85fortheDrive

Folks:

I sorted through some posts on tierod removal, but am hoping to hear that I don't have to remove them in order to replace badly cracked bellows. Can anyone suggest just the minimum that has to be loosened or removed in order for me to slip two new bellows on to the rod?

If so, am I loosening the nut at the wheel end or am I going to disconnect the tierod at its more central point?

If I can avoid futzing up the alignment, I'd be delighted.

Thanks and peace,
Tim

soontobered84

You can remove the tierod connection where it attaches to the wheel and slide the boot over the outer tierod and then bolt it right back up. It won't change the alignment.

Mike Frye

John,

Are you sure it will fit over the tie rod end? When I put mine on, I took the tie rod end off because I thought the small end of the boot wouldn't fit over the end.

Richard S

It can be done, so prepare for some cursing and frustration getting the end of the new boot on there properly. You will need a thin wrench to get the nut loose. I had to grind one down so it would fit in there.

Rich

soontobered84

Yep, it will fit. The rubber will stretch enough and bend around the end. I just replace mine this way on the Cobalt car. The harder part is pulling the doggone things up on the end of the rack. I secured mine when all done with a tiewrap.

TheoJ

There's an easy way to get alignment right after unscrewing the tie rods... which is really the best way to do it. I made a laser-pointer device attached to a bar and fixed that to the rim of the front wheels. Pointed the laser a few meters further against the wall and marked the spot. Then loosened the tie rod and counted turns approximately, removed old boot, new boot on, screw back the same amount of turns, then used the laser position to adjust. Took 15 mins for the bottom cover and 30 mins for the boot and a coffee
Not entirely my own idea, Earl Gillstrom deserves the credits !

DR

I have always changed the boots from the steering rack end of the tie rod, I find it easier and there is no worry about alignment issues.

Funny story, a few years ago we were doing a tech session at SITM using Wally's GT. The original tech session was a clutch job on Wally's car. Towards the end I noticed his rack boot was split and I said let's go ahead and swap that out real quick while it was in the air. I was a little confused when some comments were made that it was a hassle etc, and even Wally said we could do it later. I cut off the old boot, grabbed my big wrenches and loosened the rack end of the tie-rod, worked the new boot over that end, tightened it back up, and aligned the boot. Took just a few minutes and everyone was sort of speechless... I was even more confused as everyone said that was the best part of the tech session... Heck, I had never paid attention to how the shop manuals implied to change them and that is how I had been doing it for a decade.

Garth S

Agreed ... removing the inner tie rod end from the rack is the way to go!

As for counting threads and removing the outer end .... next time the car is on an alignment rack and the tech is zeroing in on toe-in, ask him to move the adjuster another 1/16 to 1/8 turn - and watch the screens indicators jump off scale: it is difficult to regain that sweet spot after disassembly.

Mike Frye

I don't know how you guys get the small end over the inner tie rod part without buggering it. I had my rack out about 2 weeks ago rebuilding it, and with the thing sitting on the bench I still couldn't find any way to do it except for removing the end (but just the end) and sliding it in.

I wish I could get video of that tech session DR. Sounds like the 'right' way to do it.

Panzer9

What he said... Also, I put a dab of white paint on the threads before unscrewing- as a reference mark upon re-assembly.

MilesOrbell

DR, can you explain a bit further. Looking at the WSM it seems like you still have to get the tie rod end out to allow the tie rod to rotate ? How does the tie rod unscrew from the rack ?

DR

The steering rack end of the tie rod is an articulating ball and socket, it will spin forever and not change the tie rod lenght.

MilesOrbell

Thanks, good to know, I have to do this job soon.

jpitman2

Ease of fitting boot over outer tie rod end depends a bit on the model. On mine (83 S) there is a spacer on the tie rod, ~1.5-2" diameter disc. The small end (outer) of the boot clamps onto this disc. This gives a boot end that is plenty big enough to fit over the outer tie rod end without disturbing any alignment adjustments. I used a generic boot which comes with several different diameter steps at the ends - you just cut off bits until you get to a size that fits what you need.
jp 83 Euro S AT 50k

85fortheDrive

Okay, finito completo and not too bad. I opted to loosen the lock nut and turn back the stem until it was unattached from the long tierod bolt. When I loosened the locking nut, I made sure to count the threads so as to have the stem returned to its original location. I'm gonna have the wheels aligned anyhow.

I only cussed three times trying to get those boots on. The biggest challenge is getting the large end up over the final metal fitting. Needed pliers and a long screw driver in order to do that.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in here.

Peace,
Tim