Oshin11

dsmith, I did read the bentley manual and realized what I had to do. And yes an expert has recently given my car a full pre purchase inspection (15 miles ago). That is how I knew that the oil lines needed to be changed and such. After I have changed the lines and done the tie rods I will slowly drive to a nearby mechanic to have it aligned and looked over to make sure I did it right. And I didnt just save 100 dollars. It would have cost 1200 USD in just labor for the 3 projects I am doing. I don't think they are difficult jobs, just time consuming ones. Just for changing the oil lines he said it was 400 in labor. To me thats not money well spent, with that money I was able to buy myself a whole tool center And yes I am extremely careful, the reason I ask so many questions is to just double check myself. Better safe than sorry. Love all your help, thanks guys!

Oshin11

Oh and I would be very surprised if a mechanic only charged 1 hour of labor for installing a turbo tie rod kit.....aka 100 dollars.

Edgy01

Sometimes you just have to learn the old fashioned way,--through trial and error.

Start, however, herein, as everyone will give you free advise on this sort of thing. I have a fork if you want to borrow it, but I'm way up in Santa Barbara.

Oshin11

Edgy, I used to live in SB, maybe I could pick it up this weekend and I will visit old college buddies at the same time. I'll PM you the details.

VNTGSPD

Oshin,

Go to your local Autozone. They should have a tie-rod splitter on their free tool loan program. Good Luck!

Oshin11

Yea I talked to autozone, and they have the fork, its not as nice as the one pelican sells but hey its free! They have the basic tuning fork looking one. It'll do. Thanks guys 50 dollars saved.

KC911

Hey nothing wrong with asking questions, I was very much a novice when I purchase my car a while back, and I can't believe all the stuff I've tackled with the help of these boards. You are absolutely correct when you say "better safe than...", and this post will probably help someone else in the future. One other thing you'll notice upon loosening (and tightening) the lug nuts (with the wheels on the ground) is how easy it is to rock the car unless you're forcing the wrench straight down towards 6 o'clock. You don't want to apply that kind of force to a car that's on jack stands imo. Good luck!

Keith
'88 CE coupe

NoVaGator

the tool is often called a "pickle fork" and you can get one with interchangable size tines at Sears for less than $40.

Amber Gramps

Oshin, I've been out for a couple of days and have returned to the funniest post I have ever seen. (sorry) you have grown up in an era of front wheel drive imports and had no need to know about loosening the front lugs on the ground first. I had my first round of heart failure my freshman year of college and never went back to school, so I am a total looser to many people. the same people can't believe I was a latch key kid doing his own head milling and valve jobs on my ATC when I was 10 years old. I think I could change my grandfather's semi-truck tires when I was 8 and drive it alone when I was 12. that said my time at UCSB consists of accidentally finding the nude beach with my children in tow. keep up the good work. I just discovered a torn outer CV boot, so we'll see just how well I do and how many funny questions I ask.

take care and good luck with this.

Oshin11

I don't think youre a loser If you need an extra hand with that CV boot let me know I wouldn't mind seeing how its done. As for the wheels I don't know what gives, I've applied probably over 400 N-m of torque and its not coming loose.

Amber Gramps

Oshin, as a side note...I was in glendale on friday and found a veterans thrift store. wow, I got the shirt I have on now. your town's trash is my town's treasure. talk about posh, what a great place. I could see the fire choppers still flyin' around.

on the CV boot...do I do the $17.00 boot or the $300.00 axel assembly? the other side looks to have been replaced recently and both act, feel, sound the same. with the death of the chevey my buget is saying boot only.

Oshin11

I wouldn't know, hopefully someone does. As a side note I hate the posh atmosphere of Glendale, the superficial people here sicken me Still cant un-torque those nuts And now I have misplaced my wheel locking key.

Amber Gramps

I have to say this .....lefty loosey, righty tighty.

theiceman

You may have to stand on the lug wrench, 90lbs they aint, but you have to start somewhere. I have my wheels off every month or so to clean them but it soundslike yours have not been off ina while , or the last guy who did it had no clue.

Amber Gramps

when I was a kid my grandfather sold tires for ohtsu and had a really cool wrench. it was a 12 to 1 ratio wrench. the lugs on semi's are put on by king kong and require huge leverage to remove. well, even as a 98 lb. weakling I could bust the nuts off any truck. you have to turn the handle twelve times to turn the socket one time. you should get that wrench.