For those that have done this, I want to see if I have the right procedure...

I researched and found I may need a puller...

Remove cotter pin and castle nut
Mark on rod where the end is screwed to.
Use puller to remove
Unscrew ends
Reinstall in reverse order, add grease

Ok what am I missing?

Let'* start by saying the tie rod end (male) screws into the tie rod (female). Use a file or paint to mark on the tie rod end the point where the threads disappear into the tie rod. If the replacement joint is an exact duplicate of the old joint, you can just count the threads or the number of turns it takes to remove the end once you have split the joint from the knuckle. Otherwise, measure the distance from the center of the joint to a convenient point on the tie rod. Counting the threads or measuring the distance from the center of the joint to the collar on the tie rod should get you close, but it won't be perfect unless you are lucky. So the last step needs to be...front end alignment. To separate the old tie rod, since you are replacing the joint anyway, you don't need a puller - a pickle fork and a 4-lb sledge will suffice.

What'* the difficulty rating on that? I need to replace my drivers side but will probably do both if its fairly easy.

Thanks Bill. I am doing the ball joints this weekend, and will need an alingment after that, so I figure I'd do the TR ends too. Good news about the puller.

I did it last summer and it took my about an hour and a half to do one side. This of course was with no real clue as to how to do it properly, and eventually needing a little guidance. But in terms of difficulty, it'* not bad at all.

The first time you do one, difficulty is 4. Next time 2 on a 1-10 scale. Not rocket science.

One thing that helps a lot is to really clean the threads after you pull the cotter pin and before you try to undo the castellated nut. On a rare occasion, trying to undo a really tight nut on a rusty or dirty post can start the danged tapered post spinning in the knuckle. That makes the job much more difficult. Gotta cut or split the nut then. Anyway, keep the penetrating oil out of the post and knuckle joint until you have the nut off the post. Then spray away - and try this trick. Take a 3 or 4 pound hammer and hold it tightly against one side of the knuckle where the tie rod shaft is seated. Then whack the other side of the joint sharply with a 16 or 24 oz hammer. This often is all that is needed to pop the tie rod out of the knuckle.

Thanks for the tips. I am more looking forward to doing the TR ends rather than the ball joints.


n2lght, I'd replace both anyway. They are not expensive and it'* best to replace in pairs IMO.

So what do you do when you can't get the cotter pin out?? And there is not enough to grab because whoever put them in pulled the loop into the nut.

You use a punch and push it through the hole.

Pete..

Please keep in mind..there are inner and outer tie rods. The inner require special tools and can be quite difficult.

A small drill bit will drill it out fairly easy too. Try the push pin mthod first