Steering rack "refreshening"

[hls30.com]

Carl,

I knew you did/would/should/could-aw hell, I wrote that with you in mind(multiple personalities and all!)!

On the email-I don't think I could miss it by any more! (my outbound server appears to be down)

Will

[panchovisa]

Master, the INNER tie rod ends are what gets turned (not the outer). One side of car has righthand treaded INNER's, the other side has lefthand threaded INNER's. LOOK at the direction of the exposed threads on INNER tie rod end.

Leave the outer tie rods attached (re-attach loosely if needed) to the control arm/ lower balljoint/steering arm. Thats where you get you leverage. Slide rubber bellows toward center so you can find the wrench flat on INNER ball joint.

EDIT: quess I should have finished reading the thread before posting. Looks like Bambi and Will gave you the same info:):)

[drunkenmaster]

Thanks guys, I will give it another shot however they seem pretty seized.

I took note of the threading, but cant get either the lock nut or the outer tie rod to turn.

The whole assembly is off the car.

I tried using a vice on the outer tie rod end and using all my weight with a spanner on the lock nut with no luck, I tried 2 spanners, one of the lock nut and one on the tie rod end flats and couldnt really get enough leverage to use much force.

Propane torch may be a last resort or chickening out all together and swinging by a local suspension and steering shop.

I am also having a hard time with one of the outer tierod to steering arm joints. I bought a removing tool which you tighten a bolt to compress finger to bush the joint through, it worked great on the lower ball joints, sending them 2m (~6ft& 6in.) in the air when they finally let go, and it also popped out one tie rod joint no problems. But this last joint is adamant it doesnt want to move, the pressure actually started mushrooming the tools bold and sheering filings of the thread of the tool rather than moving the joint. I am confident I will get this one out eventually though. Perhaps I should have bought a pickle fork like you guys suggested but this tool was all the local parts store had.

panchovisa, I wish to replace the outer tie rods and wasnt aware i need to slide back the bellows?

[panchovisa]

Master, whatever. Your the one thats having trouble, did mine without any help. Just thought that a wrench on the flats might give you more leverage than a vise-grip somewhere else. Also wasn't sure you knew that inner rotated.

Guess I won't ever have to respond to your calls for help, because it seems you already know what your doing.

[drunkenmaster]

Master, whatever. Your the one thats having trouble, did mine without any help.

I was just asking for ellaboration as obviously you have more experience on the topic than myself and I was wondering perhaps I do need to slide back the bellows?

I wasnt aware I said anything to undermine you?!

[Z Kid]

To remove a stubborn tierod end from the steering arm (Ie the tapered joing filled with rust), give the outer part a bit of a gentle warm with a gas torch, then belt once or twice really really really hard ideally with a sledge hammer on the side of the steering arm where the taper inserts from the tierod end, it causes them to shoot out every time.

[drunkenmaster]

cheers Z Kid.

[wal280z]

The tierods are readily available-any national chain, most local mom and pops, MSA, VB, ebay....

Does anyone happen to know which rebuilder/vendor MSA uses for their rebuilt steering rack unit?

FWIW, MSA stated that they do not use OEM Nissan tie-rods.

Wayne

[drunkenmaster]

Guess I won't ever have to respond to your calls for help, because it seems you already know what your doing.

Seriously, I don't know why you are offended so I am sorry for whatever I have done to you.

I hope we can move on.

(EDIT: Replying to an edited post)

[drunkenmaster]

Question:

Do you pack the ball joints with grease until signs of overflow or less?

Thanks

[Bambikiller240]

When I had tierods with grease fittings, I filled them (after everything had been tightened properly) only until grease began to come out of the relief slit in the boot.

[drunkenmaster]

Thanks, I havent checked if my tie rod joints have releif slits in the boots however I should have said in my previous post that I was in the process of filling the lower ball joint. These do not have relief slits and only seem to be sealed by the downward pressure from the steering arm, although likely not airtight, I am a bit concerned about splitting the boot.