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How do you change tie rods? #1616109 07/24/06 11:28 PM
Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 20 south central PA M moderndino OP New CEG\'er
OP moderndino New CEG\'er M Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 20 south central PA	I need to shorten the tie rods to re-use the rack in my custom Contour powered car. The donor Contour is a 95. The manual doesn't mention anything special, just remove the tie rod with an arrow pointing to the ball socket part. There's no flats on either the rack or the ball socket. The later years must have added a flat on that ball socket part that the inner tie rod sits in because the manual shows it. I can grab the ball socket with a pipe wrench and it won't matter if I gall it, but how do I hold the rack? A strap wrench maybe? The manual calls for tightening back to 80 foot pounds, so holding the rack (so the case isn't overly stressed) is going to be a challange. Who has experience loosening this?

Re: How do you change tie rods? #1616110 07/25/06 01:49 AM
Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 5,143 Ypsilanti, Mi A AliasJerk�?� Addicted CEG\'er
AliasJerk�?� Addicted CEG\'er A Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 5,143 Ypsilanti, Mi	Originally posted by moderndino: I need to shorten the tie rods to re-use the rack in my custom Contour powered car. The donor Contour is a 95. The manual doesn't mention anything special, just remove the tie rod with an arrow pointing to the ball socket part. There's no flats on either the rack or the ball socket. The later years must have added a flat on that ball socket part that the inner tie rod sits in because the manual shows it. I can grab the ball socket with a pipe wrench and it won't matter if I gall it, but how do I hold the rack? A strap wrench maybe? The manual calls for tightening back to 80 foot pounds, so holding the rack (so the case isn't overly stressed) is going to be a challange. Who has experience loosening this? ...Custom contour powered car.... I have so many questions... Pics? Either way... here is a good diagram on how to work with the tie rods... Autozone has some kick ass diagrams. 98 Corolla LE 1.8L DOHC 1ZZFE TEIN H.Tech Springs Tokico HP series Struts Short ram air intake Tsudo Axel Back Exhaust ... if a jelly fish stung me.. would you pee on the wound?

Re: How do you change tie rods? #1616111 07/27/06 08:52 PM
Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 6,106 Fort Wayne, IN Y Y2KSVT Addicted CEG\'er
Y2KSVT Addicted CEG\'er Y Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 6,106 Fort Wayne, IN	Originally posted by AliasJerkâ�??¢: Either way... here is a good diagram on how to work with the tie rods... Autozone has some kick ass diagrams. Where's the Ray Charles "I can't see sh**" picture when you need it? Mark 2000 Black CSVT 3.0L Hybrid - 206fwhp & 195fwtq

Re: How do you change tie rods? #1616112 07/28/06 01:23 AM
Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 5,345 Virginia, USA T Tony2005 Addicted CEG\'er
Tony2005 Addicted CEG\'er T Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 5,345 Virginia, USA	Originally posted by Y2KSVT: Originally posted by AliasJerkâ�??¢: Either way... here is a good diagram on how to work with the tie rods... Autozone has some kick ass diagrams. Where's the Ray Charles "I can't see sh**" picture when you need it? Mark LOL. Here it is. No, not the Ray Charles picture, the link to Autozone. http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker?ForwardPage=/az/cds/en_us/0900823d/80/1b/d6/4b/0900823d801bd64b.jsp "Always do the cheap and easy ones first." 1996 V6 ATX 96K miles

Re: How do you change tie rods? #1616113 07/28/06 01:44 AM
Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 20 south central PA M moderndino OP New CEG\'er
OP moderndino New CEG\'er M Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 20 south central PA	When I had the bellows off, I didn't run the rack out to the end of travel...... maybe the last gear teeth will poke out to grab as the instructions suggest. For now I've put the bellows and its clamp back together. Hyd fluid finds its way past the end seals of the rack and I made a mess of the shop floor once already. I was planning to spend Saturday morning in the salvage yard looking for a suitable donor. Since I've driven women away with my dirty fingernails, I might have another look Friday night. Thanks for the alternate to the Ford manual instructions. Gar

Re: How do you change tie rods? #1616114 07/29/06 02:51 AM
Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 20 south central PA M moderndino OP New CEG\'er
OP moderndino New CEG\'er M Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 20 south central PA	I pulled the same side bellows off again and ran the rack to the stop..... no teeth show on this end (far end away from pinion). I held the rack case in the vise and put a pipe wrench on the inner tie rod ball socket and it came loose. I hope I didn't damage the lash. It's draining hyd fluid now in the other direction. I'm still going salvage yard shopping tomorrow, but I'll take the other side loose in the morning. To best align the tie rod relative to the steering arm of the spindle, the distance between the inner tie rod joints should be as short as possible (short rack width) in my application. I found an excellent model of the VW front end and bump steer math in an Austrailian VW site. That's where this rack is going. VW front end, not to Austrailia. The link you offered for taking the assembly apart wasn't applicable to the end I picked to disassemble first, but it still gave me the confidence to put the wrench to it. I think the teeth will show when I crank the rack in the direction of the pinion. I'll hold onto it here when putting both ends back together. Thanks Tony

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