Do I just suck?

[Xanth]

Or are the 88 inner tie-rods really that much of a bitch to do?

I bought the special inner tie-rod tool and everything, put it up on the lift, took some measurements, cut off the outer tie rods and attempted to remove the inners. Only then I realized the ends of the tie-rods were crushed to match a flat area on the rack, on both sides. Messed around with that for a bit, then just decided screw it I'll take the whole rack out. Yanked out the tub, wrestled the rack out, put a grinding wheel to the inner rods and finally managed to get them off.

Put it all back together, found out I lost about 5 hours on that job and a decent amount of blood, nailed my rotors pretty good with my face, twice. That part there I know I just suck, gotta remember not to turn around too quick while the car is up on the lift next to me. :thumbleft:

Was there an easier way to do this, or did that rack and all the other shit really have to come out? I couldn't figure another way of releasing the inner tie-rods with it in the car, and didn't see an easy way of removing the rack without pulling the spare tire tub.

[Boscolingus]

honestly, and I know it sounds a bit .nl, but they come right out with a good sized pipe wrench

[Series8217]

If you take a dremel and slot the parts where its bend down, they will bend up as you crank it off with a big pipe wrench.

[Xanth]

Do you rely on the rack for leverage, or use another wrench to hold it in place? I wasn't too comfortable applying that much force on the rack.

I was thinking of dremel, but didn't really see room in-car to do it. The rear crushed area was right close to the cross-member. The front one I could possibly have dremeled without too much trouble.

Also - I didn't crush the new Rodney replacements down, I just cranked em on there with the tie rod tool and used the nut on the outer tie-rod end. Think that could be a problem? I can't really see it coming undone at all.

[FieroGeneral]

one side did wast easy..the other side was changed before and they had locktight or somthing on it. after 3 hours trying to be the hulk, i found out that it was a aftermarked inner tie rod. so i heated it 4 times before the locktight let go.

[Series8217]

Do you rely on the rack for leverage, or use another wrench to hold it in place? I wasn't too comfortable applying that much force on the rack.

I was thinking of dremel, but didn't really see room in-car to do it. The rear crushed area was right close to the cross-member. The front one I could possibly have dremeled without too much trouble.

Also - I didn't crush the new Rodney replacements down, I just cranked em on there with the tie rod tool and used the nut on the outer tie-rod end. Think that could be a problem? I can't really see it coming undone at all.

I don't remember how I supported it. I think I just stuck a handle on the pinion and used that.

I cranked mine on as well and they never came loose..... but I also used red loctite.

[The Dark Side of Will]

I've done that on an '87... don't remember if I *had* to take the rack out. I think on those cars it's doable with the rack in the vehicle.

I think I used a big wrench to support the rack... that's been several years, though.

[darkhorizon]

the inners have "peened" collars on them, which requires brute force, or a careful amount of bending to get it twisted off.

At least thats how they work on my grand prix. I could be totally wrong here.

[Xanth]

Peened sounds right, I'll probably go back and do it to the ones I just installed. I don't want them coming undone when I bring it in for alignment.