Inner Tierods on an 85 - how difficult?

[FESCSteve]

85 LX with power steering. Needs inner tierod replaced. Can anyone share what is involved? I'll replace inner and outer at same time and I'll need a new boot (the original is tore). But I've never replaced inners before.

Thanks in advance!

Steve

[gtluke]

outers are cake. inners are hard and require special tools. when you need to do inners, just buy a new rack.
i'll post up details later i'm late for work

[FESCSteve]

Rack is $90.00 and inners are $40.00. If the power steering rack is easy to remove without a lift (I have jackstands though) I may consider it if I don't have to pop a ball joint loose to remove it. I can see the expense of a rack install adding up quickly ;)

Thanks for the feedback.

Steve

[FESCSteve]

OK - there are 3 options for this rack - Sport suspension, TRW and Ford.

I assume the Sport Suspension is the quick turn ratio rack - would this require a different PS pump (this is a V6 LX)?

As for the differences between TRW (=$$$) and Ford, how do I tell?

Then there is also a pre-May 1998 rack and a post-May 1985 Ford rack to contend with.

So many options - so little time. I think I'll stick with just tierods.

Are these like later models where they are just basically threaded onto the end of the rack or are they different?

Steve

[negusm]

OK - there are 3 options for this rack - Sport suspension, TRW and Ford.

I assume the Sport Suspension is the quick turn ratio rack - would this require a different PS pump (this is a V6 LX)?

As for the differences between TRW (=$$$) and Ford, how do I tell?

Then there is also a pre-May 1998 rack and a post-May 1985 Ford rack to contend with.

So many options - so little time. I think I'll stick with just tierods.

Are these like later models where they are just basically threaded onto the end of the rack or are they different?

Steve

http://www.foureyedpride.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=12544&highlight=bushings+rack

The above link has good info. Yes, a sport steering rack should have a v8 pump. I have been TRYING to disassemble two different pumps but have failed miserably to show the differences.

The difference between the TRW/Ford racks are just one was one piece and one was two piece. Read the above thread (look for LTDScotts posts) and it should be in there. I don't think it matters which one you use.

In 1985 they switched bushings and bolts. You either need to get a rack that matches your bushing setup or when you get a new rack, get new bushings and bolts with it.

-Mike

[roller4v]

If your car is an original v8 car it came with the sport steering and then basically the diference is the ford vs trw. I can never remember which is which but if I remember correcly one has a two piece bushing and the other has a one piece bushing. Take your rack off first and take it with you for comparison at the parts store. Again from memory the 1 piece bushings are pressed in (and should already be pressed in on the unit you buy) and the two peice sandwitch the rack.

It is fairly easy to change the rack. Probably easier than trying to replace the inner tie rods. The biggest pain is trying to get the power steering lines to thread back onto the new rack. Just be patient with that part.

Now it probably also a good idea to replace the Power Steering pump at the same time. Unfortunately they decided a filter wasnt required on the system (bad idea) so any trash or metal shavings etc are gonna be floating aroud in there. Put on a new rack and don't replace the pump (and flush the lines) and you could have premature failure of the rack. Same goes with replaceing the pump.

Steve

[roller4v]

hehe.. well I didn't see Negusm's post before I posted so.. looks like there is the answer on identification.

Steve

[FESCSteve]

Thanks again for the replies guys. A world of information in a few posts!

But.....(don't you hate it when someone asks for an opinion and then decides not to follow it?) - I think I will give just the inner tierods a shot. Looks simple enough - threaded with a roll pin correct? I can't see what woould be so hard unless you can't get a good grip on the rack when loosening and tightening the new inners. Unless you guys are really convinced that a whole rack with all it's lines and such is really easier.

This car is starting to nickel and dime me to death :) But hey, it was free, has a new top and runs pretty good, so I can't complain ;)

Thanks again.

[Chuck W]

Inners are hard? That's a new one.

The hardest part is getting the drift pin out...and a small easy-out will usually work for that. It's not threaded in...but it gives you a way to get ahold of it to get it past the threads. Other than that it's a big wrench or a large adjustable one (they are something like 30-32mm) to unthread them from the rack.

The only thing that needs to be done is turn the wheel all the way to one side to get them sticking out of the rack housing enough to work with.

I've done them a couple times and never had an issue.

[paul78zephyr]

FESC,
I agree with XR7 - it's not that hard at all. It is alot easier if you can remove the rack from the car but if you can't (or don't want to) thats OK. You will need to remove the outers from the spindles first then undo the dust boot that covers the inner. There are clips at both ends of the boot then slide the boot as far outboard (towards the outer) as it will go. Then proceed as suggested by XR7. You WILL need a large open end/adjustable to hold the rack. Also you may find that the outers are difficult to separate (unscrew) from the inners due to rust, etc. I would just get new inners and outers and start fresh. Apply anti-sieze compound to the threads on the new inners and you will never have to worry about not being able to separate the inners and outers again.

Good luck,
Paul

[FESCSteve]

Thanks again guys - I didn't think it could be too hard after seeing the illustrations and the parts.

I'll certainly have no problems with it then.

I'll let you know how it goes in case anyone else come across this thread.

Steve

[black86capri50]

to remove the inners, jack up the car, remove cotter pin and 17mm nut from outer tie rod end, take clips off of boot, (clip outer, clamp inner) get very large pipe wrench (monkey wrench for plumbers) put the wrench on and turn reall hard, it will shear the roll pin, and screw out by hand the rest of the way..... the pin will fall out of the rack, the clearence fit is in the rod end.....

be sure to put the antisieze on the shaft, when you thread the outer on, or it will be welded with rust in a few days..... (i just did all of this on my car)

much easier than a rack

[gtluke]

Inners are hard? That's a new one.

The hardest part is getting the drift pin out...and a small easy-out will usually work for that. It's not threaded in...but it gives you a way to get ahold of it to get it past the threads. Other than that it's a big wrench or a large adjustable one (they are something like 30-32mm) to unthread them from the rack.

The only thing that needs to be done is turn the wheel all the way to one side to get them sticking out of the rack housing enough to work with.

I've done them a couple times and never had an issue.

its not hard for me (or you) but if he's asking he's never done inners before, and it will be hard for him.

usually its just easier to change the rack. but if he doesn't have the tools, sometimes those fittings can be a nightmare to get off.

[FESCSteve]

Believe me, either one would not be hard, but I'm lazy :)

The inners were about a half hour job. Followed the suggestion above and removed the boot straps, slid it down and used a pipe wrench to shear the pin. Then just remove the outer and unscrew the assembly.

I didn';t realize that the pin didn't go all the way through - just into a groove in the rack end. Overall I would say not much harder than changing a tire LOL.

I know it's hard to judge how easy or ahrd something will be for someone on here. It's best to consider that someone asking the question that I asked would not have the skills or tools to do the job, but in this case, I had the tools and years of experience working on cars (but no suspension work except outer tierods, struts, shocks, springs, etc ).

I do appreciate both suggestions. It allowed me to pick the one I was most comfortable with.

Thanks again guys. I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone with basic skills and tools really.

Steve