Removal and Installation of Steering Tie Rod End

Removal

• · Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels, raise the front of the vehicle with a jack and support it on stands. Remove the applicable wheel.
• · Using a wire brush, clean the exposed thread on the tie rod. Using a sharp tool, scribe a line to mark the position of the tie rod end relative to the tie rod.
• · While holding the tie rod end, loosen the lock nut by a quarter turn.
• · Remove the cotter pin and loosen the ball joint stud nut of the tie rod end until the end of the thread is reached. Using a puller, press the stud out of the tapered hole in the steering knuckle arm. After separating, remove the nut completely and disconnect the tie rod end from the steering knuckle.
• · Unscrew the tie rod end from the tie rod, counting the number of turns required.

Installation · Screw the tie rod end onto the tie rod by the same number of turns as during removal. Align the tie rod end with the tie rod using the previously scribed mark. These steps should return the tie rod end to exactly the position it had before disassembly. The lock nut should then be loosened by only a quarter turn. If so, tighten the lock nut while holding the tie rod end from turning. · Insert the ball joint stud of the tie rod end into the tapered hole in the steering knuckle arm and install the nut. Tighten the nut to the specified torque and secure it with a new cotter pin. If the nut slots do not align with the cotter pin hole, tighten the nut further in the tightening direction to the required angle.

• · Install the wheel and lower the vehicle to the ground. Tighten the wheel nuts to the specified torque.
• · Finally, check the wheel alignment.