fraggle

Shop just rang me and say they can't break loose the tie rod ends to do any adjustments. Toe out is crummy - ruined last set of tires - so I need to get this addressed. What are my options?

Jadz928

I guess you need a set of inner and outer tie rods. Meaning the whole assembly.
That, or take your car away from the Midas Man and find someone who can break them loose.

fraggle

Well that's step one, get the car back and beat on it myself.

If I have to replace all this, what are we talking about? Pulling the rack? Ball joints? My WYAIT alarm is bonging an I'm getting a headache.

dprantl

I really find it hard to believe a professional mechanic would not be able to loosen a tie rod... ? Fire penetrating oil on them and wait 20 minutes. Then get two giant adjustable spanners and crank on them in opposite directions.

Dan
'91 928GT S/C 475hp/460lb.ft

ew928

I've had 1 or 2 tie rod ends that are curmudgeons.

Last set I put on, I unscrewed the tie rods quite a bit and slathered anti-seize on the adjuster threads.
There's not much purchase on the wrench flats of the tie rod body and the ball socket at the outer end.

Not sure how much abuse/heat/banging on tie rods ends are supposed to take.

hacker-pschorr

It's very possible.
On my Audi I soaked the tie rod ends with every penetrating oil known to man over a few days, no go. They were already replaced a few years ago and installed with a copious amount of anti-seize. At $50 a unit to replace, you would be screaming bloody murder if my shop would have spent (and charged) hours worth of labor trying.

To most shops, spending too much time trying to loosen them (and some times damaging them in the process) is a waste versus simply installing new ones.
Around here, any car driven in winter they automatically figure in new tie rod ends for an alignment.

chewy8000

Put a torch on them for a few minutes then attempt to loosen them with large wrenches so you have some leverage. They should break free fairly easy. Definately make sure you put some anit-seize on the new ones and you won't have this issue again.

fraggle

Once I get the old ones off, I need, at minimum two of these guys, right?

928.347.031.07



I'm not at home - and the car is still at the shop, so if I type something obviously stupid just say so.

Jadz928

Right on, dude.

And you can do the on the car. The rack need'nt come out.
There are some clever threads here about how to achieve torque where the inner rods screw into the rack.

SharkSkin

Yes, but be very careful removing them from the rack. They need to be counter-held and it's very important that no stress is paced on the rack itself. Use the "two-wrench squeeze" method:

fraggle

Thanks again guys! I'll do some searching on the tips and tricks there to get this apart without damaging anything.

I love this forum. Now I gotta get the purchase of yet more 928 parts approved by the Boss.

Jadz928

Just buy it, and send the Boss an expense report.

mark kibort

heat and a visegrip holding the tie rod and whatever that lock nut is, use a wrench there. no way should that be above a shop to loosen. visegrips are the only way to get a good grip on that tie rod flat. it gets rounded in a wrench in extreme cases.

mk

fraggle

Ok, just picked up the car. They did the rear but not the front (of course) but tried. I had to pay up.

However they warrantee'd (in writing!) it for a year and know I'll be back in two weeks with all new parts in the front.

So I'm good, just need parts!!

James Bailey

You need to look into the "do not lift the front end off the ground while doing an alignment" much has been written about the FACT that if you pick up the car the front end droops and the alignment will be WRONG and you wear out the insides of the front tires.... very important ! You need a rolling compensation done with the wheels on the ground All THE TIME.