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Replacing tie rods?

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dicedaniels

Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2008, 09:49:58 PM »
you can also smack the steering knuckle where the tie rod bolts through it with a hammer (not super hard as if youre trying to break it) while pushing up or pulling down on the tie rod, whichever is pulling it away from the knuckle and it should pop out. be careful not to dent it up too bad. youre not trying to re shape it.
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Basher

Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #16 on: January 05, 2008, 03:54:51 AM »
im chimin in, somtimes they are a nightmare to pull out of the knuckle, they sell a fork and a puller, just like the previos poster said somtimes you need to smack it on the end of the arm[ longatudinaly sp?]with either one having full tesion, i recently did a 6 inch on a 77 chevy and it took three of us to break it loose[ uncommon] its steel givr hell
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Offline AJMBLAZER

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Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #17 on: January 05, 2008, 07:47:39 AM »
www.rock-auto.com has good prices on parts.  I pretty much skip the local places for them now.
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thcrw739

Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #18 on: January 05, 2008, 10:43:06 AM »
Well according to that rock auto, if you compare the sport with the regular jx and so on comparing thier catalog listing meshurements and such its the same parts..

So these should work  in theory right?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/89-1998-Tracker-Sidekick-Tie-Rod-Rods-Assembly_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118QQcategoryZ33583QQihZ009QQitemZ190064161886QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V
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Offline sidekicksrock

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Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #19 on: January 05, 2008, 12:26:27 PM »
Quote
So these should work  in theory right?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/89-1998-Tracker-Sidekick-Tie-Rod-Rods-Assembly_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118QQcategoryZ33583QQihZ009QQitemZ190064161886QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V


YUP! thats them,

As I understand it the A arms in a sport are the same length as Calmini 3" A arms. Those tie rods should fit fine.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2008, 12:29:50 PM by sidekicksrock »
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thcrw739

Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #20 on: January 05, 2008, 12:46:17 PM »
Quote from: sidekicksrock on January 05, 2008, 12:26:27 PM
Quote
So these should work  in theory right?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/89-1998-Tracker-Sidekick-Tie-Rod-Rods-Assembly_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118QQcategoryZ33583QQihZ009QQitemZ190064161886QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V


YUP! thats them,

As I understand it the A arms in a sport are the same length as Calmini 3" A arms. Those tie rods should fit fine.


Great,
Thats good news,
 those were the ones i was leaning towards as they have all the pieces in one set for $40.00 were the other places you have to buy diffrent parts seprately and buy the time i buy 2 sets its close or over $200 for eveything...

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thcrw739

Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #21 on: January 07, 2008, 03:56:23 PM »
Here's a good one for ya...

Well before i finally did any job with the tie rods i decided after percision tires's deal wich is were this whole ordeal came from to get a 2nd opinon...

So i took it to altons tires and they said the tie rods were not bad it was the ball joints

Ok so at this point im thinking a 3rd opinon might be justified..

So i took it to les shwabs & they said after looking at it nothings wrong with anything they could find and just guessing its still out of allighnment... and they said i needed a bearing repack wich is another story...

To verify things with their alighnment guy, i had to make an apointment but tomorrow
i'll get the alighnment checked and they will test dirve it and such....

This just verifies never trust a mechanics first word....

Since im fairly new to the area, i havent had a chance to find a good mechanic as i havent needed any major work done,  i guess i have to go threw these things

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Offline sidekicksrock

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Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #22 on: January 07, 2008, 04:24:29 PM »
You can check this stuff yourself.

Tie rods: first rotate them if they rotate easily they are getting loose. Second with a large pair of channel locks try to compress the tie rod. This is done by putting one jaw on top of the threaded stud and the other on the cap. If you are able to compress the tie rod it should be replaced.

Ball Joints: lift the tire off the ground by putting a jack under the A arm. Now put a pipe/crowbar/2X4/or whatever, under the tire and try to lift it. If the tire moves the ball joint is bad.

Drag Link: This is the bar which goes between the Idler arm and the Steering arm. This should not rotate. If you can rotate the bar so the tie rods move up and down it is bad and must be replaced. Even if everything else on the front end is good but the Drag Link rotates it will allow the toe in to change as your driving down the road.
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thcrw739

Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #23 on: January 08, 2008, 04:16:46 PM »
Turns out there really wasnt anything wrong with either tie rods or ball joints or anything
After taking it back to less shwab today for my appointment for a thourogh allinment check and such..

So final Cost me a $52 dollars allignment at a good shop that knew what they were doing and 3 weeks of stressing over wich parts and cheapest way of getting the work done...
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thcrw739

Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #24 on: January 11, 2008, 02:28:01 PM »
 ??? ok, well after all is done and nothing is suppose to be wrong with it...

The Steering still feels lose or sloppy, not near as bad as it did prior to the alignment,

But just not quite right....  seems hard to keep it straight for periods of time, not like its drifts real far off like an alignment problem... but like the steering is too lose, kinda like an chevy..

Is this normal?

I dont remember it being like that on my 93 jx 4 door i had years ago...



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Offline sidekicksrock

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Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #25 on: January 12, 2008, 08:42:35 AM »
Check the steering shaft, Have someone turn the steering wheel back and forth while you look under the hood. Sometimes the rag joints wear out if you have them on your truck.
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thcrw739

Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #26 on: January 12, 2008, 12:19:31 PM »
What would a bad rag joint do when your looking at it?
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Offline AJMBLAZER

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Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #27 on: January 12, 2008, 01:56:09 PM »
Think of it as a soft u-joint.  It's supposed to allow your steering shaft some angularity of movement while absorbing some of the road vibes instead of transmitting them up the steering column.

Then again a lot of makers never used them so their value is questionable.

A good rag joint will have some "squishiness" to it as you turn the steering wheel but won't fold over or have a very large amount of "give" to it.

The older GM trucks have these as well and I've heard of guys having them fall apart while wheeling due to age and rot.
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thcrw739

Re: Replacing tie rods?
« Reply #28 on: January 12, 2008, 03:29:26 PM »
Once again,

Checked all nothing wrong...

Had it re checked at less shwab, nothing wrong..

I guess its just me getting use to the new, but i could sware that it didnt feel loose like that on my other sidekick..

Maybe its just a sport model thing?

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