Tie rod end boots tearing

[RegWEast]

OK I'm stumped...not that that's too hard to do. I have a 2003 FX4 4.0l that is eating tie rod ends, or more accurately, it's destroying the boots. The tie rod end is pivoting toward the read of the vehicle and eventually tearing the boot. This is happening on both sides. I've replaced the ends twice with Moog parts. This truck is rarely off road and only punished by Canadian winters. Any ideas?

 

[amarillo06]

See if you can change the rubber boot to a urethane one next time. If the end is still tight you can reuse it I think and just change the boot.

Correct me if Im wrong everyone...

 

[legoms013]

Looks like whoever did the alignment last was retarded and tightened the jamb nut and didn't account for the rotation it was putting on the collar/TRE and thus the final resting place had the TRE pinched in-between the knuck and itself. As the knuckle rotates, it pinches the boot and eventually tears it.

Replace the boot only if the TRE is still good, otherwise replace the whole TRE (which will come with a new greese boot) if it is shot.

Spray it down with PBblaster, loosen the jamb nut thingie, and then retighten, taking into account that as the jamb nut gets tightened, it will rotate the TRE as well. So put a pipe wrench on the TRE, and a regular end wrench on the jamb nut and tighten it down so the TRE is parallel to the knuckle as best you can.