1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

i had my oil changed today (at a real shop, not a jiffy lube type place) and they said one of my tie rod ends had a little play and i should think about getting it replaced sometime in the future. i think it was the drivers sie but i don't remember 100%. anyway i asked them how much that would cost and they quoted me ~ $250 for parts+labor including the alignment. is this about right or is this a ripoff? It looks like a Tie rod end is ~ $40 from autozone so i guess it's a ~ 2 hr job plus the alignment?

KILLER-LS1

iTrader: (18)

just replace it yourself and then bring it in for an alignment. its just one nut and a cotter pin.

SScam68

iTrader: (20)

I had one replaced on our truck recently.

Part was a $130, labor was $80 and alignment was $90 FWIW

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Bingo!

Change it yourself, you only need to get the tie-rod close to where it need's to be, since when you take it to get aligned they'll be adjusting it to set your front toe.

IMO, $250 is rape!

hitmanws6

iTrader: (20)

a tie rod end is not a 2 hour job. more like a 30 minute job. as stated you take the pin out, unscrew it and put the new one in

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

my only problem is i get nervous doing anything under the car. i don't even have a floor jack i dont think. wait a minute i think the 99 malibu beater i got from my sister has one in the trunk since it's scissor jack broke but i don't have any jackstands or anything. if i had a lift or something i'd feel comfortable attempting it, but just having the car sitting on a floor jack i dunno.

Driftunit

iTrader: (5)

quit being a wussy ***** and get under there and change that damn tie rod end! ya gotta learn sometime! hell, ya think i learned everything i know about my car from getting *** raped by auto parts stores? no! well some... but for the most part NO! lol

Driftunit

iTrader: (5)

make sure you use the jacking points on the car, and make sure your on a level hard surface... and it may be a little easier to get to with the wheel off... now go raise hell lol

4150

iTrader: (13)

Buy yourself a good floor jack and jackstands and do the job yourself, there is nothing to be afraid of. How else will you learn unless you dive in and do it yourself? a tie rod end change is really really easy.

That floor jack and jack stands will pay for themselves in the long run.

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

I just checked the trunk of the Malibu and there is a brand new (well it looks new like maybe it was used once) 4000lb floor jack in there so i have the jack.

InsaneAuto86

iTrader: (60)

Then your set! Def change it yourself! Tie rod ends are between $15-$50 depending on brand and an alignment (you will probably only need to adjust your toe, which you can do yourself with a tape measure) which should cost a max of $80 if you need all three adjusted (caster, camber, toe).

SS SLP2

iTrader: (8)

time and labor cost will very depens on being a outside TRE ( easy to change)or an inside TRE ( if inside you must remove the outside tie rod end THEN remove the rubber bellows boot, turn the wheel all the way out so you may hold the rack to keep it from rotating while you unscrew the inside TRE then hold rack as you replace the inside TRE I suggest you install a new bellows at this time also then reconnect the outside TRE ) then get a complete alignment with checking rear thrust line
also use good parts ( OE,MOOG,TRW exc) not cheap stuff

just my $0.02'
Johnny

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

yeah i like MOOG i had a 93 tbird SC that busted a ball joint off in my driveway and i think i got one tie rod end and both BJ's replaced with moog ones. i'm pretty sure they said it was an outer tie rod end.

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

so i just found this pic of a tie rod end (from a camry but i'm guessing ours are similar)



you basically remove the codder pin (silver pin keeping the nut from loosening i assume) then take off the nut and then unscrew the whole tie rod end? is this correct? how hard will it be to loosen the tie rod nut, then seperate it from the spindle and then unscrew tie rod itself? my car is a southern car so i doubt any of the bolts are all rusted together like most northern cars are. here's a pic i took of my underbody last fall before putting the car away, you can't see the bolt on the end of the tie rod but you can see how clean the suspension in that area is. will this be hard to do without air tools?

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Not hard at all with hand tools.

Maybe this will help:

Once you've got the car secure with the tire off use a felt tip marker and go over the threads next to the jam-nut for a reference point when installing the new tie-rod end.
Now break the jam-nut loose , then remove the cotter pin and loosen the tie-rod nut around 1/4" or a little less. Now place a piece of metal (a quarter will work) on top of the nut and hit it hard with a heavy hammer, that should break the tie-rod loose from the spindle. FYI, during reassembly don't forget to torque the slotted nut to 35ft.lb. up to a max of 52ft.lb. to align the a slot in the nut with the hole to install a new cotter pin. If you don't have a torque wrench barrow or buy one.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

That picture shows a set up that is pretty much the same as the Camaro. Break the nut loose on the tie rod, the one that tightens against the rod end, then just turn it back hand tight, and DO NOT move it while removing the rod end. When you put the new rod end on, screw it on to where the jam nut is, and your toe setting will be close.

Remove the cotter pin and nut from the rod end's stud. A couple of sharp raps on the side of the spindle should allow the stud to drop out of the spindle. If not, a couple raps directly on the stud should do it. Unscrew the old rod end, put some grease or anti-sieze on the threads, and screw on the new tie rod end. Put the grease boot on, then slip the stud through the spindle, tighten the nut securely, but don't go nuts on it. Put in a new cotter pin, screw in the grease fitting, give it a shot of grease, and you're good to go.


BTW, a set of ramps are nice to have, especially with a fairly low car like a Camaro, because in many instances, if you want to lift the entire front end, you can't reach the front crossmember with a floor jack. (Also, even though the front crossmember is fairly beefy, and a good place to lift the car, use a 10-12" piece of 2x4 wood between the jack and the frame, as the crossmember can be dented....)



EDIT:
OK, Blu Z-28 beat me to posting the procedure............

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

if i don't have a torque wrench can i just tigten it as tight as it will go? won't they adjust that when they do an alignment?

I'm sitting here at home and could go get the parts right now but i'm chicken, lol. i'm afraid i'm gonna do something and render the car undriveable (i have another car but i don't want to screw something up and miss the T/A nats). I found out the place that offered to do the job for $250 has an alignment sale for $59. So i guess if i only have to buy jack stands and the tie rod and maybe the tie rod splitter, i can get away with doing everything for ~ $150. if i'm going to replace one should i do both of them?

kcarlasc

iTrader: (17)

I am about to do mine... I got my inners and outers, both sides, for $60 shipped. While they are not Moogs.. they dont seem to bad. About to try it for the first time this weekend. I have done outers before... piece of cake never done inners, seem easy enough though.

Good luck...

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

I didn't think about doing any of the inners. i am just going by what the shop said needed replaced which was one of the outers.

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

i went and got the tie rod end, the 22mm wrench and some other stuff and was getting all ready to work on the car and called the shop to ask them wihch side it was again and they said it was on my receipt and that its the left INNER tie rod end thats loose, DOH. those aren't as easy to do as the outers right?