Tie Rod end trouble
05-06-2005, 06:03 PM
#1
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Tie Rod end trouble
I am having trouble seperating tie rod ends from the steering rack, which is out of the car. I cannot find a open ended wrench big enough, yet skinny enough to fit into the grooves on the tie rod side. I was thinking about using a pipe wrench, but I dont see how that is going to be easier. Any ideas??
05-06-2005, 06:34 PM
#2
From griffiths web site
Remove the rack boots (just cut the old ones off because you are going to use new ones later). Turn the racks pinion so the rack shaft's end with the gear is all the way out of the housing. Bend back the inner tie locking tab (if equipped). Place the rack (gear section) in a bench vise that has soft jaws (brass or aluminum to prevent the rack shaft from damage). NOTE: we are securing the rack shaft because we do not want it to twist against the pinion and damage the inner bearings or gear set. Counter clockwise turn the inner tie rods to remove them (never turn or hold the rack shaft or gear with a wrench or tool that will damage or scratch it).
I cut some soft jaws for my vise from some cheap aluminum angle... from home depot....
LO
Remove the rack boots (just cut the old ones off because you are going to use new ones later). Turn the racks pinion so the rack shaft's end with the gear is all the way out of the housing. Bend back the inner tie locking tab (if equipped). Place the rack (gear section) in a bench vise that has soft jaws (brass or aluminum to prevent the rack shaft from damage). NOTE: we are securing the rack shaft because we do not want it to twist against the pinion and damage the inner bearings or gear set. Counter clockwise turn the inner tie rods to remove them (never turn or hold the rack shaft or gear with a wrench or tool that will damage or scratch it).
I cut some soft jaws for my vise from some cheap aluminum angle... from home depot....
LO
05-06-2005, 07:41 PM
#3
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Find some narrow face wrenches or buy a cheap open wrench set up to 32mm ( or SAE 1.25"): I forget the exact ones required for this job, but 32 and 27mm are common (1 1/4" & 1 1/16").
Grind the flat faces down to ~8mm thickness, and you can access many tight spots, such as the rad connections, rack ends, ....
Grind the flat faces down to ~8mm thickness, and you can access many tight spots, such as the rad connections, rack ends, ....
05-06-2005, 10:34 PM
#5
928 Engine Re-Re-Rebuild Specialist
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I got pipe wrenches in there. It takes some maneuvering, and you may need to get a smaller pipe wrench, but it can be done.
EDIT: I didn't try to "fit" into the grooves on the tie rod side. I just grabbed the whole fitting and clamped down on it (where the arrow is pointing in the picture)
http://www.928oc.org/928oc_michigan/TieRod.html
EDIT: I didn't try to "fit" into the grooves on the tie rod side. I just grabbed the whole fitting and clamped down on it (where the arrow is pointing in the picture)
http://www.928oc.org/928oc_michigan/TieRod.html
05-07-2005, 01:09 AM
#6
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Ok, the pipe wrench worked like a dream! I got both ends off. Upon removal, i noticed that one side had a different spacer than the other. The pass side had a thick one like in the pic above, but the driv side had a thinner one. I looked in PET, and it shows that there are two per side?? What do you guys have??
