Write-Up: Inner Tie Rods

Write-up: https://rivperformance.editboard.com/brakes-suspension-f6/write-up-inner-tie-rod-ends-t6316.htm#90554

Outer Tie Rod write-up is here: https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t5171-write-up-outer-tie-rod-end-installation

Anyone ever done them , what do i have to look foreward to ?
Basiclly im wondering if theres any surprises i should know about

Have you done a SEARCH on here. I remember AA doing them a while back.

I remember reading something too, but I dont see a writeup for it..
Maybe there are some easy direct fit upgrades?

Rock Auto sells the inners. If you are replacing them while the reack remains on the car be sure to lift the front end as far as you can to allow room for yourself to work (and grunt and curse).

Albertj

I did the OUTER tie rod ends, write-up is here: https://rivperformance.editboard.com/brakes-suspension-f6/write-up-outer-tie-rod-end-installation-t5171.htm#70767

If you do the inners, take some pictures if you can and post up. Thx, and good luck!

yes , i searched .... yes ive seen and done the outters already ... struts... ball joints ... link ends ... a hub ... ect. ect. just wanna know about inners i still got a vibration
Pics .... i have a Sony a300 lol ya dont want pics , 4+ megs a pic lol

Yes, we want pics. Use Photobucket's image size filter to size down your pics:

I'm going to try to do this very soon while I do my front FE2 sway bar / new cradle mounts install. If for some reason it looks like it's going to be very hard or risky in any way I'm probably not though. Anyway I'll try to take pics if I can.

turtleman wrote:

I'm going to try to do this very soon while I do my front FE2 sway bar / new cradle mounts install. If for some reason it looks like it's going to be very hard or risky in any way I'm probably not though. Anyway I'll try to take pics if I can.

Why would you think it would be "too hard or risky" ?

Rickw wrote:

turtleman wrote:

I'm going to try to do this very soon while I do my front FE2 sway bar / new cradle mounts install. If for some reason it looks like it's going to be very hard or risky in any way I'm probably not though. Anyway I'll try to take pics if I can.

Why would you think it would be "too hard or risky" ?

I haven't done inners before. Do I need the long inner tie rod tool?
I'm going to be at my friends shop he works at so we can use a lift - that's what i've been waiting for to do the front sway bar but I don't really know what I'll run into on the inner tie rods or if I'll be running out of time. Plus it would be foolish not to do an alinment on it after which takes more time. I'll do it sooner or later but the first priority is the sway bar and subframe bushings. Is there any reason the inner tie rods would be a problem? Is there anything unusual about the accordian boots or clamps?

I'm looking at the FSM for the 1998 and it shows replacement of the inner tie rods with the rack removed from the vehicle due to the necessity of staking both sides of the inner tie rod assembly while in a vise, then checking a gap with a 0.25 mm feeler gauge between the rack and inner tie rod in order to check the stakes.
Is all this absolutely necessary in the real world, I don't know. I still haven't found the section that discusses the rack and pinion boot.
More to follow....Do you have access to the FSM or Alldata?

i've done hundreds of these. follow the process to remove the outer tie rod in the write ups. quick write up

tools needed:
18mm wrench/socket and rachet
long screwdriver/pry bar
hammer aka the problem solver
long needle nose pliers
towels
1/2 breaker bar/rachet
torque wrench
MOOG PARTS


1. lock steering wheel...you dont want the rack to move will removing and installing the inner tie rod.

2. jack the vehicle up buy frame/pinch welds. if you place the jack stand under the control arm it will be in your way.(i usally just jack up the side im doing)

3. you will need a 22mm to break the jam nut loose that keeps the inner tie rod from moving. most of the time these are rusted so keep some pb blaster and a butane torch handy. your local parts store will have one for purchase.

4. once the jam nut is loose then you will need to remove the outer tie rod from the knuckle and inner tie rod. to do this you will an 18mm to remove the nut that holds the outer tie rod to the knuckle.

5. caution unless you are replacing the outer do not beat on the stud of the outer tie rod. beat on the knuckle to pop the tie rod out of the knuckle.

6. count the number of turns it takes to get the outer off the inner. this makes it so that your alignment will not be that far off. dont and you will turning that tie rod forever. if your buddy has a hunter alignment machine if the toe is more than 2 degrees out the alignment program will make you agjust the tie rod till it is under 2 degrees.

7. once the outer is off you will need the 22mm to completely remove the jam nut from the inner.

8. once that is done you will a pair of long needle nose pliers to remove the spring loaded hose clamp off the inner tie rod bellows boot(the black plastic boot the protects the teeth of the rack and joint of the inner tie rod from debris)

9. once that is done you need a long pry bar/screwdriver and a hammer to remove the factory clamp off the inner part of the bellows boot. rest the tip of the screwdriver against the budgle of the clip and hit the screwdriver with the hammer till the clip pops off.

10. now there maybe a breather tube on the bellows boot, so look. if so then you will need to remove that spring loaded clap also.

11. now you will have to grab the bellows boot by both hands and yank on it hard to get it to slip over lip on the inner tie rod that holds it in place. tip: on stubborn ones it helps if you use a pocket screwdriver to help slip the boot over the lip.

12. now you can actually remove the inner tie rod. your local parts store should have an inner tie rod tool that you can borrow. make sure you have a 1/2 rachet/breaker bar to use with the tool. caution if you use air/battery powered tools to remove the inner tie rod i will not wire you money for a new rack, thats your own dumbazz fault read the directions.

13. to use the inner tie rod tool, you will have to slide it over the inner tie rod and tighten down the bolt over the flat side of inner tie rod. most part store rent those dam universal tie rod tools i hate, but i do this for a living so i have one thats not universal.

14. once you have removed the inner tie rod clean the teeth of the rack off with a shop towel

15. your new tie rod might have come up with some red thread lock. apply this to the threads where the inner tie rod screws into the rack.

16. next you can either screw the tie rod in by hand or put it in the tie rod tool and do it that way.

17. im pretty sure the torque on the inner tie rod is 60-70 fts, again it should say torque specs on the instructions that came with the tie rod(moog)

18. now you have the inner tie rod bolted and torqued on, reintall the bellows boot. if the boot is torn or has any holes replace the boot with a new one. make sure that you line the boot up with any breather tubes.

19. the clip that you used to break loose with the hammer and screwdriver, you will replace that with some zip ties dont worry everybody does it.

20. reattach the outer spring loaded clip on the bellows boot

21. coat the threads of the inner tie rod with anti sieze. your future alignment techs will love you for that(no heat needed to break a jam nut loos or needed break the jam nut loose from the inner tie rod.

22. install the new jam nut(moog) or reinstall the old one

23. reinstall the the old outer tie rod. if you didnt listen to me in the beginning then you prolly damaged the threads on the old outer tie rod which means your dumbazz is prolly trying to thread the 18mm nut on the out tie rod and its not going. hey dumbazz give it up go get a new one.

24. also if you are able to turn the shaft of the outer tie rod then i would reccommend you go get a new outer tie rod cause that one is close to failing.

25. make sure you thread the outer tie rod back onto the inner using the number of turns it took you remove it. you may have to keep adjust the jam nut.

26. congrads you are done. shake tire to make sure the play in your suspension is gone.

27. make sure all nuts are tight.

Thats what i was looking for .. thanks

i smacked a curb yesterday going 10mph and it completely bent my inner tie rod so im going to be tackling the inner/outer this weekend but have a couple issue. as with demonte it seems like my jam nut is welded onto the outer but im going to try pb blasting and a little more force but my real problem is theres 2 listings for a 97 riviera inner tie rod.

W/ EXTERNAL THREAD ON TIE ROD HOUSING END; Front Inner
W/ INTERNAL THREADS ON TIE ROD HOUSING END; Front Inner

which one do i need? was this change part of the different suspension in the 97+? need to know asap and thanks in advance!

somebody?

I think, if it is a mid year design change, your only option is to disassemble first and see what you have.
I didn't know that there were options until you posted it.

got it done and it turned out to be an external thread. the part number was a mood ev260 and the inner/outer took about a hour with a large amount of that time trying to figure out how to work in the tight spaces.

i bought both tierods to be safe and turns out the external thread means the tie rod end is like a bolt and screws into the rack (Moog part number EV260)



the internal thread is the opposite and the steering rack threads into the tie rod. (TRW part number ES3103)



hope that saves the next guy a little confusion

just wondering if anyone has switched out their inner tie rods and how difficult is it? ive been poking around the net,and some tie rods are removed with the "inner tie rod tool" others removed al la ghetto with screwdrivers and vise grips. can the inner tie rods get damaged if you dont use the special tool?

C,Mon Robo, your asking a question you already know there is an answer to.

There is a special tool you can borrow from the parts store to do the inner tie-rods with.

dats true,inaway,but not seeing the job done up close,i wonder if it can be done the ghetto way?
the pics ive come across dont really clearly show how. if i dont have to step into the vatozone i wont///////////

From what I hear, OEM tie rods don't always work with the "tool" (unless you get a better one anyways) but aftermarket ones do. Are your inners saggy sir? lmao

yap. just the right side...

I don't think there is enough room to do it the "ghetto" way. Go borrow the tool....

man.. i hate borrowing. harbourfreight has one for around $30 bucks or so. does anybody think its a good one?

Not a good one from HF (China), but good enough to do the job a few times.