Many car owners are now removing their own tie rods, but if you’re not sure how to do it, it can be a real pain. The good news is that there’s an easy way to remove the inner tie rod without tools! Once you know how to use this trick, removing the tie rods will take only minutes and require no special equipment.
The inner tie rod is a crucial part of your steering system, and if it is broken or stuck, you will need to replace it. This article will show you how to remove the inner tie rod without needing any tools!
Accessing the Tie Rod End
To access the tie rod end, you will need to remove some parts. This could be a good time to replace other components if they are worn out or broken. Some of these include:
- Ball joints. The ball joints attach your vehicle’s control arms to the steering knuckles. They also allow for suspension movement including up and down as well as front-to-back pivoting so that turns can be made smoothly. If there is play, in the joint it could cause vibrations while driving because there would not be enough stability at certain speeds or when making sharp turns. You should have this checked by a mechanic every once in a while especially if any loud sounds emerge during operation after hitting bumps holes along roads which may indicate that the ball joints require replacement;
- Drag link. The drag link attaches your vehicle’s pitman arm to the tie rod and is responsible for turning resistance on one side of your car or truck while braking so as not to cause it to fishtail when you apply pressure evenly on both sides of the front wheels simultaneously. If there is play in this joint, this can create vibrations along with steering issues such as pulling or drifting unnecessarily which would need a professional inspection by a mechanic;
- Tie rod end. The tie rod end attaches the steering linkage to your vehicle’s wheels. A tapered metal cylinder transfers motion from one side of the car or truck to another in order for you to turn. If this becomes worn out, it could cause vibrations when driving and sometimes even pulling or drifting inexplicably which would mean having it checked by a professional mechanic. In some cases, there may be an issue with the other components such as ball joints/drag link so replacing these should also be considered if they are damaged beyond repair because replacement costs less than what a specialist would charge for alignment work after making repairs on both sides of your car or truck simultaneously;
- Steering linkage. The steering linkage works with the tie rod end to allow your vehicle’s wheels to turn. It is made up of rods, bushings, and joints that connect one side of your car or truck with another so you can control it when turning left or right appropriately without any issues. If there are signs of wear such as clunking noises that could indicate loose parts needing replacement, this would be a good time to have them checked by an expert mechanic;
Because all components including the ball joints/drag link/tie rod end should also be replaced simultaneously for safety reasons if broken beyond repair in order to avoid further complications while driving your car or truck along roads.
After identifying the inner tie rod, you will need to:
- Raise and safely support your vehicle;
- Using a jack stand, raise the vehicle off the ground so that you have enough space to work under your automobile;
- Locate the tie rod end on either side of your front tire;
Removing the Tie Rod End
Once you are able to access it, use these next set of steps:
- Use an adjustable wrench or crescent wrench and hold onto the head while turning counterclockwise;
- Then remove this piece by rotating along with any other components attached to it in order for them not to be damaged. If there is no tool available then improvise something similar like using another component that can fit into its place that will allow you to rotate without damaging anything else around it safely – this will be the last resort;
- Lastly, swap out the old for a new one after you have installed it in reverse order of these steps by using an adjustable wrench or crescent wrench;
Removing the Inner Tie Rod Without Tool
- The first thing you need to do is raise the vehicle upon jack stands;
- Remove both front tires and place them aside so they don’t get in your way while working under the car;
- At this point, look for a small sticker that says which side of the car has the tie rod removed (directional tire). Most likely, it will be pointing toward the parking lot or traffic when walking by;
- Now comes another tricky part: locating where inside of the car each end of the outer tie rod connects with suspension components. The easiest way to find out is using some bright light source shining into the near good area looking for holes (where parts go into);
- Once you find the holes (on each end of the outer tie rod), get a small mirror and look inside it. You should be able to see an eyehole located on the end of the inner tie rod that connects with suspension components;
- Use this information when removing the three bolts holding in place, two above your head under-car well area and one on the floor near the brake pedal;
- Just make sure all tools are out of the way before tapping onto boots using a hammer to break them free from old worn-out rubber;
- While working under the car take time looking for any leaks or signs that indicate what may have caused stripped bolt(s) problem;
- After getting the new part installed repeat the same process in reverse order when doing initial installation steps;
FAQ
Which way loosens inner tie rods?
One way to loosen the inner tie rods is by loosening the jam nuts.
One way to loosen an inner tie rod is by using two adjustable wrenches on either side of your spindle, locking them together tightly and then prying back and forth until it gets loose. You can also use a large hammer with something like a piece of steel rebar over the tip for added leverage (and strength).
Since they’re press fit in there sometimes this method works well too! If these methods fail, try applying heat and let it cool down or soak overnight before trying again. Try spraying some penetrating oil onto both ends first as well. Just make sure that you remove the outer tie rods first so that you’ll be able to hold up your control arm and have the inside of it facing upwards.
Can an inner tie rod unscrew?
An inner tie rod can unscrew if it’s not damaged.
If the outer tie rods are removed, you’ll need to hold up your control arm so that the inside of the spindle is facing upwards.
After loosening both jam nuts on an inner tie rod, slide hammer them out with a piece of pipe over each one and let go on impact! This way works well for upper or lower ball joints too. You will also want to loosen but do not remove either end first before prying off on impact because they’re press fit in there pretty tight sometimes (especially after sitting around).
Also, you may use two big adjustable wrenches together on the non-jam nut end if you don’t have a pipe big enough.
What are the symptoms of a bad tie rod?
Symptoms of a bad tie rod include the steering wheel being off-center, shaking or vibrating while driving, and difficulty turning. These are just some symptoms that can be experienced with a faulty inner tie rod assembly.
First, it is important to determine whether or not you have a bad inner tie rod. If your steering wheel has become difficult to turn while driving the vehicle, an issue can cause this with your inner tie rod assembly. This could also cause vibrations and uneven tire wear if left unattended for too long.
With age and mileage on vehicles increasing yearly, it becomes more common to experience issues such as these when turning corners in high-speed traffic areas such as intersections and bypasses where a large number of motorists are present at all times of day/night which could lead to accidents due to lack in control over our automobiles resulting in collisions.
So don’t wait until it’s too late to take care of this problem before there is any major damage done!
How much does it cost to replace a tie rod?
The cost will vary depending on the make and model of your vehicle, as well as where you live. For example, if you are living in Chicago an hour’s labor costs $98 whereas it is only $76 for Los Angeles.
Can bad tie rods cause wobble?
The inner tie rod can cause wobble. If the outer tie rods are worn, you might need to replace them as well because they will be weakened and may fail when carrying additional load caused by bad inner ties.
Do you need an alignment after replacing tie rods?
Alignment is a part of car maintenance, but some people skip it because they think that you need special tools to remove the tie rods. However, if you are doing the job yourself, there is no way around it.