Tie Rod Install Help ????

[Mars]

I'm installing my tie rods and ran into a problem. I can't seem to tighten the hex nut that connects it to the steering knuckle. The shaft/bolt is turning as I turn the nut. I can't tighten or loosen the nut.

Any suggestions??

Thanks

[Mars]

anyone?

[Patrokloss]

Place a floor jack underneath the tie rod right below the ball joint and LIGHTLY jack it up to put some pressure on the ball joint. That will hold it in place well enough for you to tighten the hex nut.

[themadhatter]

Place a floor jack underneath the tie rod right below the ball joint and LIGHTLY jack it up to put some pressure on the ball joint. That will hold it in place well enough for you to tighten the hex nut.
make sure you coat it in a breaking fluid such as wd-40 or pb blaster.

[Mars]

Thanks guys. I'll go give it a shot.

[Patrokloss]

make sure you coat it in a breaking fluid such as wd-40 or pb blaster.Yes, but only if you are still trying to get the old one off. I believe he said he is trying to tighten down the new ones. I wouldn't coat the new ones with anything...

[Mars]

Yeah, I have the old one off already.

I used the jack like you said and was able to tighten it down. :alright

Right side finished. Going to do the left side now.... :buttrock

Thanks for all the help

[themadhatter]

ah my bad, sorry about that. :)

[nightkrawler]

can you get the inner tie rod itself? meaning the part that the tie rod end screws into that attaches underneath the rubber covering on the rack. i have play in both of mine but it seems that the play is in the part of the tie rod that connects to the rack.

[fliplap]

can you get the inner tie rod itself? meaning the part that the tie rod end screws into that attaches underneath the rubber covering on the rack. i have play in both of mine but it seems that the play is in the part of the tie rod that connects to the rack.

I had the same issue, yes you can. You'll need a large, thin, open ended wrench to get it off. Though I managed with a set of channel locks.

[nightkrawler]

cool, now i have to get the parts. should i just get the whole tie rod? car has 125k on her so they are probably all shot. where is a good place to get oem parts cheap?

[Patrokloss]

At 125k you'd better just replace the whole tie rod assembly on both sides.

Eap4parts.com sells OE Lemforder tie rods for $53.99 each. Can't beat it.

[nightkrawler]

i know at least the ends were changed before cause i can see marks from vise grips on them. but im going to change the whole thing. can you mark them, like you do with the ends so that you dont have to get the car aligned?

[Patrokloss]

Do your best to mark them, but you will probably still need an alignment afterwards. When I did mine I thought I had them matched up pretty good, but as soon as I got the car on the road it was obvious that they were WAY off.

Just plan on getting an alignment. :)

[Mars]

I think those "marks from vise grips" are from getting an alignment. I think they adjust them during aligments. I could be wrong.

I would get the whole assembly. Not expensive at all.

[nightkrawler]

yeah, you could be right. either way, they need to be replaced.

[CarbonBlkE36]

i've been successful by jus pressing it up by hand and tighting it up. it catches 98% of the time