2000 Impala Help... Tie Rod Ends:

Hmmmm...

Yes, the tie rod ends have a jam nut on them if they are the type that spin to set the toe in or just to install I guess, but.....

The jam nut is just a lock nut that has to be loosened to do a front end alignment.

If the tie rod end has to be out of the steering knuckle to turn on the shaft so the toe in is set some other way, rather than like my Jeep, where the shaft spins to set the toe in, then the process of removing them from the steering knuckle will destroy them in my opinion. Very few will survive the removal process, so it is best to just put new ones in.

On the last rack cars I had though, the tie rods had jam nuts on both ends, so you loosened the jam nuts, put a pipe wrench on the tie rod and could set each wheel's toe in or just unscrew the tie rod.

Others will likely know your car better than me though.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

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"Trainfan1" wrote

It's very common on these vehicles for the outer tie rod nut that holds the tie rod into the steering knuckle to jam on the threads. Meanwhile the tie rod itself pops out of the knuckle (aluminum knuckle) and it's almost impossible to hold the shaft of the tie rod to keep it from turning while you attempt to remove the nut. The end of the tie rod shaft does have a six point head on it, but it's almost useless for holding the shaft with a seized nut.

Note that I'm talking about the nut that secures the tie rod to the steering knuckle, not the nut that locks the tie rod to the steering rack inner tie rod shaft.

In any case, I've had a few that I've basically had to cut off with a torch so I can understand why they will need to do this. Just another of GM's shitty designs that cause trouble for both the tech and the customer.

Ian

Ahhh, that must be the new and improved version. It amazes me how they can take something that they have already nearly perfected and then find a way to screw it up. Bob

Just wondering if you could use a puller from the top to hold the tie rod end in its seat till you get the nut off ? I have never heard of an aluminum sterring knuckle. And just how would you cut the nut off ? Not with a torch, Thats for sure

The nut is steel, it will cut just fine with a torch.

If you're worried about the aluminum knuckle, don't, it will dissipate heat from the torch long before it would ever get hot enough to melt.

"Akacguy6161" wrote

That's not a bad idea, you would just have to find the right puller.

Aluminum pops up in the darnedest places on cars and trucks these days. And yeah....I nip the tie rod shaft and/or nut off with the torch.

Ian