Inner tie rod problem.

[Swims350]

wife's 2k monte carlo cost me like $80 for a four wheel.

gotta get one done on my k1500 once I rebuild my front end.

 

[borahshadow]

So I got a replacement inner tie rod a few days ago. Today I got some time to replace it. I got it replaced as accurately as possible. (I counted the number of turns it took to unthread the old one). I had the same problem with the cotter pin though. I threw some washers on there and headed down to my alignment appointment. They took a look at it and told me that it was unalignable because the center link and one of the pitman arms were bad. Fantastic! Looks like I've got more warranty parts to replace.

 

[Swims350]

one of the pitman arms? I only knew vehicles to have only one, the other is an idler arm.

 

[DRAGGIN95]

Yeah, and also I haven't seen a fullsize with the joint's in the centerlink like an s-10 does, so I don't see how your center link could be bad.

 

[Swims350]

maybe it's ate away or something, thus needing the washers to make up the thickness he needs to line the nut and hole up for the cotter pin?

 

[borahshadow]

one of the pitman arms? I only knew vehicles to have only one, the other is an idler arm.

Yeah that's right. The other one is an Idler arm. It's the Pitman arm that connects to the steering gear/power steering box that has play.

Yeah, and also I haven't seen a fullsize with the joint's in the centerlink like an s-10 does, so I don't see how your center link could be bad.

maybe it's ate away or something, thus needing the washers to make up the thickness he needs to line the nut and hole up for the cotter pin?

I just know that I put a brand new inner tie rod in and tightened it down. I needed washers to get the castle nut to align up properly but by the time I drove it to the alignment shop it was already sloppy again. My and my dad are guessing that the hole in the center-link is bored out too much. That would allow the tie rod to push too far through the hole and also prevent a good tight coupling of the two linkages.

 

[DRAGGIN95]

That's intersting I've never seen one go bad unless it was in a wreck of course and got bent.

 

[borahshadow]

That's intersting I've never seen one go bad unless it was in a wreck of course and got bent.

Yeah I don't know. That's originally why I replaced everything a year ago is I mangled up all the steering parts in a wreck.

We decided that we were sick of messing around under there and we found a reputable shop that would replace the parts and do the alignment for about $150 so we went ahead and had them do it.

Unfortunately he just called me and said that the idler arm mounting bracket was cross threaded?!? I don't know how that happened because I thought me and my dad put everything on finger tight before we put the wrench on it. *sigh* Got my buddy at the parts store to send the highest quality one they've got down to the shop with the next delivery boy. Those brackets aren't cheap either.

I'm starting to wish I would have used all MOOG parts bought online or something. I try to give my buddy who owns the parts store all the business I can and I think he normally cuts me a break but it looks like MOOG stuff from RockAuto would have come out about the same. Some of the stuff is cheaper and some more money. Oh well.

 

[DRAGGIN95]

Moog part's are the only suspension part's I use, I have seen way to many failures of other brands.

 

[borahshadow]

Moog part's are the only suspension part's I use, I have seen way to many failures of other brands.

If (probably when) I have to replace any of these parts later I will be using Moog or Possibly Raybestos (Heard good things about them) For now though I'm just going to hope this stuff lasts as long as possible. I'll be keeping an eye on it.