Replacing inner/outer tie rods on 2WD I-beam.

[Cheburashka]

I want to replace the tie rods. Took a peek at it looks like the whole thing should come off with 4 nuts removed?

Anything special I need to know about this job or any specialty tools needed?

Will do a string alignment for toe after replacement.

 

[franklin2]

You will need one of the tools shown below. The pickle fork works well but ruins the boot. Not a problem since you are putting new joints in place.

The separator tool below works well also, and does not ruin the rubber boot.

Before you do anything, carefully measure from the center of one joint to the center of the other. Look at your new joints, they should have a grease fitting in the back center of the joint. Your factory joints don't have a grease fitting, but pretend they do and measure from that center area to center area very carefully. When you put the new joints in place, measure them the same way and then your toe will be very close. Don't measure from the casting edges, the casting can be different on the new joints. Don't measure from threaded stud to threaded stud, they wobble around and are very difficult to measure and get back correctly.

 

[racsan]

I do my alignment with both tires off of the front and the weight of the truck on the rotors (which are on blocks) measure front side and rear side of rotor, set toe at 1/16 in. Camber I don’t normally mess with but I have a magnetic angle guage for that, I also use the rotor for its attachment area.

 

[Cheburashka]

Thanks for the tips. Any idea how to torque that top castle nut in the main tie rod that connects to the steering box? Doesn't seem like there is room for a torque wrench in there.

 

[Curious Hound]

Well, some may not like this. But...

I use a regular combination wrench and tighten to the traditional German torque setting "gudentight".

 

[svtcards]

Why don't u get it close enough to drive and get an alignment at an alignment shop?

 

[racsan]

I dont think the castle nuts need to be at a certian tourque, they are castle nuts after all. tighten and put a cotter pin in it. I did all of my steering linkage a year ago, even bought new adjuster sleeves. Youve got the same amount of hours on the other 2 ball joints as you do the tie rod ends, plus with all new most likely you will have greaseable ones. You may find your steering knuckle ball joints wore. Good time to check/repack front wheel bearings as well.

 

[Curious Hound]

Well, some may not like this. But...

I use a regular combination wrench and tighten to the traditional German torque setting "gudentight".

 

[franklin2]

The spec on the nuts is 50-75 ft lbs. It's best to eyeball the hole in the threaded stud before you put the nut on to know the general position. Tighten it to 50 ftlbs and then tighten it a little more if you need to to line the hole up with one of the slots in the nut. You will figure this out when you try to get them apart, these studs are a tapered fit and wedge themselves very tightly. You need to wedge the new stud in there very tightly.

 

[franklin2]

Also, when you tighten the sleeves, make sure the clamps line up with the openings in the sleeve. This gives you more clamping force on the sleeves. If your alignment was good before, and you carefully measure, you will not have to get it aligned afterward. It's good practice to get it aligned after any frontend work, but I am cheap.

 

[adsm08]

Thanks for the tips. Any idea how to torque that top castle nut in the main tie rod that connects to the steering box? Doesn't seem like there is room for a torque wrench in there.

The proper way to torque a castle nut is to run it down with the impact until she stops moving, then back it up until the first window aligns with the hole.

Well, actually it's to draw it tight enough to seat the joint cone and back it up, but you really aren't going to damage anything on these by going a bit over.

The cotter pin is critical. The cut-out design of the castle nut means the threads are more prone to vibrating loose. The cotter pin is what keeps it from coming undone.

Wife had that happen once because someone got disorganized and lost the cotter pin. She tells me Explorers don't handle well when only one front wheel is connected to the steering.