Actually less than that.

I was just out under the truck in the drizzling rain tonight putting one of my old ones on.

This last summer I had one of the original factory ones which was getting loose. Both of the factory ones had torn boots from inept removal at one point. I kept the old ones in the tool box as "just in case" parts.

Well, I've been hearing an intermitting hard popping that I could feel through the floor when driving and it was getting more frequent and I was getting concerned.

I had three friends bounce the truck hard up and down this evening while I lay under it and listened and I could hear it was from the passengers side front suspension. I was bummed because I thought it was the new lower balljoint I just put on, a heavy duty greaseable one.

But when shaking the wheel I could actually SEE the play in the outer tie rod where it joins the spindle. When I took it off, I can actually bounce the ball around inside the socket and it's loose metal-to-metal in there.

These were crappy "Duralast" parts from Autozone. I'll buy some good ones tomorrow. Lesson learned.

The old one is probably good for quite a few more miles, but I'll get another tomorrow anyway, in fact a pair.

 

Interesting... I have a similar 'pop' that you mentioned.. might be time for me to do tie rods too.. dang..

 

that could be my problem...

How much did a new one cost u?

 

I think they're around $20 a pop or so. Don't remember really. I'm going to get good quality ones this time since I run 35's and all. I shouldn't have gone cheap this last batch -- my bad.

 

I had to replace mine too..

 

Camburg sells the Heimed Tie Rods, I think they're like 400 tho...

 

ya those r way expensive

 

I paid about $24 each at a parts store for greasable Moog tie rod ends. ES3461 is the 4x4 P/N but I would guess that 2WD Edge is the same.

 

hahaha, i still have the orignal ones on my truck, and they are alittle bent...

ran them with the 5/5 drop, and now the 8.5inch lift


i never had a problem with them popping, but then again, i remember that noise, i just thought it was a unproper seated coil...

 

I replaced mine with the autozone cheap-o's when I did my spindle lift. I have probably 15-20k miles on it after that...they are perfect.

The ones before were perfect, I just changed them b/c I ripped the boots when doing the lift.

 

would anyone be interested if i made a kit that replaced the inner and outer tie rods with one solid rod with two heims?

 

Not me as I'm SAS'ing come spring.

 

Picked up a pair of these, NAPA's premium type (very like MOOG I believe -- or hope, lol) -- greaseable.



I'll put them in tonight. They were $23 and change (call it $24) apiece.

NAPA's part number for these is: NCP2693087

 

too bad the inners aren't as easy to replace as the outers. i need some inners bad...

 

I haven't checked mine really...[sigh]...could be more stuff I have to buy just before I remove it all, lol.

Well, on the plus side, I'll have a steering rack (an Explorer one though), and lots of front end parts for sale cheap when I do the swap.

 

for the inners you have to have some type of funky tool to go over the joint then you slide this key in over it. or just pull the whole rack and pinion like we did on Bills and spend 4+ hours messing with it. Never again, i think that was the worse thing i have done on these trucks.

 

I have my old rack to play with. I'll look at it. Maybe I can borrow the tool from someone at work. Thanks for the heads up on that one.

 

Auto zone used to "lend" out all these tools for asmall deposit.

 

Okay put the new tie rod ends in.

The other side I removed was bad also -- just not so extreme. That set of Duralasts I bought were just plain crap. They might be JUST adequate with a stock truck, but not with the 35's and all.

These new greaseable ones are heavier in weight, the body around the ball is thicker, and the shaft is greater in diameter -- overall a much more solid piece. We'll see how they do.

 

that is the one i have to replace

 

So... Napa or Moog you say... I went on a search for my clunk (been chasing it for years)... grab my tie rods and they are more lose than last time.. guess it won't hurt to swap them... Damn you Griggs, making me think about maintanance... haha...

 

It's a great burden, Jason, but I must somehow bear up under the load [sniff]...

 

tried it, its for some other design of tie rod end.

 

Roger that!

 

I am doing all my balljoints, tie rod ends, camber kit, and bearings this next week I cant wait to get it done. Then its off for an alignment!