Hey Guys

 

What involves to replace the inner tie rod on the drivers side?

 

Does it unscrew from the rack? my inner needs attention and possibly the outer end too which is fairly easy to change.. i will also need to change the boot while in there.

 

any ideas?

Hi. Someone had a thread on here not too long ago about replacing inner tie rod end. I think the long inner tie rod end tool is helpful in getting the old tie rod end out.

Does it unscrew from the rack?

 

Essentially yes it does, fairly easy job just gets greasy taking the old stuff apart with blown boots. Hardest part is getting the outer off, and that's not that hard normally

Funny you brought it up as I just picked up a load of parts for my various Subaru's from my favorite dealership, and just so happens I need to do them on my wife's 94 legacy so I have a nice picture of a shiny new one that you can clearly see the inner and outer threads on. New boot in the pic too, along with several other Subaru parts. Yes lots of work on a few different cars ahead of me. Remember to go get an alignment right after you finish the work.

Wow nice pic! So do you need a 'inner tie rod' tool to do this, or will the good 'ol haynes 'use a crowbar and vise grips' method work?

on the subject....i just picked up an inner tie rod tool from harbor freight for like $50 it came with all kinds of adapters and a nice case....i thought it was a pretty good deal!

got a picture of that tool?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96558 .......thats what i bought......some of the adapters are insane sizes...but i had a few extra ones from a tool sale a while back......i could be mistaken but on my 96 legacy it was i think a 21mm for the inner tie rod.

Ah quick good catch evothis! Lisle and others make similar tools, which I wasjust looking up...

 

hotlink

I also bought that tool , it is a great buy for the money. Make sure you order the new lock washers for the tie rods before you start this job. The inner tie rods I ordered from Subaru did not come with new washers, maybe some of the after market ones do.

I did not use lock tite on mine but I was informed by the manager of Midas after I done the job that I should have he said they do want to work loose at times.

on the subject....i just picked up an inner tie rod tool from harbor freight for like $50 it came with all kinds of adapters and a nice case....i thought it was a pretty good deal!

You can not see it in the picture but when you slide that bar onto the inner tie rod their is a 1/2 in. drive hole in the end for your breaker bar. The tool is much larger and better made then the picture makes it appear.

Good info! tcspeer, did the crow foot adapters included with the harbor freight inner tie rod tool fit the soob tie rods?

 

evothis, the additional crow foot adapters you said you had from a tool sale....were those from harbor freight?

 

Just wondering because if it takes 21mm, the harbor freight setup list doesn't include anything even close enough to that size to work properly..... [sAE 1-3/16", 1-1/4",1-5/16",1-7/16" and Metric 14 mm, 17 mm, 33.6 mm]

 

I need to do left inner tie rod on my '96 and '00. This grease that is inside the inner tie rod boot....does new grease come with the new tie rod end?

the new inner tie rod end i bought the joint already came greased.......

 

when i opened the kit from harbor freight i just thought to myself there may be one size that i may use......i think there was like a 17mm in there.....but no i got the extras from a guy i go to school with......i think you can buy the different sizes of crowsfeet from like MAC or SnapOn........

Porcupine, Yes the crow feet that come with the H.F. set does fit. I went out to see what size the inner tie rod needed but I no longer have the old rods. I did not have my inner tie rod tool when I changed mine, I used a big cresent wrench and pipe wrenches, it was such a pain that I did not want to do it that way again so I ordered the tool.

 

I did still have the inner tie rods when the tool arrived and checked out how every thing worked together and yes one of the crow feet fit perfect, also the ball joint socket is already greased.

 

Make sure you order the new lock washes for the tie rods, they are not regular lock washes so you must get them from Dealer, I have heard some of the aftermarket tie rods come with new lock washes, the ones I ordered from Subaru did not. Also use lock tite on the inner tie rods, I was given this advice from Midas after I got mine back together.

Dr. Krazy, if you still have that new inner tie rod would you be kind enough to see what size crows foot is needed for the inner end.

Porcupine, I found my old inner tie rod, the 1 1/4 crow foot from the H.F. set is a perfect fit for mine which is a 1997 Subaru Legacy wagon.