Tie rod
Legend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,606
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Tie rod
You can change the Tie rod end yourself, but your gonna need an alignment after. The easiest way to get it back close so it is drivable to the alignment place is to take a white crayon and mark where the old one is before you take it off, then put the new on on to that mark. You do need the alignment though. A little more info on the front end noise would help. How many miles on the car? could be a motor mount. Try to get under the car and pin point the noise a little better.
Record Breaker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Tie rod
The crayon mark trick will only work if you use a factory part. If you pick up something from a parts store, the lengths are different... You can measure from the center of the hole to a known point on the rod and mark it off there, and you'll get pretty close. I like the aftermarket ends better. The stock ones can be a pain to get off if you have even a hint of rust... I ended up taking a dremel to the lock nut and used nearly a whole can of PB Blaster to get the factury unit off. The aftermarket units also have a zirc fitting for greasing, as long as you remember to keep up with it...
Alignments usually require an appointment, so make one for the morning after the day you plan on doing the job. My recommendation is to get the Firestone lifetime alignment for $140 or so. Pays for itself after 3 or 4 alignments, and I've done nearly a dozen in the last 2 years, sometimes just for the heck of it... Sure makes the tires last longer!
Best of luck!
Alignments usually require an appointment, so make one for the morning after the day you plan on doing the job. My recommendation is to get the Firestone lifetime alignment for $140 or so. Pays for itself after 3 or 4 alignments, and I've done nearly a dozen in the last 2 years, sometimes just for the heck of it... Sure makes the tires last longer!
Best of luck!
Legend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,606
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Tie rod
ORIGINAL: RadarLove
The crayon mark trick will only work if you use a factory part. If you pick up something from a parts store, the lengths are different... You can measure from the center of the hole to a known point on the rod and mark it off there, and you'll get pretty close. I like the aftermarket ends better. The stock ones can be a pain to get off if you have even a hint of rust... I ended up taking a dremel to the lock nut and used nearly a whole can of PB Blaster to get the factury unit off. The aftermarket units also have a zirc fitting for greasing, as long as you remember to keep up with it...
Alignments usually require an appointment, so make one for the morning after the day you plan on doing the job. My recommendation is to get the Firestone lifetime alignment for $140 or so. Pays for itself after 3 or 4 alignments, and I've done nearly a dozen in the last 2 years, sometimes just for the heck of it... Sure makes the tires last longer!
Best of luck!
The crayon mark trick will only work if you use a factory part. If you pick up something from a parts store, the lengths are different... You can measure from the center of the hole to a known point on the rod and mark it off there, and you'll get pretty close. I like the aftermarket ends better. The stock ones can be a pain to get off if you have even a hint of rust... I ended up taking a dremel to the lock nut and used nearly a whole can of PB Blaster to get the factury unit off. The aftermarket units also have a zirc fitting for greasing, as long as you remember to keep up with it...
Alignments usually require an appointment, so make one for the morning after the day you plan on doing the job. My recommendation is to get the Firestone lifetime alignment for $140 or so. Pays for itself after 3 or 4 alignments, and I've done nearly a dozen in the last 2 years, sometimes just for the heck of it... Sure makes the tires last longer!
Best of luck!
