bamaroxz

I searched the forums, but not alot of help. I need to replace my inner tie rods, and while I'm there probly the outers too. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Never done this on rack and pinion. I know I will need to rent the special tool for the inners. Are the bands on the tie rod boots reusable? Will the entire rack need to be dropped? If anyone can point me to a link with step by step directions that would be great. Iam replacing with MOOG. Thanks.

00limited7

First off you need to take off the outer tie rods. Loosen the nut on the spindle arm just enough till it is off the threads. Take a piece off hard wood or maybe a piece of aluminium bar and hammer against the nut to release the taper press fit. Take the nut completly off and pull out the outer tie rod. Now break loose the jam nut locked against the outer tie rod. Turn the outer tie rod and count the number of turns as you spin it off the inner. You will need this info when you replace the new outer tie rod on the inner to keep your alignment close so you can drive it to an alignment shop. You don't want to be toasting your front tireson the way there. Now you are ready to take off the inners. Remove the boot clips. If you break them no big deal I think you can use raidator hose clamps to replace them. When you get the boot removed and out of the way look at where the inner tie rod is screwed onto the rack. Somewhere on the big screw on cap the will be an aluminium rivet that you will have to drill out to get the inner tie rod off. You should get a new one with the new inner tie rod. This is just a safety measure the keep the inner tie rod from coming unscrewed.
I think I was able to use a large cresent wrench to unscrew the tie rod from the rack. I think there is a special tool to do it but I didn't need one. It was a very tight space to use a cresent wrench but it worked for me. Screw the new inner tie rod on till tight and hammer in the aluminium rivet and replace the boot. Screw on the outer the same number of time that you took the old one off.
Repeat all steps on the other side. put it all back together and take it and get it aligned. You probably saved a couple of hundred dollars.

And always use some good quality jack stands and chalk both sides of the rear tires (front and back) when wrenching on a car.

Good luck,
Roger

bamaroxz

Thanks man. A few precautionary questions:
1. When I back the nut off of the outer, I am using the nut to hit against so as not to damage threads, right?
2. The rivet, is it like a set screw on the side of nut, the square part that a wrench grips? Does it just tighten the nut to the rack oncethe nutis tightened? I think I'm loosing you when you say "cap". Maybe when I get the boot off it will make more sense.
3. The new rivet, does it set into something, like a cotter key would kinda, or more along the lines of set screw?

Thanks for the directions, when I get it apart it might make more sense. And yeah, I was quoted like $275 for the inners.

WhiteWindsor

On another stang i had, when my inner tie rods starting going bad, i just bought a reman rack from auto zone. Minus the core it was $78 and it comes with inner tie rods.

bamaroxz

Did it last? Is it less work to change the rack then the tie rods?

WhiteWindsor

Yea, it lasted. It was a very basic, simple install. Just as mentioned above mark your threads on your outer tie rod's so you can get pretty close when you screw them in. It comes fully assembled with tie-rods and boots. I think there are only two long bolts that hold the rack and you will have to disconnect power steering hoses and take off outer tie rods. Very simple.

WhiteWindsor

Another thing i forgot is that you have to disconnect steering shaft also. There maybe a couple of other small things i'm forgetting, but it is simple.

87lx5.0

I Just went throught this with mine. DONT replace the rack if you dont have to! what a b!tch! Especially by yourself. Its not hard, just frustrating/ time comsuming. The lines are almost impossible to get too, so you have to hang the rack to get them started... At the same time you have to line the steering shaft and rack up while you push it in... To me it wasnt worht it but if you want the piece of mind of having the new rack, go for it.

Inner tie rods are much easier. The nut size is 1 5/16", I happened to have a wrench this size which made it very easy. On mine there was no aluminum keeper though so im not sure about that? I did use red loctite when I reassembled it though to keep it all tight. The other info is spot on. I measured my threads instead of counting them though but same concpet in the end. I would just avoid doing the rack itself unless absolutley nessecary.

WhiteWindsor

Maybe the degree of difficulty depends on experience, but i swear, i think anyone could do itwith no problem.

00limited7

1.) Answer is yes
2.) Yes the hole looks like a set screw with no threads. Tighten the inner all the way on and then hammer the rivet in place. Lightly tap on it till it is almost all the way in then give a good whack. When I said "cap" I meant the big end of the inner tie rod.
3.) The rack has threads so far on the end and then there is an "undercut slot" that the rivet will go into. The slot goes all the way around so you don't have to stop screwing the inner on to hit a certain spot. Screw the inner on until it is tight.

I think it will all make sense when you get it apart.

Good luck,
Roger