zxtuner98
04-17-2008, 10:56 AM
Things needed
--------------------
- Socket set
- cresent wrench
- jackstand/s
- Paper and pencil
- Tape measure
Process
---------------------
- Start your car, full lock the wheel to either side(depending on which one you are working on. You can gain more access room this way)
- Break out the 21mm socket and get the lug nuts loose
- Grab the jack, and jack up the side of the car your working on
- Grab your jackstand and put it in place
- Loosen the lugs the rest of the way and take off the wheel. ( personally, i put the wheel i took off underneath the car as another safety point if the car fell off the jack, you can do it or not. You can always replace a wheel...) NEVER WORK UNDER ONE JACK. When doing a tie rod end, your not underneath the car.
- Locate the tie rod end, There is a cotter pin through the tie rod bolt, take it out and throw it away. I've never reused mine, new one's come with them.
- Break out a pen and piece of paper. Measure the distance from the center of the tie rod to the end of the locknut on the tie rod. Write it down.
- There is a threaded rod(tie rod) the tie rod end screws onto to, grab your cresent wrench and loosen the lock nut holding it in place.
- Grab a socket(size needed, PM or add in size) and put it on the castle nut holding the tie rod end in place. Go ahead and break that loose and take it off.
- Lift the tie rod end out of the hole it sits in. ( sometimes smacking the knuckle arm helps it pop out)
- Grab a piece of paper and a pen again. Start unscrewing the tie rod end, SLOWLY. Count how many full turns it takes for it to come off. Write it down. ( this allows you to keep the alignment as TRUE as you can until you get it aligned) This is all granted if your car was in alignment to begin with...
- Take your new tie rod end and start screwing it on. Make as many full turns as it took to take off. Remember, you wrote the number down.
- Slide the tie rod stud back into the knuckle arm hole and start threading the castle nut back on. Snug it
- Go ahead of tighten the lock nut as best as you can now.
- Tighten the castle nut until you cant anymore. You may need to smack it a few times to get the hole for the cotterpin lined up through the castle nut. Dont think your overtightening it. Too loose and your asking for trouble. (33 ft lbs) If you wanna get technical.
- Once the nut is tight and the hole is accessible, slide the new cotter pin through the hole all the way. Grab some plier's and bend the cotterpin around underneath.
- Quickly measure the distance from the tie rod's center to the locknut and see if it matches. You can adjust if neccasary. This is really only needed if your going for a longer period without an alignment. Helps save the tires a little bit.
- Put the wheel back on and snug the lugs as well as you can.
- Jack the car up again, remove the jackstand.
- Slowly drop the car back to the ground.
- Tighten the lug's the rest of the way. (90 ft lbs)
- Take the car for a spin, see if everythings kosher.
- Repeat for the other side.
--------------------
- Socket set
- cresent wrench
- jackstand/s
- Paper and pencil
- Tape measure
Process
---------------------
- Start your car, full lock the wheel to either side(depending on which one you are working on. You can gain more access room this way)
- Break out the 21mm socket and get the lug nuts loose
- Grab the jack, and jack up the side of the car your working on
- Grab your jackstand and put it in place
- Loosen the lugs the rest of the way and take off the wheel. ( personally, i put the wheel i took off underneath the car as another safety point if the car fell off the jack, you can do it or not. You can always replace a wheel...) NEVER WORK UNDER ONE JACK. When doing a tie rod end, your not underneath the car.
- Locate the tie rod end, There is a cotter pin through the tie rod bolt, take it out and throw it away. I've never reused mine, new one's come with them.
- Break out a pen and piece of paper. Measure the distance from the center of the tie rod to the end of the locknut on the tie rod. Write it down.
- There is a threaded rod(tie rod) the tie rod end screws onto to, grab your cresent wrench and loosen the lock nut holding it in place.
- Grab a socket(size needed, PM or add in size) and put it on the castle nut holding the tie rod end in place. Go ahead and break that loose and take it off.
- Lift the tie rod end out of the hole it sits in. ( sometimes smacking the knuckle arm helps it pop out)
- Grab a piece of paper and a pen again. Start unscrewing the tie rod end, SLOWLY. Count how many full turns it takes for it to come off. Write it down. ( this allows you to keep the alignment as TRUE as you can until you get it aligned) This is all granted if your car was in alignment to begin with...
- Take your new tie rod end and start screwing it on. Make as many full turns as it took to take off. Remember, you wrote the number down.
- Slide the tie rod stud back into the knuckle arm hole and start threading the castle nut back on. Snug it
- Go ahead of tighten the lock nut as best as you can now.
- Tighten the castle nut until you cant anymore. You may need to smack it a few times to get the hole for the cotterpin lined up through the castle nut. Dont think your overtightening it. Too loose and your asking for trouble. (33 ft lbs) If you wanna get technical.
- Once the nut is tight and the hole is accessible, slide the new cotter pin through the hole all the way. Grab some plier's and bend the cotterpin around underneath.
- Quickly measure the distance from the tie rod's center to the locknut and see if it matches. You can adjust if neccasary. This is really only needed if your going for a longer period without an alignment. Helps save the tires a little bit.
- Put the wheel back on and snug the lugs as well as you can.
- Jack the car up again, remove the jackstand.
- Slowly drop the car back to the ground.
- Tighten the lug's the rest of the way. (90 ft lbs)
- Take the car for a spin, see if everythings kosher.
- Repeat for the other side.