Replacing tie rod ends

[Raptor22]

I'll ask my neighbor across the street if him or one of his frat buddies has a tape measure. They're all cowboys with big trucks... ONE of 'em must have one.

So will you need help tomorrow? I can drop by after 11 if you do?

 

[Skandocious]

So will you need help tomorrow? I can drop by after 11 if you do?

Nah I think I'll be good. Don't have too much to do. Thanks anyways buddy

 

[Mr. Stroker]

They're all cowboys with big trucks... ONE of 'em must have one.

Im glad u think us rednecks always have a tape on us... errr wait we do! lol Good luck with everything tomorrow.

Im sure you know this but il throw it out there anyways. When you complain about your tires being bowed outwards after doing the tie rods, at any point did you have your front end jacked up in the air?

My truck does that to, just back it up or drive forward and it will be back to normal, sagging the opposite way (inwards) lol

 

[Skandocious]

Im sure you know this but il throw it out there anyways. When you complain about your tires being bowed outwards after doing the tie rods, at any point did you have your front end jacked up in the air?

My truck does that to, just back it up or drive forward and it will be back to normal, sagging the opposite way (inwards) lol

Yeah I know that happens. But nah never had the truck jacked up. I'm pretty sure it's doing that because the left tire is trying to drive towards the right tire, so they bottoms (where it has traction against the ground) is getting close together. Should correct itself after I fix the alignment tomorrow morning

 

[Skandocious]

On a lighter note! When I was moving the truck back into the car port and I played with the steering a bit, it felt a lot tighter! No more slop between 10 and 2 o'clock (or so it seemed). I'll know for sure tomorrow when I get to drive it.

 

[Fellro]

The shop is what, 2 miles? Don't sweat it, it won't scuff the tires enough in that short a trip to make any kind of difference. They will be fine for aligning it especially since the parts are all new. Hardly will take any extra time, actually less since they won't have to fight with rusty parts. Realistically, there is no difference between adjusting it a little or a lot once they get under there.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

I don't know if someone has already answered your question, but it's not safe to assume the thread count is the same. Mine were very different.

Ryan

 

[Mr. Stroker]

Chris, and someone correct me if im wrong..

I think the tie rod ends being off wouldnt throw the toe end off. For example looking at the truck from the front, the center of the tires would be either pointed towards or away from eachother.

What your seeing is the camber of the tires being off due to the lifting. Where the top of the tires (again looking from the front) is pointed towards away or towards eachother. /-\

Im not sure if ive heard of tie rod ends throwing this off, im sure its possible. But after i lift my truck up in the air, set it back down the tires do this \-/ and when i drive it it goes back to /-\

Alignment will get r done. Glad to hear your steering is tighter!

 

[Skandocious]

Getting an accurate measurement from tire to tire and matching it from front to rear proved harder than I thought... Once the truck is jacked up, the TTB rotates the tires out so it's tough to get a consistent measurement. So I got as close as possible and dropped her back down and it was still a bit out of whack on the passenger side. Jacked it back up and did 1 turn on the passenger sleeve and it was good enough to drive.

Now the funny part... Drove it to Big-O Tires and the guy that old me on the phone yesterday "No appointments. Just drop it by tomorrow and we'll do it."-- told me that they were totally booked all day Then he said he might be able to fit me in if I leave it there all day. As I pondered this, he looked at my truck and said "Y'know I don't know if we can fit that on our rack..." **goes outside and asks other guys... guys shake heads**

Comes back in "Nah that thing wont fit, the tires will hang off the back. You need to find someone with a "pit". Apparently a pit, by his definition, is an alignment machine that goes into the ground, as opposed to lifting the truck in the air.

So the guy says "Take it down to Bernards Tire. That's where I always take my truck to get aligned." So I had never heard of this place, turns out it's kind of hidden downtown. So I take it over there and the guys are real nice. Told 'em about the recommendation from the Big-O guy and they had a good laugh. Older black guy that worked there, and I quote "Hahahaah ahhh thats f****d up man"

Told 'em that big-o couldn't fit it on their rack. Guy looks at my truck with a funny look on his face and I say "yeah I didn't think it was THAT big either!" Lol.

So it's down there getting aligned. I'm sittin at starbucks on the ol' laptop using their wifi And the price at bernards ended up being 15 or 20 bucks cheaper than Big-O too!

 

[O'Rattlecan]

HAHA. STARBUCKS!!!

That's the funniest part out of the whole thing!

Ryan

 

[Skandocious]

HAHA. STARBUCKS!!!

That's the funniest part out of the whole thing!

Ryan

For your information! I'm not even drinking coffee. Just came to use the wifi

 

[radialarm]

Sorry I missed your IM today Chris. One of those skull buster migraines.

Looks like it's all behind you.

 

[Brian_B]

Well...at least it is getting aligned.

The tire and alignment place we have dealt with since I was a teenager has had some pretty big 4X4s on his "rack". He might not be able to do a few of them around here, but I would imagine it is pretty rare.

Now we know why starbucks is in such financial trouble the last couple of months. All of you going in there to use the wifi and not ordering anything.

And no...I have never been in one.

 

[Lost]

Most shops around here do all types of rides . So they have larger lifts . Your truck is about same length as mine . Sounds like they dont want ur bussness.

 

[Skandocious]

Most shops around here do all types of rides . So they have larger lifts . Your truck is about same length as mine . Sounds like they dont want ur bussness.

Yeah I can't say I blame em... Their shop is pretty small and it woulda been hard to get my truck into the stall without cutting a corner too short and damaging my truck.

Bernards worked out much better anyway

Truck is home now and it tracks straight as can be. Also got them to shoot some grease into the zerks on the tie rod ends for free

Slop in the steering is definitely reduced and I didn't hear the POP on the way home, but I also don't hear it every time I drive it so only time will tell if I hear it again

 

[radialarm]

Now we know why starbucks is in such financial trouble the last couple of months. All of you going in there to use the wifi and not ordering anything.

I'm to blame too.
My cousin likes to go there and sit outside, I would see him there and sit and talk with him, but I bring my own coffee. I ain't paying that much for a cup of coffee.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Slop in the steering is definitely reduced and I didn't hear the POP on the way home, but I also don't hear it every time I drive it so only time will tell if I hear it again

I feel like we have a special bond. we both have Moog front ends...

Ryan

 

[Skandocious]

I feel like we have a special bond. we both have Moog front ends...

Ryan

Yeah but my front end is way beefier At least that's what everyone tells me

 

[blacksnapon]

Yeah but my front end is way beefier At least that's what everyone tells me

Thats called a pot belly!

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Look, big knockers are not the mark of a man.

Ryan