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How To Replace A Tie Rod End

If your steering feels loose or you hear squeaks when you turn the wheel, it may mean it's time to replace your tie rod ends. The job is something you can do yourself with a few tools and the right parts. We'll show you how in this article.

Important Notes

Wheel alignment
  1. You'll want to replace both the inner and outer tie rod ends for both front wheels at the same time. Even if they don't appear to be going bad, chances are you'll have to replace them sooner rather than later.
  2. Changing your tie rod ends will affect your vehicle's front-end alignment. After installing the new parts, take your vehicle to a shop for a wheel alignment. This will ensure your car handles properly and prevent premature wear on your tires.

Parts And Tools You Will Need

Image Credit: CarMaintenanceTips

First, you'll need a set of new tie rod ends from GM Parts Center for your car or truck. Then gather the following tools:

  • Floor jack
  • Jack stands
  • Wheel chocks
  • Penetrating lubricant or WD-40
  • Metric socket set
  • Metric box/crescent wrenches
  • Torque wrench
  • Tie rod puller or tie rod removal tool (You can rent these tools from an auto parts store like Advance Auto Parts or Autozone)
  • Needle nose pliers
  • Flathead screwdriver
  • Thread sealer

Replacing Your Tie Rod Ends

Tie rod ends

These steps cover how to replace both the inner and outer tie rod ends on both sides of your vehicle. To get started, you'll want to park your car or truck on a level surface, preferably on a driveway or in a garage. Then set the parking brake and do the following to lift your front wheels off the ground:

  1. Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
  2. Loosen the front wheel lug nuts.
  3. Lift your vehicle and place the jack stands under the car to support it. If you're not sure where to place the jack stands, check your owner's manual for the correct locations.
  4. Remove the front wheels and place them out of the way.

Outer Tie Rod End Replacement

Start with the outer tie rod. First, spray the locking nut and castle nut with penetrating oil or WD-40 and let it soak for a few minutes. Then perform the following steps:

  1. Loosen the outer tie rod locking nut while holding the inner tie rod steady. Be careful not to apply too much pressure on the inner tie rod. The locking nuts will either have left or right-hand threads, depending on the side of the car you're on.
  2. Mark the original position of the locking nut with tape or a marker. This will give you a reference point on how far to turn it when you install the new tie rod end.
  3. Remove the cotter pin on the castle nut. Then remove the castle nut.
  4. Remove the outer tie rod end from the steering knuckle with a tie rod puller tool. You can also use a pry bar and a wedge, but do not directly hit the tie rod end and bolt.
  5. Unscrew the tie rod end, paying close attention to how many rotations it takes to remove it. You'll need to screw in the new tied rod end the same number of rotations when you install it.

Inner Tie Rod End Replacement

  1. Once you've removed the outer tie rod end, remove the inner tie rod nut.
  2. Remove the dust boot clamps and dust boot from the inner tie rod end. 
  3. Use the inner tie rod removal tool to remove the inner tie rod end. You can use a wrench to remove it, but an inner tie rod end removal tool works better. It has an adapter and extension rod that you can use with your socket wrench.

Tie Rod End Installation

There are a few things to check before installing the new tie rod ends:

  1. Make sure your parts are the same length and size. If the new parts are different from the old ones but are the correct parts, you'll need to adjust your marks so the parts fit correctly.
  2. Check your shop manual for torque specifications for the castle nut and locking nuts. You'll want to use a torque wrench to confirm you've tightened each nut to the correct torque specification.
  3. This is also a good time to check your other suspension and steering components for wear and make sure they are properly greased.

Once you've checked the parts and have the correct torque specifications, install the new tie rod ends by completing the steps in reverse order. To help prevent moisture from seeping in and corroding the tie rod and steering gear, apply thread sealer to the new inner tie rod end where it attaches to the steering rack.

Finally, once the new tie rod ends are installed, and the car is back on the ground, check the operation of your steering. The steering wheel should turn smoothly without any catching or binding. If the steering wheel is crooked or off-center, it's due to the alignment changes that happened when installing the new tie rod ends. For this reason, get a front wheel alignment done at your earliest convenience.

Trust GMPartsCenter.net For Your OEM Parts

Tie rod end assembly

If you've got questions about your tie rod ends, we can help. You can check out our FAQ page, which contains lots of helpful information. You can also contact us if you have questions about your vehicle or ordering and installing parts.

GM Parts Center is a US-based company that sells genuine GM Accessories and parts for your Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer, or Oldsmobile. All of our parts are backed by GM's replacement parts warranty and come with a price match guarantee.