A few tips: 1. You'll want to loosen the jam nut (that screws onto the inner tie rod and against the outer tie rod) while the outer tie rod is held on to the steering knuckle. Makes it easier to deal with it. Then use white-out to mark the threads on the inner tie rod at the edge of the outer tie rod.
This is one of the best walk throughs ive seen on here. thanks a lot for making this... that jam nut cant be that easy to remove on an old 93 but we'll see what happens...
you really should tell your viewers that there's a tiny cotter/? screw that goes in grove of the shave to keep it from sliding off if it comes loose. Need to loosen or pop rivet off before using whatever to remove said tie-rod. Just a suggestion and hope it's useful.
I own a 93' Sable (mercury's Taurus) and this vid helped alot, but it didn't show a few things: 1. the tie rod he removed resembled my new one, and his new one resembled the OEM one I removed. Not a big deal, but the OEM had a pop rivet/set pin on the nut that had to be removed using a chisel. wasn't hard, used a single bevel chisel and took three wacks of the hammer. The replacement tie rod had locking set screws tightened with an Allen wrench, no thread locking glue used.. 2. The reason they showed replacing the driver's side is because the passenger side has the rear engine mount bracket blocking your view. The clearance is VERY tight, but it's still possible, using the eyes on your fingertips..
3. It's best to measure the distance between the outer tie rod stud and flange of the inner tie rod where it touches the steering rack (once both tie rods are out and outer tie rod screwed to the mark you made with white-out). This is because not all aftermarket parts are the same size overall or have the same threaded length. Once you have the size down, you can thread the outer tie rod onto the new inner tie rod (before installing) and make a mark where they are...
... the same length as the old combination. 4. Use an adjustable wrench around the rack shaft at the teeth *have something wraped around to protect the rack teeth and shaft* so that you're not applying the force on the pinion when you remove the inner tie rod.
I tried to get my alignment do couple of years ago. A tire and alignment shop wanted $600 for parts and labor for doing the same side as the one shown here. Thank you thank you for showing me this. The only thing I'm not to sure on is what is the name of the tool you used to get the inner tie rod off?
Back when I did mine two FORD dealers I called said to just go ahead and do it. One I called late and a tech picked up the phone - he said he uses an impact to do remove it. I thought that seemed crazy and I didn't bring it there for an alignment, I've seen another video on here where someone uses an impact. I didn't use an impact but I wasn't able to get leverage under the car to use a backup wrench. It was a late model continental (like the taurus). I did feel guilty torquing it up and down :(
Do you need to use a backup wrench when you take off the tie rod? Some people say you could damage the rack. The local shop I called said its not necessary.
Why would you go through all that trouble just to put the OLD outer tie rod back on? If the inner one was worn, most likely the outer one is on it's last legs?
Yeah...I had to go back and listen a couple times to make sure that I heard him correctly myself. At 10:35, while putting the outer tie rod end on, he specifically says, "the old one".
2. Leave the castle nut on at the end of the threads while using removal tool so that the tie rod doesn't come out violently. Use eye protection, just in case.
I need to replace my inner tie rod and i did have that tool, but it turns out the inner one on my car (2002 ford focus) is completely round, so i cant use the tool your using. any other ideas how to get it off? someone suggested to me using a pipe wrench.
That's what I wondered and I can only assume it was the previous removed metal boot clamp that fell. (mine did too in a similar fashion when unloosening tie rod) [A 6-yr response is likely worthless to you now]
Anyone got a less-shitty way to secure the boot than a damn tie-strap? If hill billies built cars, they'd be put together with tie-straps and duct tape. "Shit holds for a few months son"
DO NOT EVER, I MEAN EVER put that kind of pressure on the rack, other wise you'll be replacing rack in 10k miles for leaks due to seal breakage. watch at 4:24
