Preparing Tie rods & Ends

[Morton]

Yo doods/homies/friends/companions/lovers.

What's up.

I have:

2x new Tie Rods
2x new Tie Rod Ends

The Tie Rods appear to be lubed up with a thick, dark grease. They are quite stiff to pivot on the ball, even after moving around a few times - as compared to the old tie rods, which move easily and freely.

Is this normal? Or do I need to clean out the new thick grease, and replace it with a thinner grease?

Cheers in advance

Mortus.

[Emackulation]

Your old ones move freely probably because of the age, Im sure the new ones will work free over time.

[davway]

your old ones move freely because they are stuffed - thats why your replacing them.
everything you have just bought is fine to install as is.

[Morton]

Cheers guys Thought that may be the case.

One more question:

My new tie rod ends are NOT the type with a split-pin and castelled nut. There is no hole in the tie rod end thread to provide for a split pin, and it was supplied with a nut which contains some of that blue nylon lock-into-place stuff.

I'm presuming this is a perfectly safe alternative to the castelled nut and cotter?

[Hillerus]

Cheers guys Thought that may be the case.

One more question:

My new tie rod ends are NOT the type with a split-pin and castelled nut. There is no hole in the tie rod end thread to provide for a split pin, and it was supplied with a nut which contains some of that blue nylon lock-into-place stuff.

I'm presuming this is a perfectly safe alternative to the castelled nut and cotter?

Yeah mate, it's just a Nyloc nut. That will be fine.Most of the time with Nyloc nuts too, if the nylon is blue, its Metric thread, if its white, its Imperial.

Maybe throw a bit of Ant-seize on all the threads of everything too, it will make it easier if you need to disassemble it down the track.

[Morton]

Ahhh thankyou Hillerus Champion.

I was trying to track down some anti-sieze yesterday, but nobody has ANY in stock, except Autobarn who have a massive tube for $30.

Do not want.

[Pub247]

yeah nyloc nuts are meant to be like that they dont come loose and require you to use a rachet or spanner all way the off. You'll find pre vl's use castelled nuts on tie rods and ball joint vn on wards use nylex nuts (true for aftermarket parts anyway)

[Morton]

Nylex it is, then I can get used to that.

[greenfoam]

Factory tie rods on VN and VP are castle nuts. I might has a look on the VS and see how far into the future they went since that still has the original ones on it too

[azkwazere]

now, for the hard part.

I did mine the other day, my question to you is... can you find a place that sells new "lock washers"? i couldnt, so i "fixed" my own.

The nyloc nuts are total win! they wont come loose... just as good as the castella nuts they use in the old school cars

its not a hard job and fixes that annoying clunk you get when full lock!

aZk.

[Morton]

now, for the hard part.

I did mine the other day, my question to you is... can you find a place that sells new "lock washers"? i couldnt, so i "fixed" my own.

The nyloc nuts are total win! they wont come loose... just as good as the castella nuts they use in the old school cars

its not a hard job and fixes that annoying clunk you get when full lock!

aZk.

Ahhhh yes, I just did my lock washer hunt yesterday. I went down to a good steering specialist, and he gave me a couple for free Really good bloke. Old, and knows his stuff well. I tried to pay him for them, and he just told me to come back when I have a real problem

So if I were you, I'd hit up my local steering and suspension shop next time

[5lt caprice]

morton pretty sure nyloc nuts are a use once only item, so everytime you take it off replace that nut or the nylon will wear out and well fall off.

[Morton]

Yeah that makes sense, kinda figured. It's sort of like a really soft version of a torque-to-yield bolt.

[Hillerus]

morton pretty sure nyloc nuts are a use once only item, so everytime you take it off replace that nut or the nylon will wear out and well fall off.

That's true, but I've re-used them heaps and never had a problem. When it gets to the point that you can screw a Nyloc on by hand, that's when they are worn to the point of replacement.

[Dayvo]

Ahhh thankyou Hillerus Champion.

I was trying to track down some anti-sieze yesterday, but nobody has ANY in stock, except Autobarn who have a massive tube for $30.

Do not want.

Supercheap sells it in little packets for about 3 bucks

[vxcalais_01]

VX have the split pin as well...