1G Tie rod help

['89beretta]

I know there's a similar post to this, but I don't what to jack it. This is the first time I've worked on my suspension so bare with me.

1. How do you take the rubber boot off of the inner tie rod? (see picture, 1). I'm assuming that once that boot is off, I can detach the inner tie rod from the steering gear. This might solve problem number two because I can just take the entire tie rod off, instead of separating the inner and outer.

2. I'm having a terrible time trying to seperate the inner tie rod from the outer one (see picture, 2). Penatrating oil for the last two days, and using flare wrenches and mallet. Don't have access to a torch. Any other suggestions that I might have missed.

Let me what you think. Thanks guys.

 

[Spidey]

#1 - there's a clamp that holds the boot on the rack, I don't know how much luck you'll have with the rack in the car.

#2 - I used open ended wrenches of the right size, one that fits on the square part of the tie rod end and one on the nut, position them so that you can just squeeze them towards each other with both hands.

You might be better off just dropping the rack, it is more work obviously but if you want to get the inner tie rods off I think you might need to.

 

['89beretta]

Any advice or suggestions on taking the rack off?

 

[Spidey]

All I did was unbolt the sway bar brackets, loosen the bolt at the "linkage" up above the subframe, and then undo the big bolts that hold the rack in. It should come out after that with a bit of swearing and yanking.

 

[No_Skillz]

Why is it necessary to drop the rack? I'm assuming the bar across the bottom is part of the rack, but I don't see it being in the way of anything.

I've heard some people say it does, and some say it doesn't, and I would like to know for sure, since I am doing this job soon myself. My car is a DD so it can't be down more than 1 day max.

 

['89beretta]

The inner tie rod goes further than what that image shows and it's enclosed in a rubber boot that is connected to the rest of the steering. What I was having problems with is getting that rubber boot off and removing the inner tie rod.

I'm out of time and patience (this is also my daily driver and the car had already been down for a couple of days) and I'm getting it done at a shop for fairly cheap because I already have the parts. About $40 for labor then an alignment.

Working with rust sucks.

 

[Spidey]

Depends on what you need to do, if you're just doing the outer tie rod ends then obviously, no, you don't need to drop the rack. I'm not sure you'd need to, to change the inner ones either, but I am sure it would be much easier to do so. There's very little room around the rack itself to even get a wrench or hand in there. I've never done the inner tie rod ends but I've heard there is a special puller and I'm not exactly sure how it works.

89beretta - I forgot to mention I also removed my downpipe, the center crossmember, and the subframe connecting "plates" on each side. I haven't been under a 1g but I'm guessing it is close.

 

['89beretta]

Yeah, I saw and tried to remove the center crossmember and connecting plates. I think I could have done it without removing the downpipe.

But like I said, I couldn't get the rust covered bolts off, so I just gave up. Got to go to work tomorrow and I needed the car. The car is to the point where I don't feel safe driving on the highway because the steering feel has gotten so bad.

 

[No_Skillz]

'89beretta, could you tell the the prices you paid for the parts and labor?

 

['89beretta]

No Skillz, if you can do it yourself, I say go for it. Rust was my biggest problem and I ran out of patience. I see you're from New Jersey, so rust might be an issue for you too.

Inner tie rod = $45
Outer tie rod = $22
Passenger side axle (I had a torn boot) = $65

Labor for tie rod = $30
Labor for axle = $70

Total = $232 give or take.

Not too bad, but that money could have gone to some 550's. I hate basic maintainence.

 

[No_Skillz]

Inner and outer tie rod for both sides or just one? Did you buy from dealer? I think I might be doing inner and outer on both sides since that's what everyone keeps telling me to do.
Sorry for the questions, I'm in the same boat as you and I'd like to know what kind of hit my wallet will be taking. Basic maintanence is killing me too. I did some basic mods and then realized everything else was too f'ed up.

 

['89beretta]

Inner and outer for just one side. I bought the parts at Checkers since I was going to do it myself.

I didn't get it done at a dealer. My experience is that they always charge more for both labor and parts than your typical auto repair shop.