[I heart my DC2]

All right guys so I searched here and google and found a few threads on inner/outer tie rod end replacement. The problem is that these were threads asking for a DIY. There was some positive information on them that did help me get through my installation so they weren't useless, just not exactly a how to.

So I did my passenger side first to get an idea for the "how to" and that took quite awhile (every time you do something first it takes a while usually).

Here are the tools I used.
Jack (Going to have to get the car off the ground...)

Jack Stands (Keep it safe yal')

Tire Chocks (The rear, front is off the ground...No Pic)
Socket Wrench (For wrenching and such)

3/4 socket (Removing lug nuts)

17 socket (Castle nut on outer ball joint)

36 Socket (Optional, my boots were smaller than OEM so I had to stretch them)

Pliers (Helps pull the cotter pin out)

Hammer (I have never needed a "ball joint separator" to remove a ball joint/tie rod I just use a hammer)

Crescent Wrench (This has to be rather large to fit around the Inner Tie Rod End)

Zip Ties (Usually supplied with the boots, sometimes they are clamps)

Wire Cutters/Dikes (Simply cutting excess zip tie)

Grease Gun (If your Outer Tie Rods have grease fittings)

Flat head screwdriver (ESSENTIAL for removing inner clamp on boot)

Torque Wrench (To take off lug nuts *make sure properly set for lug nuts 80ft/lbs)

1/2-3/8 Adapter (For the Torque wrench to take off lug nuts)

Metal Scissors(Cutting clamps)


If you shop at O'Reilly these are the parts you will need (Don't attack me for getting cheapy master pro, it's lifetime warranty and I compared with Moog not much of a difference)
Part #'s
(2) EV299 (Inner Tie Rod End)
(2) K9863 (Boot)
(1) ES3331R (Right Outer Tie Rod End)
(1) ES3332R (Left Outer Tie Rod End)

I hope I didn't miss anything. If I did please let me know and ill correct it.


All right so here's the actual HOW TO!.
1. Chock the rear tires with the tie chocks.
2. E-brake fully up.
3. Loosen your lug nuts before raising the car.
4. Jack up the car.
5. Put the jack stands under the car.
6. Remove the rims.
7. Remove the cotter pin on the outter tie rod end.

8. Remove the castle nut using the socket wrench and the 17 socket
9. Use the hammer to knock the ball joint out.

10. BAM ball joint/ tie rod end OUT!

11. All right now that you have the outer tie rod end out, we are going to need to cut the existing boot apart a bit to reveal the rest of the inner tie rod end.
12. After removing enough "boot" to see this

when you have this visibility your are good to go for the next part.
13. Now grab that beast Crescent Wrench and size it up to your inner tie rod end, I used my new one to measure what I needed it to be at.
13.5 little side note I did some reading and from what I am told if your inner tie rod fails to hold itself up, it is probably best to replace it (I was replacing everything but noticed mine did sag, i had the outer attached that might have assisted to the sagging but whatever.

14. Get to wrenching, it is counter clockwise to remove, nothing special.

15. Okay after removing the Inner tie rod end you should have this out

and this is what you are left with, a cut up boot and what you unscrewed the tie rod from (don't know the name).

16. Ok now the you have the tie rod end out you have to remove the boot, for me the outer clamp had ripped off from the boot already so I didn't need to remove it

17. The inner clamp is the, for lack of better words... *****! This was a PAIN the first time around second time around it was pretty easy. So what I did to get it out was stick a flat had screw driver under it like so.

18. Now turn the flat head side ways so you make a bit of a gap (this might take a bit of time moving the flat head up and down to bend the clamp a bit.
19. After you have the flat head sideways, use the metal scissors to cut the clamp off. THE WORST IS NOW OVER!

 

[I heart my DC2]

20. The next step is to get your new inner tie rod end, place the boot over it, and screw in the inner tie rod end. (Mine had some grease already, but i used grease the came with my boot and put it on the joint where the inner tie rod moves and also on the part where you screw your tie rod into)

** Make sure not to forget to put this new part in** This is a pic of my old one, but just so you know what i am talking about.

20.5. Now you want to get the boot properly seated, after you have it properly seated put a zip tie around it and tighten it down.
21. After you have tightened the inner tie rod end you want to measure how many threads your old inner/outer tie rod had showing so you can align your new ones as close to that as possible ** You will still need an alignment **
Picture of the threads you need to match.
** DON"T use this as your measurement use YOUR old inner/outer tie rod end **

21.5. Now you can put in the outer zip tie on.
22. After getting your new inner/outer tie rods as close to the old ones as possible you need to put the ball joint back in its place.
23. Tighten the castle nut and put in the new cotter pin that came with your new outer tie rod end. (I used my old Castle nut, but NEW cotter pin)
24. Do the other side exactly the same, keep in mind match your threads for the appropriate sides.
25. Rims back on.
26. Tighten lug nuts, book says 80ft/lbs.
27. Lower the car.
28. GO GET AN ALIGNMENT!!!

Here's a picture of how I stretched my boot a little bit to fit.

Even after this it was still very difficult to get them over the border.
Here's my old inner/outer tie rods, as you can see the boots are ripped on the ball joints and the remains of the inner boot.

Almost forgot to add this video it was really helpful to me. (I will take it down upon owners request)

All right that's it, if there are any mistakes let me know and ill fix them.

 

[johnnymass]

Good info right there.

I would also mention that for people that only need to change the outer tie rod, you can easily separate by loosening up the jam nut, and unscrewing the outer tie rod.
When you do that, count the amount of rotations and when you install the new one, turn it that many times. Its a rough way to get you back into relative alignment.

That can also apply to doing both inner and outer tie rods.

 

[I heart my DC2]

Good info right there.

I would also mention that for people that only need to change the outer tie rod, you can easily separate by loosening up the jam nut, and unscrewing the outer tie rod.
When you do that, count the amount of rotations and when you install the new one, turn it that many times. Its a rough way to get you back into relative alignment.

That can also apply to doing both inner and outer tie rods.

Yeah I searched bunch of places trying to figure out how to do it and it took a lot of research to get everything together and even then you can't always be 100% prepared so i thought i would make a contribution to the community, and you are right about the jam nut. To me it just seems silly to get in there and not do all 3 though: Inner Tie Rod End, Outer Tie Rod End, and the Boot.

 

[MeltMan]

Very nice!

I've never done the inner ones, only the outboard.

 

[CGP]

1990 Integra - Separating outer tie rod end from steering knuckle

Thanks for the detailed explanation of how to replace inner and outer tie rod ends. I had to replace the outer tie rod end boots on my 1990 Integra. Separating the outer tie rod end from the steering knuckle was certainly not as easy as hammering up on the tie rod end's threaded rod, as suggested here. I even used a sledge hammer. Maybe the tie rod end had never ever been removed from the steering knuckle. I took the advice of several people on the internet to hit the knuckle horizontally where the outer tie rod end goes through it. I hit the knuckle with the sledge hammer as hard as I could (with only about a 6" stroke). Did nothing. Finally I found the solution: borrow Autozone ball joint separator, part number 27308. It fits on the outer tie rod end and does not damage the tie rod end boot. Using that tool, I removed the outer tie rod end from the knuckle with no problem.

The Acura service manual for my Integra specifies the use of Acura special tool number 07MAC-SL00200, "ball joint remover, 28mm". So, if your Integra's service manual specifies the same special tool, the Autozone tool will probably work for you. If you cannot get that tool, get one with prongs 22 mm apart at the end and 18 mm apart at the inside.

You will need a 15/16" or a 1" socket to tighten the ball joint separator.

Autozone really saved the day for me. And for no cost: I just gave them a deposit and then got it back when I returned the tool. Thank you very much Autozone!

 

[k3ntegra]

The manual that came with my Moog, states to hold the rack & pinion with a 2nd wrench to prevent potential damage to the "gears".


The images of this post (link) suggests using two wrenches as well.
@CGP , that tool works wonderfully.


Update: When I first removed the tie rod, it was "easy" to loosen. When I put the new one in, it refused to "tighten", and kept turning, even after holding the rack with a 7/8" wrench. There was a 1 to 2mm gap between the tab piece and the rack.



I later decided to the hit the inner tie rod, with a hammer and impact extension socket, on 4 different position. I took out the inner tie rod. I noticed the tab piece was stuck to the rack, which was a good thing. I then coated the inner tie rod bolt thread with threadlocker, and inserted it to the rack. The inner tie rod was able to be tightened to the rack, i.e. no longer continuous spinning, and there was no gap between the tab piece and rack.


I think the previous installer of the inner rod probably cross-threaded the thread in the rack, by using the special "inner tie rod" tool and an impact wrench.


By the way, I was able to use 12" adjustable wrench to tighten and loosen the tie rod, just like the OP. You just need to be a bit creative and change the position of the wrench each time you turn it.