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Inner Tie Rod Tool

S

sylin

New CEG'er
Joined
Jun 12, 2000
Messages
11
Location
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Just thought this could be useful....

I was able to change the inner tie rods on both side with the inner tie rod removal tool as shown in the picture without having to remove the rack. My car is 97 Contour Sport with v6 and stick. I used a 1/2" breaker bar and an 8" extension to work with the removal tool, and it was a piece of cake, at least for the removal and installation part.

Getting the dust boot off and on was a little tricky, especially on the passenger side where little space is available. I used a small flat head screw driver to undo the clamp, and sprayed a little bit of engine oil as I worked the boot off the rack and the breather tube trying not to use force and tear the thing. That little bit of oil also helped the breather tube slide into the port on the boot during the re-installation. I used a nylon cable tie to clamp the boot down on the rack casing.

Nothing could be used to hold on the rack when removing or torque up the tie rod. There is simply no space for a wrench, and on the passenger side the rack is a perfect round shaft beside lacking space. I try to remember the removal tool magnifies the torque and try to go easy with it.

Hope this can help.
 

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sylin said:
Just thought this could be useful....

I was able to change the inner tie rods on both side with the inner tie rod removal tool as shown in the picture without having to remove the rack. My car is 97 Contour Sport with v6 and stick. I used a 1/2" breaker bar and an 8" extension to work with the removal tool, and it was a piece of cake, at least for the removal and installation part.

Getting the dust boot off and on was a little tricky, especially on the passenger side where little space is available. I used a small flat head screw driver to undo the clamp, and sprayed a little bit of engine oil as I worked the boot off the rack and the breather tube trying not to use force and tear the thing. That little bit of oil also helped the breather tube slide into the port on the boot during the re-installation. I used a nylon cable tie to clamp the boot down on the rack casing.

Nothing could be used to hold on the rack when removing or torque up the tie rod. There is simply no space for a wrench, and on the passenger side the rack is a perfect round shaft beside lacking space. I try to remember the removal tool magnifies the torque and try to go easy with it.

Hope this can help.
Click to expand...

Just posted about that this morning....

http://contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=29277

I'm going to work on a how-to if I can get the right pictures together, I have the inner tie rod installation/ removal tool, but I have to get the universal one that you attached in your picture, tried for an hour or so last night to try and twist it off with a vice grips...
 
Looks like I'm waiting till Wednesday to do the rest of this.... Fastenal has to get the part from a hub outside their local distribution hub. :( yay.... unless someone around here has one I could use??!?!?
 
One more thing, the one I'm having shipped in, is 33-42mm is that going to be too big or too small anyone know?
 
CSVT_2004 said:
One more thing, the one I'm having shipped in, is 33-42mm is that going to be too big or too small anyone know?
Click to expand...

Yeah, 33-42mm is the right size (and the only size that I know out there), the tool I was using is of the same size. I'm in Ontario Canada and if you are anywhere close you may use mine.
 
This is awesome to hear. I may have to replace inner tie rods on my brothers 95 Mystique that I'm getting fixed up for him. It's either the inner tie rods or a complete rack, but it's good to know that if it's just the tie rods, I won't need to bother dropping the subframe and removing the rack.
 
Wow where did you get that inner removal tool! I have been looking all over for that and all the shops tend to have are the Tube inner tie rod removal tool...

Is there a size or how does it grip the end of the inner tie rod?

- amyn
 
qbcsvt said:
Wow where did you get that inner removal tool! I have been looking all over for that and all the shops tend to have are the Tube inner tie rod removal tool...

Is there a size or how does it grip the end of the inner tie rod?

- amyn
Click to expand...

Picked it up at eBay.

The size is 33-42mm, meaning it'll work on tie rods with the OD in that range.

I first ordered the new tie rods, measured and made sure the size is right, then ordered the tool at eBay.

The way it works is rather simple, you slide the tool over the inner socket of the tie rod, turn your wrench that drives the splined wheel which pivots around the rivet (see the picture). The obiting action of the splined wheel then gets the tie rod socket in between the grip of the inner teeth of the tool and the splined wheel itself. The harder you turn the wrench, the tighter is the grip. The tool literarily bites a little bit into the material of the socket when you torque it up, leaving some slight bite mark behind. I hope I've made sense....
 
Mucho sense, I have been looking for that tool and everybody has been telling me only one type is made...

B.S. Ima check it out on ebay!

- amyn
 
Yes... about 12 more hours and I should have this oh so needed tool... I just hope it's not freezing cold out so I can work on my car come tomorrow afternoon...
 
hmouta said:
i'm waiting on this one from harbor freight. its on back order.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96558

i like that when i'll go to torque it, the pressure will be on the 2 flats
Click to expand...

Not to dissapoint you, but unless you don't have factory inner tie rods on your car I'd bet you wont be able to remove them with the tool you ordered, as the stock tie rods most likely don't have the flats on the inner socket for that wrench to go on, which is why a pipe wrench is recommended in the Ford service manual for removal even when the rack is off car.
 
i'm holding 2 stock inner tie rods that i'm going to install. they have 2 flats. thats why i ordered the long socket set with different size flats (wasnt sure the width of the stock flats. the socket can be used to install and uninstall. a pipe wrench is recommended by ford becuz they are dropping the rack and have easy access to the 2 flats (thats where they are using the pipe wrench) and dont require the special adapter if the rack is propped on a workbench.
 
hmouta said:
i'm holding 2 stock inner tie rods that i'm going to install. they have 2 flats. thats why i ordered the long socket set with different size flats (wasnt sure the width of the stock flats. the socket can be used to install and uninstall. a pipe wrench is recommended by ford becuz they are dropping the rack and have easy access to the 2 flats (thats where they are using the pipe wrench) and dont require the special adapter if the rack is propped on a workbench.
Click to expand...

What you're holding in your hand is a stock REPLACEMENT, not the ones that came with your car, they can be different. I can take pictures of the rods I removed if you'd like to see.
 
i'll take a look at my on car ones. thats the weirdest think i've seen if that is the case.

how did ford install it if theres no hex or flats? if theres nothing to grab on and if they forced some type of wrench on it to turn the tie rod wouldnt there be major scratch marks. curious what tool they wouldve done it with.
 
Last edited:
hmouta said:
i'll take a look at my on car ones. thats the weirdest think i've seen if that is the case.

how did ford install it if theres no hex or flats? if theres nothing to grab on and if they forced some type of wrench on it to turn the tie rod wouldnt there be major scratch marks. curious what tool they wouldve done it with.
Click to expand...

They probably used a machine and spun them with a cone style fitting, the speed would then torque them down... Just a guess...
 
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