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Is it worth Replacing Inner Tie Rods? How Bad do the Have to be?

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16K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  X6driver  
#1 ·
I have just a very slight amount of play in my inner tie rods. They're original and have 345,000 km on them. It's enough that if you grab the tie rod, you can make it "click" very quietly by pushing and pulling on it (with the outer tie rod disconnected from the knuckle). But the amount of play is very small, like the thickness of a sheet of paper.

Now, are these starting to wear out and with the play in them, will be in pretty bad in a few more miles? Or, are they not that bad and probably wont get much worse for a while? If they're decent enough, maybe I'll just run them, but if they're in the last stages of life, it's worth changing them before I get an alignment anyway. It's a PITA so I'm looking for a reason to leave them alone.
 
#2 ·
If you have any play, you should replace them, as much for getting better steering as any safety reason. They are unlikely to suddenly fail, but why take the risk? Any decent alignment shop would probably not do one for you until they are replaced, as a proper alignment couldn't be done.
 
#3 ·
True , they couldn't get the tow set right and may charge you for the attempt.
 
#4 ·
Yeah I throw mine out at the first sign of play.

A small amount of play at the tie rod translates to alot more at the edge of the wheel.

I have also found that running wide tyres with good grip results in increased wear of the tie rods.....but there is not much you can do about it.
 
#5 ·
I went to get an alignment today and they told me that I would have to replace my inner tie rod. I went to autozone and bought a new one for $25 and a new jack for $20. They were going to charge me 78 for the tie rod alone and 75 to put it in. But the moral of the story is, to get an allignment, replace your tie rod end
 
#6 ·
I went to get an alignment today and they told me that I would have to replace my inner tie rod. I went to autozone and bought a new one for $25 and a new jack for $20. They were going to charge me 78 for the tie rod alone and 75 to put it in. But the moral of the story is, to get an allignment, replace your tie rod end
Well the moral doesn't go with story.
Should we replace functioning tie rod ends to get an alignment?
The moral should be don't pay someone who doesn't car about you or your car 153$ to do what you can for 25$.
Or make sure everything is in good shape before going for an alignment.
Or always use a jack stand, if the jack cost 20$ use 2.
 
#7 ·
I just can't get the inner tie rods off my re-manned rack. They must have used red Lock-Tite. New ones from my local parts store are $75 each, and the only way to get them cheaper is to drive down to the US and pick up an order from RockAuto, which would be around $90 including shipping just for the parts, plus my time and about 2+ hrs of driving. So, I'm going to put the re-manned rack in. The original rack is fine, but it's easier and cheaper since I already have the rack and don't have to buy anything.
 
#9 ·
I'd be ordering parts from Canadian Tire - which is the default go to parts store in the great white north. Normally, you can do alright there if you know what you're doing and since they're nation wide, you get warranty everywhere etc. Their "Nascar Advantage" brand is really Moog in a different box.

For whatever reason, parts are expensive up here, despite our dollar being close to (or at times above) the greenback. Napa would be more $. I can get "el cheapo" tie rods made in China for $30 each. Now they may be off the same boat that the ones that Advance is selling - who knows since everything is re-boxed these days.

For all I know the re-manned rack I'm putting in has Chinese tie rods. But they look and feel to be pretty good quality. The rack overall looks like it was a high quality re-man job.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Toledo just razzing you.

X6 Have you checked autopartsway.ca they have two brands on sale 22.13$cnd and 21.91$cnd, no duty and over 75$ free shipping, they ship very quickly.

http://www.autopartsway.ca/PartList.cfm?Mazda/1991/MX-6/LX/2.2L_L4/allB/Steering/Steering,_Gear,_Pump_and_Related_Components/Steering_Tie_Rod_End/pagenum1/tabS

I wouldn't order to many parts from Canadian Tire, Maybe alternators and starters (for the warranty and ease of replacement), bought one alternator in 2003 or 2004 and on a conservative guess I would say it resulted in at least 20 alternators for me, all my F2's have new alternators, three years ago I went to replace it and they where out of stock, they filled out an order form, when I went in to make the trade the cashier though I paid for the new one and was returning the old one for a full refund, could have got 8 years of unlimited F2 alternators and my original $ back, but would have had no receipt to continue the exchanging ... so I had her ring it through.
Spark plugs for example, Canadian tire does not require the same quality as Mazda on NGK plugs. BBW (part store) in Aylmer gets spark plugs that seem to come from NGK's reject bin, the porcelain on one shattered an I was spinning the ratchet with my index, the plug was 1/2 way in, I pulled the ratchet off and unscrewed the plug using the extension with my fingers. Many of their plugs have cracked while tightening.
 
#11 ·
I'm surprised to hear this about NGK. The warranty at CT is good but I've strayed away from them in the last few years. Lordo Parts on the west coast was a great place to get stuff and while I was there I got an amazing discount as I was part of the military auto club.

In Ottawa, No Limit Auto Parts is a very good place to shop. The guy is very helpful and friendly and his prices are very competitive, he finds stuff quickly.

Autopartsway.ca is amazing. I wish I'd ordered from them rather than Rock Auto.
 
#12 ·
How is it possible that you guys have no decent parts places around?

I could name 2 businesses with multiple locations in my home city where I can get OEM qualtiy parts.
And then another 6 or so that I can get anything else such as NGK plugs, bosch leads, ryco filters, etc.
And if all else fails then there's a ford dealer 5 mintues from my house.

It really shouldn't be so hard.

X6driver if you really want to use your new tie rods with your old rack then your need an impact gun and the inner tie rod tool that you already have access to, job done.
 
#13 ·
MX-Masta, you where the only one to post in his other thread.
"I can't get the tie rods off the re-manned rack. I am using an impact gun with the inner tie rod tool and they wont budge."

It would then be wrench and hammer time.
 
#14 ·
I put the inner tie rod tool on them and ran an impact gun on them for about 15 minutes. They didn't move at all. I tried heating them with a torch as hot as I dared - without cooking the internals of the tie rod itself - and no luck. I clamped the rack down and put all 220 lbs of my weight on a wrench with an extension - didn't move and if I pushed any harder I think I'd be damaging the internals of the rack.

There are several good parts stores around - including several Ford dealers. Many parts are no longer listed by either Ford or Mazda anymore. The parts at the aftermarket stores are just more expensive than many of the parts that people find at Advance or similar stores in the US. No idea why. Even when our dollar was above the US dollar for quite some time, everything from electronics to books to clothing was still more expensive in Canada.

Anyway, new rack is going in. Even with the very good deals at Autopartsway.ca it'll be $86 for 2 tie rods and new boots. I can put the re-manned rack in for the cost of some power steering fluid and a few hours of my time.
 
#15 ·
Careful with that man... if i remember correctly, your spare rack was off a different trim 1G. The mounting is not the same between GT and LX. Mainly bushings.
 
#17 ·
X6Driver, you forgot to mention services, internet, cable, cell phone are far more here then in the US, I pay 50+$ X2 (Two locations) for a 7.5m internet connection with 50G per month transfer.

If you need Mazda parts, call Argus Mazda, (I am trusting you here, but someone so anal about an N/A tune ...) tell them it's for Danny, you'll get my discount and won't have to make a deposit before they order the part (But if you don't pick it up I get hassled), the only time you will hear it's discontinued is after they actually look up the part, find the part #, check all the warehouses and none are available.