SporkLover

iTrader: (2)

I hate pot holes and rail road tracks, especially when the two are combined.

My driver side tire rod is tweaked. How do you replace one? My Haynes manual covers the Tie Rod end, not the tie rod. So I can get as far as getting the Tie Rod off the car.... now for the other 20%

Im assuming that you can disconnect the tie rod from the steering rack.

Thanks for any input

ACW

Tie Rod Replacement - Inner - On Vehicle

Tools Required: J 34028 Inner Tie Rod Wrench

Removal Procedure

1. Raise the vehicle. Support the vehicle with suitable safety stands.
2. Remove the tire and wheel assembly from the vehicle.
3. Remove the rack and pinion boot.
Notice: Do not change the rack bearing preload adjustment before removing the inner tie rod from the steering rack. This could cause damage to the pinion or the steering rack or both.
4. Remove the shock dampener from the inner tie rod.
5. Slide the shock dampener back onto the rack.
Important: Do not hold the steering rack while removing the inner tie rod if the preload adjustment has not been changed.
6. Remove the inner tie rod from the rack assembly as follows:
- Place a wrench on the flats of the inner tie rod housing
- Rotate the inner tie rod housing counterclockwise until the inner tie rod separates from the rack.
7. Remove the old LoctiteŽ from the threads of the rack and the inner tie rod.

Installation Procedure

Important: Make sure the shock dampener is on the rack before installing the inner tie rod.
1. Apply LoctiteŽ 262 (or equivalent) to the inner tie rod threads.
Important: The threads must be clean prior to the LoctiteŽ application. Check the LoctiteŽ (or equivalent) container for expiration date. Use only enough LoctiteŽ to evenly coat the threads.
2. Install the inner tie rod to the rack and pinion.
3. Install a torque wrench to the J 34028 to tighten the inner tie rod. Hold the rack while tightening the tie rod. Tighten the inner tie rod to 100 Nˇm (74 lb ft).
4. Slide the shock dampener over the inner tie rod housing until the front lip of the shock dampener bottoms out against the inner tie rod housing.
5. Install the rack and pinion boot.
6. Install the tire and wheel assembly to the vehicle.
7. Remove the safety stands.
8. Lower the vehicle.
9. Check the wheel alignment.

SporkLover

iTrader: (2)

Any tricks to getting the Inner Tie Rod off of the rack and pinion.... Im trying and holy crap its hard....

J_TGuerra

you have to have a special tool ... a long tube with extra little c clamps that go around the bulb of the tie rod .. attach it to a hand rachet and it comes of really easy

SporkLover

iTrader: (2)

The tool isnt the problem.... just cant seem to get the tie rod off....... I'll try again tommorrow when I am less frustrated

allbaugh_04

iTrader: (6)

Did you get it?

GregAbell60143

Considering this post was made almost 2 1/2 years ago, he's probably got it figured out by now

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

Or gave up and got a new rack...

allbaugh_04

iTrader: (6)

Thx, but I CAN read the post date, but i'd like a little help if he did it himself or took it in.

98boxer

iTrader: (7)

i too get frustrated when i read a post, and the unknown happens and we never hear if the problem was fixed, how it was fixed, its get frustrating, lol

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

Does anyone have pics of replacing the inner tie rods?

allbaugh_04

iTrader: (6)

I wish, I got a bad passenger one. It rattles over bumps, so annoying.

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

I would like to see pictures of this shock damper.

m6speed

iTrader: (11)

Rob(sporklover) fixed it a long time ago by himself, and has since sold the car and doesn't get on this site anymore.

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

I just did this today. It was so easy. Totally blown out of proportion for me!

Just buy the inner tie rods and rent the tool for them at the store. Our sway bars slightly get into the way but it is doable without removing them. With a nice sized breaker bar the tie rods come off easy!

Only thing I couldn't do is save the metal rings. I got them off in one piece but couldn't get them back on.

HossinatorSS

iTrader: (1)

sorry to bring this thread back but,

how do you get the damper off?

Do you have to use the tie rod removal tool (like the one lisle makes)?

Is there enough room to get a wrench on the flats?

And lastly: The service manual says to torque it using what looks like a crowfoot style wrench. Can you just use a regular crowfoot wrench in conjunction with a torque wrench during reassembly?

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

I think Lisle made the tool. I rented it from O'Reily's. It was like a long tube with flat sides on the end with a bolt to tighten down on the rod end. I even used it to torque the new ones down. Used locktite.

I used the same tool to get the damper off.

HossinatorSS

iTrader: (1)

cool thanks!

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

NP let me know how it goes.

I get what you mean about the crow's foot wretch and torque wrench but that means you need more ground clearance and have to lift the car higher.

With the tube like wrech you can do it with the car low on the ground and while standing off to the side and NOT under the car.

HossinatorSS

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I was thinking the crowfoot wrench because in the GM service manual the picture of the tool looks exactly like that, plus I was thinking that you could just put the torque wrench on it to torque it down to spec (74lb-ft i think). I didn't realize that the tool had a ratchet drive on it, I just thought it moved the wrench flats farther down and made the smaller so that there was more access room. Sweet, now I'll just rent the tool from vautozone.