Replace these? Steering rack bushings and inner/outer tie rods
09-21-2004, 10:21 AM
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,941
Replace these? Steering rack bushings and inner/outer tie rods
Hey guys, how's it going? 
I have to rebuild a lot of my front end soon, so while I'm at it I was debating about whether or not I should replace some steering related stuff while I had the car apart and out of commission. There isn't anything wrong with my steering gear as far as I can tell, but given my car's milage (230+k Km) and age it probably couldn't hurt. Besides, I checked out some of my other components earlier (like a balljoint) and it's causing me grief now.
1) Steering rack bushings (or insulators I think they're called). How hard are these to replace? Do they require you to actually remove the rack from the column, or can you just unbolt the brackets and slip new bushings around it? Anything major in the way? It looks straightforward in the manual, but I forgot to take a look under the hood of my car this morning...
2) Outer tie rod ends. Again, they seem fine, but maybe I should change them anyhow.... opinions?
3) Inner tie rods. I can't really find much info about these things. How often do they go or how likely are they to be worn? Do you really need a special inner tie rod tool to remove them, because the FSM doesn't list such a tool as a requirement?
If not, how do you take them out?
While I'm here am I forgetting any other little, non-obvious rubber insulators/bushings anywhere? I don't have time to do this until October, but I want to start buying parts now because I'm sure they have to order them in.
I have to rebuild a lot of my front end soon, so while I'm at it I was debating about whether or not I should replace some steering related stuff while I had the car apart and out of commission. There isn't anything wrong with my steering gear as far as I can tell, but given my car's milage (230+k Km) and age it probably couldn't hurt. Besides, I checked out some of my other components earlier (like a balljoint) and it's causing me grief now.
1) Steering rack bushings (or insulators I think they're called). How hard are these to replace? Do they require you to actually remove the rack from the column, or can you just unbolt the brackets and slip new bushings around it? Anything major in the way? It looks straightforward in the manual, but I forgot to take a look under the hood of my car this morning...
2) Outer tie rod ends. Again, they seem fine, but maybe I should change them anyhow.... opinions?
3) Inner tie rods. I can't really find much info about these things. How often do they go or how likely are they to be worn? Do you really need a special inner tie rod tool to remove them, because the FSM doesn't list such a tool as a requirement?
If not, how do you take them out?While I'm here am I forgetting any other little, non-obvious rubber insulators/bushings anywhere? I don't have time to do this until October, but I want to start buying parts now because I'm sure they have to order them in.
09-21-2004, 10:58 AM
#2
I stock the parts you're asking about.The inners and bushings I'd do since the car will be down, I'd probably add in the outers because it will need an alignment anyways.
just my .02
Feel free to ignore at your own risk
09-21-2004, 12:22 PM
#3
Originally Posted by Bman
Hey guys, how's it going?
I have to rebuild a lot of my front end soon, so while I'm at it I was debating about whether or not I should replace some steering related stuff while I had the car apart and out of commission. There isn't anything wrong with my steering gear as far as I can tell, but given my car's milage (230+k Km) and age it probably couldn't hurt. Besides, I checked out some of my other components earlier (like a balljoint) and it's causing me grief now.
1) Steering rack bushings (or insulators I think they're called). How hard are these to replace? Do they require you to actually remove the rack from the column, or can you just unbolt the brackets and slip new bushings around it? Anything major in the way? It looks straightforward in the manual, but I forgot to take a look under the hood of my car this morning...
2) Outer tie rod ends. Again, they seem fine, but maybe I should change them anyhow.... opinions?
3) Inner tie rods. I can't really find much info about these things. How often do they go or how likely are they to be worn? Do you really need a special inner tie rod tool to remove them, because the FSM doesn't list such a tool as a requirement? If not, how do you take them out?
While I'm here am I forgetting any other little, non-obvious rubber insulators/bushings anywhere? I don't have time to do this until October, but I want to start buying parts now because I'm sure they have to order them in.
I have to rebuild a lot of my front end soon, so while I'm at it I was debating about whether or not I should replace some steering related stuff while I had the car apart and out of commission. There isn't anything wrong with my steering gear as far as I can tell, but given my car's milage (230+k Km) and age it probably couldn't hurt. Besides, I checked out some of my other components earlier (like a balljoint) and it's causing me grief now.
1) Steering rack bushings (or insulators I think they're called). How hard are these to replace? Do they require you to actually remove the rack from the column, or can you just unbolt the brackets and slip new bushings around it? Anything major in the way? It looks straightforward in the manual, but I forgot to take a look under the hood of my car this morning...
2) Outer tie rod ends. Again, they seem fine, but maybe I should change them anyhow.... opinions?
3) Inner tie rods. I can't really find much info about these things. How often do they go or how likely are they to be worn? Do you really need a special inner tie rod tool to remove them, because the FSM doesn't list such a tool as a requirement?
If not, how do you take them out?While I'm here am I forgetting any other little, non-obvious rubber insulators/bushings anywhere? I don't have time to do this until October, but I want to start buying parts now because I'm sure they have to order them in.
ball joint?
control arm bushing?
sway bar bushings + end links?
strut tower (doesn't go much...but make sure it's good)?
09-21-2004, 06:12 PM
#4
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,941
Originally Posted by internetautomar
I stock the parts you're asking about.The inners and bushings I'd do since the car will be down, I'd probably add in the outers because it will need an alignment anyways.
just my .02
Feel free to ignore at your own risk
Thanks for the advice.Do you know anything about needing that inner tie rod tool though? Just want to know if I'll actually need it or if there's a way to fudge it... someone in an old post here said that it was needed. Now that I think about it, I shouldn't be surprised that the FSM doesn't mention this tool, since it only covers removing the steering rack, not fixing it on the car....
example from jcwhitney ...wish I knew what size ours was too....
Originally Posted by DanNY
you can do the rack bushings by taking off the brackets (one at a time) and slip the new insulators in. shouldn't be that bad...make sure you have a good set of wrenches and sockets.
ball joint?
control arm bushing?
sway bar bushings + end links?
strut tower (doesn't go much...but make sure it's good)?
ball joint?
control arm bushing?
sway bar bushings + end links?
strut tower (doesn't go much...but make sure it's good)?
Ball joint: check
Control arm bushings: check
Sway bar hardware: not going to bother since I might replace the bar in the future
Strut mount/tower: even it it is going (and a rear one sounds like it might be) I have plans for swapping the struts out in the spring. I figure I can do that separately later since you don't have to take anything apart to change them.
If I have time I was planning on doing the REAR suspension as well, but that's not killing tires, so we'll see how I do!
More opinions or comments (especially about that tool!) are welcome.....
09-21-2004, 06:38 PM
#5
the "tool" is just a big wrench IIRC.
and of course I'm gonna mention I sell the stuff, I'd eventually like to sell enough do that I cna actually place an ad on here and stop having to
it so often
and of course I'm gonna mention I sell the stuff, I'd eventually like to sell enough do that I cna actually place an ad on here and stop having to
it so often
09-22-2004, 06:08 AM
#6
for the steering rack bushings, it's easiest if you pull the y pipe off first, then go to town removing the bushings. they're a royal PITA if you don't.
when you replace the inner tie rods, also replace the bellows boots. there shouldn't be any additional tools needed for them. I've done them on my car with hand tools, but I had the rack out on the ground when I did it.
when you replace the inner tie rods, also replace the bellows boots. there shouldn't be any additional tools needed for them. I've done them on my car with hand tools, but I had the rack out on the ground when I did it.
09-22-2004, 07:51 PM
#7
Donating Maxima.org Member
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,941
Originally Posted by Matt93SE
for the steering rack bushings, it's easiest if you pull the y pipe off first, then go to town removing the bushings. they're a royal PITA if you don't.
when you replace the inner tie rods, also replace the bellows boots. there shouldn't be any additional tools needed for them. I've done them on my car with hand tools, but I had the rack out on the ground when I did it.
when you replace the inner tie rods, also replace the bellows boots. there shouldn't be any additional tools needed for them. I've done them on my car with hand tools, but I had the rack out on the ground when I did it.
Matt, the point of the tool is that if the rod is buried too deep behind the fender (or whatever) to get a wrench in there, you can remove the inner tie rods without taking the rack out of the car. You think I could get an adjustable wrench or something in there if I turn the wheel so that it pokes out a bit more? Or maybe from underneath..... Maybe I should just buy the tool anyway - one local store says they sell them for $13-30.
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