Tie rod ends replacement blues
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,605
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From: USA
Tie rod ends replacement blues
97 F150,2wheel drive,112k miles
Last oil change I was looking at my tie rods.The rubber boots are totally dried out.So,I priced the parts,about $150.00,which includes the 4 tie rod ends and center link.They are TRW parts with grease zerks.Heres the kicker; I know i'm gonna need an alignment after the work, so I called around and explained what I was doing and wanted an alignment price.Most told me they would not guarantee an alignment unless they did the work themselves! WTF!!!!! Anyone else had this problem before? Anyone had a shop replace theres,and how much did it cost?
Last oil change I was looking at my tie rods.The rubber boots are totally dried out.So,I priced the parts,about $150.00,which includes the 4 tie rod ends and center link.They are TRW parts with grease zerks.Heres the kicker; I know i'm gonna need an alignment after the work, so I called around and explained what I was doing and wanted an alignment price.Most told me they would not guarantee an alignment unless they did the work themselves! WTF!!!!! Anyone else had this problem before? Anyone had a shop replace theres,and how much did it cost?
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,376
Likes: 2
Sounds like you are either getting the runaround, or else you are being misunderstood. Use a tape measure to match up your new and old parts, and mark your new parts exactly where the nuts will go so you can get the alignment as close as possible to the current setup.
Then after you're done, drive it straight to a reputable shop and get it aligned. Don't go into a long story about how you changed out half the front end unless they specifically ask, and then just say that you swapped out the tie rods- PERIOD. Tell them that if they aren't qualified to align it, you'd be happy to take your money and your business elsewhere. If they give you lip about 'warranty', then you are in the wrong shop.
Then after you're done, drive it straight to a reputable shop and get it aligned. Don't go into a long story about how you changed out half the front end unless they specifically ask, and then just say that you swapped out the tie rods- PERIOD. Tell them that if they aren't qualified to align it, you'd be happy to take your money and your business elsewhere. If they give you lip about 'warranty', then you are in the wrong shop.
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,509
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From: Georgia on my mind...
Counting the number of turns per tie rod while you're tearing it down will help you get somewhere in the neighborhood.
The warranty bit is bunk, it's not like they're covering the parts, they're responsible for the alignment and the alignment only.
The warranty bit is bunk, it's not like they're covering the parts, they're responsible for the alignment and the alignment only.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 257
Likes: 0
From: Moncton, NB Canada
I changed out bothmy tie rod ends a few months ago with MOOGs. I mesured from the outer edge of the center link (Not the Tighning nut) out to where an imaginary grease zerk would be on any other tie rod end. Both drivers side and passenger side had exaclty 120mm, I removed the OEM, put on the MOOGs, went for a test drive on the highway and a 75mph, the truck ran as straight as it ever did. I still took it in for an alignment, told them that I changed out the tie rod ends, when I went to pick up my truck, the alignment guy told me that After I drove it a bit, if I was not totally satified, to just bring it back in and they would redo it. 
Dpostman
Dpostman