Technical Inner tie rod replacement

[atom0007]

How difficult is it to replace the steering inner tie rods?

it seems that I will need an inner tie rod replacement tool to do this.

And I will need to get the tracking done afterwards?

What would be a reasonable garage cost for both sides inner & outer tie rod replacement + tracking?

 

[atom0007]

And I will need to get the tracking done afterwards?

That wasn't a question, I know this will need done....
Too early for me

 

[Ziggy122]

I think the word you are looking for for is Track Control Arm

From the steering rack - its a ball joint - Track control arm
At the wheel end you have the track Rod end

Removal is pretty good going tbh...
Cause the track rod is gonna be scrapped
Remove nut - leave it on tip - tap with a hammer to pop it
then undo the Acordion gaitor on the rack - pull it down the track control arm
Undo the BIG ball joint as most are simply screwed in

Reftting is reverse of removal
REMEMBER to THREAD LOCK THE NEW CONTROL ARM INTO PLACE

Give it a lick of paint as well to seal it
Wack new ball joint on - drive Carefully to the tracking place and get it done

A big spanner job

Ziggy

 

[Ziggy122]

Just a quick note

when you good Track control arm - i got lower wishbones....

Yet thats what we asked the part dept when i did one on a vauxhall astra....
Which are mega prone to them wearing out

Ziggy

 

[fingers99]

I'm still not sure which part you mean.

Could be:

track rod end (TRE) -- the L shaped bit
steering arm (bit that fits between the TRE and the steering rack)
wishbone (bottom bit).

Assuming it's the TRE, best to use a ball joint splitter. I like this type rather than the bask it wiv a big ammer type, 'cos they're safer and give you much more control. They're also very cheap on eBay. Oil the thread before each use.

So, use the splitter to remove the TRE from the wishbone, support the hex nut on the arm with a spanner and -- assuming that the old TRE is to be scrapped -- whak the threaded end smartly with a hammer to free it. Remove, pop the new one on, get the tracking reset.

 

[atom0007]

thought it might cause confusion:

bit between steering rack and track rod ends.

Surely that means they're "track rods"

But I've seen them variously referred to as inner tie rods, steering arms, inner track rods, track rods,.....

I've already replaced the track rod ends and the wishbones a while ago

 

[Brendan W]

I call them the inner tie rods. You won't be needing a splitter for them but some of them need a thin open end spanner to unscrew the inner joint from the steering rack. There is a good indy round here who charges punters €50 to replace inner tie rods if they supply the parts and then he goes off to the tracking shop and gets his mates over there to sort that for him.