on new nut and tie rod makes future alignments easier.
The green/gold anti seize is more rated for high heat areas like exhaust manifolds but works in a pinch. Nickle based works everywhere.
Red loctite is still hand removable but requires more initial torque to break loose AND may make turning much harder. What locking compound are is high durometer anaerobic curing compounds.
What they do is slowly solidify, chemicals in them oxidize in a low oxygen atmosphere IE like a bolt in a nut. Reason it hardens slowly out in air is air is only 21% oxygen.
Trust me I talked to a Loctite engineer once. Lets just say the anaerobic sealant/locker engineer can be passionate about their products. 1 1/2 hr discussion on sealants and such. Its all a "witches brew" but is made to work together. They have cleaners, chemicals to speed up reactions etc.
 


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