maximaman1313

Im always on here reading and posting or asking questions about my 3rd gen i've had for 5 years and will probably always have. anyways to make a long story short i know you guys on here can probably help me out.

my girlfriends 02 altima all of a sudden has a really bad bent tie-rod..not sure how it happened. anyways i've never done a tie-rod before but have done numerous things to my 92maxima.

i've cut the tie-rod to rack&pinion boot and i cant see anyway of getting the tie-rod out. its like a ball joint on end of tie-rod that goes into the rack &pinion assy. and it would be impossible to "pop" it out. ill try to get a picture if that helps, or hopefully maybe someone knows what im talking about. Im almost thinking the entire rack & pinion assy needs to be pulled to replace the tie-rod...

shop quoted her almost $2000 to fix the issue. but thats with a new rim new tire. either way, Its bull****. so i am doing it myself, tie-rod is only like $50, no idea what they were smoking.

again im sorry for posting a question about an altima, but i have no where to go on that as im all about my 3rd gen and you guys are awesome.

BenStoked

iTrader: (7)

It is kinda weird to see questions about other cars in the 3rd gen forum. there are other sites that deal with Nissans, but none thrive like the .Org.
any who, I sent you a PM, maybe it'll help, may be info you already knew.

maximaman1313

ya .org is the best forum ever.

it looks like i need an inner tie-rod removal tool. with my luck probably power tools i don't have.

looks as if the tie-rod has a ball joint on the end of it, that is in the thing a ball joint would go into. and on that part(that houses the ball part on end of tie-rod) its squared. and i guess you get the tool around the square part and it remove the thing from the rack & pinion as if it were a bolt.

guess ill have to try and rent a tie-rod removal tool or something

thanks for the pm

Maxpwer

iTrader: (7)

Not sure how it happened? Really?

jonmandude

iTrader: (1)

You will definitely need a tie rod tool. You will also need a breaker bar. An impact wrench will not work with the tool, but a breaker bar works beautifully. They are pretty simple and straight forward.

maximaman1313

thats what i said. she claims she went to work it was fine, but driving home it wasn't,

the damn tie rod is bent like this....

/
\

huge bend for her not knowing what happened

maximaman1313

i can rent at least the tie rod tool from autozone or someplace like that most likely right? thanks for the help.

Wiking

What makes it special (besides good forum mgmt) is that lots ppl do return the goodies back well serviced: u can take pics and post the whole story with the remedy. Maxima owners tend to have nissans and friends with nissans... facing what u face now.

= thks, Pics please.

xx-Marshall-xx

iTrader: (15)

isnt the tool basically a puller?

jonmandude

iTrader: (1)

Not at all. It is a tube with different sized "crows feet" that fit the squared end of the tie rod. It has a hole at the other end that fits a 1/2" ratchet.