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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / November 2005Replacing Tie Rod Ends Caprice
I need to replace both tie rod ends on my 85 chevy caprice. It looks like there will be no load on the tie rods and I can just crawl under the car and take them off without anything self-destructing. Do I need to jack the car up? Thanks > I need to replace both tie rod ends on my 85 chevy caprice. It looks > like there will be no load on the tie rods and I can just crawl under > the car and take them off without anything self-destructing. Do I need > to jack the car up? It will help to have the car on jackstands 1) to fit under the car easier and 2) to allow the hubs/knuckles to swing back and forth for easier access to the components. I can't imagine performing this on the ground esp. when jackstands and a basic jack can be had for cheap. Toyota MDT in MO >> I need to replace both tie rod ends on my 85 chevy caprice. It looks >> like there will be no load on the tie rods and I can just crawl under [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >easier access to the components. I can't imagine performing this on >the ground esp. when jackstands and a basic jack can be had for cheap. yeah yeah. of course he'll use jackstands. i have the same situation with an 87 caprice. give me some tips. any problems i should look out for? i'll get an alignment afterwards but how can i get it close? count threads? thanks...theick > but how can i get it close? > count threads? Yes. I could be wrong, but I don't see why you should necessarily get it realigned. Matt <themattfella@xxyyyzzzz.com> wrote in article <1SAcf.12587$cg.12168@news02.roc.ny>... > > but how can i get it close? > > count threads? > > Yes. I could be wrong, but I don't see why you should necessarily get > it realigned. Well, he just MIGHT want to get it re-aligned to avoid excessive tire wear. Manufacturers do NOT match OEM components right on down to the exact number of threads and thread-starting points, so even if he were to count turns off-and-on, the likelyhood of it being absolutely correct are slim. Counting turns will only get the car close enough to get it to an alignment rack........ > Matt <themattfella@xxyyyzzzz.com> wrote in article > <1SAcf.12587$cg.12168@news02.roc.ny>... [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > Counting turns will only get the car close enough to get it to an alignment > rack........ And this is all ASSuming that it's correctly aligned now. I'd definitely get an alignment after finishing all the suspension work. nate >> Matt <themattfella@xxyyyzzzz.com> wrote in article >> <1SAcf.12587$cg.12168@news02.roc.ny>... ... >And this is all ASSuming that it's correctly aligned now. > >I'd definitely get an alignment after finishing all the suspension >work. thanks for the advice. it isn't aligned right now because it's an old boat and the repair shop wanted 300 dollars for the tie rod job. i wasn't sure how long i was going to keep the car so i settled for the expense of simple tire wear. ...thehick >>thanks for the advice. it isn't aligned right now because it's an old boat and the repair shop wanted 300 dollars for the tie rod job. i wasn't sure how long i was going to keep the car so i settled for the expense of simple tire wear. ...thehick << $300 ? Something's wrong there, unless there's more work than just tie rods. BTW my mech says he would just use a tape measure if he did the tie rods for me, and not recommend an alignment. The sad part is that I just had it aligned 3 months ago ! They said the suspension was tight. But now my mech, at inspection time, says the tie rod ends are both worn, and the sway bar end-link needs to be replaced too. Caprice85 <user132384@aol.com> wrote in article > > BTW my mech says he would just use a tape measure if he did the tie > rods for me, and not recommend an alignment. Your "mechanic" doesn't understand front-end alignment...... He's probably trying to convince you that the tape measure is okay since he doesn't own a front-end alignment machine - or even a toe guage - to do it correctly.....so he would either have to farm it out" or have you go to one of his better-equipped competitors to get a proper alignment. The "toe-in" specification is the comparison of front-to-rear tread widths....AT SPINDLE HEIGHT.......not above or below - which give different readings. I cannot think of a single automobile that would allow you to string a tape measure between the front and read tread widths AT SPINDLE HEIGHT......considering all the things hanging down in the way, and the fact that spindle height is often pretty close to chassis height....which puts the chassis in the way of measuring tread widths AT SPINDLE HEIGHT..... .......so, your "mechanic" will actually be measuring the tread width much further down on the tire - bringing the two measuring points closer together - front-to-rear - and giving you a false reading of actual toe in/out. One-eighth-inch measured at six-inches off the ground, might project into one-half inch measured at 13-or-so inches off the ground at spindle height. Looking down from the top of the tire in the exaggerated example below, your "mechanic" is measuring further down (and around ) the tire maybe at 5 and 7 o'clock from "b"-to"b" while the specification is measured from "a"-to-"a" - at 3 and 9 o'clock. 5 and 7 o'clock are much closer across the clock than 3 and 9 o'clock. \a<----------------------------------------->a / REAR \ / ^ \ b<---------------------------------->b / | \ / | \ <---------spindle--------------/ | \ / | \ b<---------------------->b/ | \ / v \a<--------------->a / FRONT You can see, if the differences between the front and the rear "b" lines is one-eighth, the difference between the front and read "a" points will be much greater. That is why toe-in guages are designed with pointers to reach up to the center of spindle height on the tires - front and rear........ ......and why "tape measure alignments" are not really alignments....... > Matt <themattfella@xxyyyzzzz.com> wrote in article > <1SAcf.12587$cg.12168@news02.roc.ny>... [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > Counting turns will only get the car close enough to get it to an alignment > rack........ IF IF IF it was in alignment already, and he compares the new part to the old, and they are the same, and he counts threads, then it will be in alignment after the repair. How much does an alignment cost these days? > Matt wrote: > IF IF IF it was in alignment already, > and he compares the new part to > the old, and they are the same And they won't be > and he counts threads, then it will be > in alignment after the repair. The alignment will be close, but the manufacturing tolerances for a threaded, forged tierod can't reasonably be so precise as to start the thread at the exact same measurement on each unit. It's a completely unnecessary step, and one few would pay (significantly) extra for. Maybe the US government, but probably noone else. The real world differences in tierods can add up to a toe spec that will featheredge tires, using the thread counting method. > How much does an alignment cost these days? About $60 to $110. A tape measure works wonders for fine tuning the toe close enough to get to the alignment shop. Done with the vehicle sitting flat and level, a tape measure can get you really close. Toyota MDT in MO The only difficult job of removing tie rod ends in that era auto can be separating the joint from the wheel assembly. I assume it is like similar GM products I have worked on. Loosen the nut, but dont remove it. You can tap on the nut and even heat a little if you need to in order to loosen the taper fit. I put a mark on the tie rod and measure to a reproducible point on the end. Then, when I put the new end on, I screw it in to the same index mark (or as close as I can come). You would be wise to have the alignment checked, at least. |
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