98 OBW 240K.  I am deep into fixing a suspension issue and this is the last problem or so I think.  The root cause of this is tracked on another thread which I will update when complete.  I was connecting the outer tie-rod to the knuckle yet the castle nut will not tighten past 5 pounds. The threaded post on the tie-rod just spins when it gets any tension.  Is my tie-rod end busted?  I am hoping not as taking this off will pave my way to a front end alignment.  A simple problem has turned into being pecked to death by a thousand chickens.  When I list the parts I have replaced your head will spin.

Edited January 27, 201412 yr by msmithmmx

Place a jack under the tie rod to put some of the weight of the car on it to hold the stud still. Once the nut goes on enough, the stud will seat and the nut will torque. 

If i am understanding you correctly, the outer tire rod 'cone' is spinning in its socket, i usually get the biggest pair of channel locks/vice grips/C clamp and pinch the tie rod to the knuckle to put some friction in there to get it tight. others may chime in with better solutions, as im no expert by any means.

 

Edit: i like the jack method better ^.^

Edited January 27, 201412 yr by Razorthirty

Great ideas.  I will try the jack method first.  Thank You

Just enough to hold it tight, but not enough to lift the wheel off the ground. This works in the opposite way that you can remove a tie rod by whacking the knuckle sharply with a hammer. Tension to fit it, shock to loosen it.

Thank You..  It worked like a champ.  Now for some trivia for those that are bored.  What did I use to bridge the gap between the jack and tie rod.  It is from a Subaru. 

 

 

 

Ahh that's where the picture is worth a thousand words. It looks like it worked? The Subaru piece is an axle stub shaft out of the front diff.

Correct on part identification.  I need to bleed the brakes.  I swapped the caliper and although the line was only disconnected  for 3 seconds it was enough to get air in the system. I have been lucky in the past but not this time.

Sounds good! I only recognize the stub shaft because it came out on me when doing an axle once. Maybe the air in the brakes was air in the caliper that was swapped in rather than air getting into the line when disconnected?