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can you change "inner" tie rods?

27K views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  70Cuda383 
#1 ·
my outer tie rod ends are fine, but I have an 'inner tie rod" that's bent. I say "inner tie rod" because that's what it would be on an older car, but with this rack and pinion, the tie rod disappears into the rubber boot on the rack/pinion, so I don't know if it can be changed or if the entire rack has to be swapped out.

anyone swap out the thinner tie rod that the tie rod ends screw onto to adjust your toe in/out?
 
#2 ·
I had my left inner tie rod end changed two days ago, because I could see movement between the tie rod and the steering gear when my truck was on the rack. Made a nice little clunk, too. Paid about $190 to have it changed, which might have been a little high.
 
#3 · (Edited)
#4 ·
yes it can be changed. very simple job, but you may need to get a new clamp for the boot, there are ways to tighten the clamp without the propper pliers but they can be found for a reasonable price and one should have them anyways if they do their own work, as they are also used for CV joint boot clamps.
 
#6 ·
Yup, overall its a fairly easy job.

FYI - the loaner tool at AutoZone didn't work on my truck, it was too small. I ended up using a large pair of vice grips to remove and re-install the new part.

Once the boot is removed, the inner tie rod just unscrews from the rack. If you don't get new rack boots at the same time, you can just use a large zip-tie to re-secure the boot. It's what the new boots would come with anyway.
 
#7 ·
as mentioned above, they can be changed. do any *oh by the way* stuff while front end is apart. be sure to use blue loctite during assembly.
 
#8 ·
the "oh by the way stuff" is already done! it already has new ball joints, I'm doing brakes at the same time, and am also swapping out whatever drop springs are in it not for my hotchkis coils/shocks.

I'm actually surprised at how easy that was to do! I was worried that it couldn't be done because my Factory Service Manual doesn't say anything about changing the inner tie rods, only the tie rod ends, or the entire rack.

just need to get a tie rod end to finish up the job. this one is too loose, and the ball stud is spinning inside the rod end, so I can't get the bolt tight.

if all I had to do was swap out the inner tie rod, I could have been done in about an hour.

to the guy who paid $200 for that...I'm sorry man, but you got had. the part is like $10 on Rock Auto, so you got hit for about 3 hours of labor for a 1 hour job.
 
#9 ·
to the guy who paid $200 for that...I'm sorry man, but you got had. the part is like $10 on Rock Auto, so you got hit for about 3 hours of labor for a 1 hour job.

Nevermind....they would have done a complete alignment as well afterwards since they had the front end apart. $200 probably is close to fair once you consider an $80 alignment job as well....
 
#10 ·
Well, the inner tie rod end cost $72, $102 was for labor, and the remaining $10 was for tax. I paid $80 extra for the alignment.

Like I said, I may have paid a little much to have this job done, but I just didn't want to bother with yet more potentially time-consuming front-end work after I spent two days replacing balljoints and lower control arms.
 
#11 ·
Well, the inner tie rod end cost $72, $102 was for labor, and the remaining $10 was for tax. I paid $80 extra for the alignment.

Like I said, I may have paid a little much to have this job done, but I just didn't want to bother with yet more potentially time-consuming front-end work after I spent two days replacing balljoints and lower control arms.

Holy crap!! Are we talking a Dakota here? Those parts are $10-$20 on rock auto and autozone websites!!
 
#13 ·
I hear ya on that!! Lucky for me, I have a parts truck now, I just replaced: right tie rod, left spindle, hub, caliper, and pads, all I spent was $25 for new pads!!


When I don't want to mess w something, I at least price check the parts before going, and give the guy up to 10% over to supply his own parts, otherwise, I supply my own.
 
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