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So I'm having a bit of an alignment problem. I've done an alignment already and the problem is still there. So next I'm I've decided to change the ball joints & idler arm (I'm also doing the caliper because the passenger side isn't closing at all). So, I have to remove the tie end rod to get to the ball joint, problem is the I can't get the tie end rod off without hammering the sucker or buying a tie end rod puller. Ok, so I have 2 questions. #1 is the tie end rod puller even worth the $35? Or should I just un bolt the nut on the inner side and hammer it out? (For $20 at Autozone I think I'll just replace it) #2 is the tie end rod right now (see pic) under any tension? I really don't want any suspension parts flying around. Thanks in advance for your help.
Last edited by stevenr9999; 07-07-2015 at 01:10 AM.
Nope, no tension; you can pop it right out of there by any method you choose. A pickle fork often works, or just bonk the threaded stud out if you're not going to re-use it.
I always find it best to swap all 4 TREs, the center link, and the adjusting sleeves, as an assembly. Take it all off together undisturbed, lay it on the floor, assemble the new parts and adjust exactly the same, install.
Looks like you need sway bar end links. Probably bushings as well.
If you're replacing the tie rod end, you can just beat on the threaded end to get it out. If you only need to remove it for better access, use a really big hammer and hit on the side of the steering arm. The tie rod end should pop right out without damaging the threads.
OK, so I ran into a bit of a snag. Taking a look at both sides the tie rods seem to be adjusted differently.
Passenger's Side
Driver's Side
So I did a search here & someone posted they were adjusting then to 1/4 inch. Not sure what that means. If I were to guess, I'd say that's how much thread sticks out of the adjustment sleeve. But I don't like making assumptions on my daily driver. Can anyone tell me the exact factory length these things are supposed to be (and from where to start measuring ).
that's why you take if off as an assembly and put the new stuff together to as close as possible to the original length. Don't want to drive very far before reaching the alignment shop, unless you need new front tires anyway.
in a perfect world, you could set the length of both tie rod assemblies to a specified length, thrown them in the car, and have the alignment be right on...
in the real world, these cars are made out of sheetmetal that was stamped on dies that may have been geting worn out after years of straight use, then put on fixtures that were also starting to wear out after years of use by people that may or may not have shut down the bar the night before to be spotwelded by other people or robots... which means that the cars will vary a lot from one body to the next.. then take that body and use it in the real world for a couple of decades, and the tie rods might need to be adjusted just to keep the wheels straight..
so, yeah, it's rare to get the tie rod assemblies the same from side to side. a little variance is ok- but if you have one side significantly longer than the other, then it's time to figure out why.
on my car, the steering arm on one spindle was bent way in and up, which someone "fixed" by making that tie rod over an inch shorter than the other one. it had obviously been like that for a long, long time before i got it based on the amount of **** caked on it. i fixed it by heating the arm up with a torch and bending it down to as close to the one on the other side as my eyeballs would let me... i must have gotten it pretty close, because i didn't need an alignment when i put new spindles on the car when i did the LS1 brake swap..
On my other stubborn salt-corroded car, the tie rods needed a ball joint separator to finally get popped out.. I tried hammering for over three hours and a pickle fork.. If those don't work, ball joint separator will
DO NOT hammer on the threaded end, or on a nut threaded onto it. Yea, people get away with it all the time, but when you mushroom the stud or mess up the threads you'll know why.
Instead grab a heavy hammer and give the knuckle that it's pressed into a solid whack, that will break the tapered seat loose and it will drop right out. Alternatively (or if it's stuck in there so hard that you can't get it to come loose like that), use a picklefork/puller to force it apart, but you'll likely mess up the boot and need to replace it doing that.
The tie rod end does NOT have to be removed to replace the ball joint. I don't even take the sway bar end links off.
Remove....
Wheel
Brake caliper
Bearing grease cap
Cotter key and castle nut
Rotor and bearings
Put jack or jackstand under A arm
Strut to spindle bolts
Cotter key and castle nut on ball joint.
Turn castle nut upside down and thread it back onto the ball joint until flush with top of stud. Hit that with a 2 lb hammer a time or three and ball joint will pop free.
Swing spindle around with tie rod end still hooked up and rest it on a block or something as you replace the ball joint.
Just in case anyone is curious, the pitman arm pull that I bought years ago has paid for itself over and over again. It pushes out ball joints, tie rods, etc, with little to no effort.
07-05-2015, 06:12 PM
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