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Tie-rod end...how far to screw it in when installing?

Discussion in 'VT - VX Holden Commodore (1997 - 2002)' started by freefallin, Apr 12, 2013.

  1. Apr 12, 2013 #1
    freefallin

    freefallin Member

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    I just bought replacement tie rods and tie rod ends. My question is...How far in should i screw the tie rod end? Or how far in should i screw the lock-nut?

    My concern is when im doing toe-in alignment, i don't want to unsrew the tie rod too far out in order to get the proper alignment. (since the tie rod is the only thing adjusted during toe-in alignment).



    Ps. I can't refer to the old lock nut because the machine shop, that i took the old tie rods to, just removed it without marking it.
     
    Last edited: Apr 12, 2013
    freefallin, Apr 12, 2013
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  2. Apr 12, 2013 #2
    st3r3otyp3

    st3r3otyp3 Donating Member

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    Well their ########s for not marking it, how did you drive it home? did they put the new one on for you?
     
    st3r3otyp3, Apr 12, 2013
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  3. Apr 12, 2013 #3
    st3r3otyp3

    st3r3otyp3 Donating Member

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    Only a laser alignment tool and a bit of patience is going to help now, put them on about half way-2/3rds and drive it to a specialist.
     
    st3r3otyp3, Apr 12, 2013
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  4. Apr 12, 2013 #4
    ephect

    ephect Donating Member

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    U'll have to do it by eye,

    Strap ur steering wheel down centered so it cant move, replace ur rods and ends, try to screw them both in equal amounts , so ur wheels look straight. Get a tape measure and then measure the left to right front of tyre, note the distance, then repeat with the left and right rear side of the front tyre. This will give u a good base to how much U need to screw in or screw out the tie rod to adjust it enough to drive down to get an alignment.
     
    ephect, Apr 12, 2013
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  5. Apr 12, 2013 #5
    ephect

    ephect Donating Member

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    U'll have to do it by eye,

    Strap ur steering wheel down centered so it can move, replace ur rods and ends, try to screw them both in equal amounts , so ur wheels look straight. Get a tape measure and then measure the left to right front of tyre, note the distance, then repeat with the left and right rear side of the front tyre. This will give u a good base to how much U need to screw in or screw out the tie rod to adjust it enough to drive down to get an alignment.
     
    ephect, Apr 12, 2013
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  6. Apr 12, 2013 #6
    freefallin

    freefallin Member

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    Yeah...these are the imbeciles i got to deal with here. I didn't find out that they didnt mark it until i drove the car. They installed the new onse but the alignment was so bad that as soon as i moved an inch, i stopped the car to check because i thought i had a flat tire. Basically i drove home doing 15 km/h.
     
    Last edited: Apr 12, 2013
    freefallin, Apr 12, 2013
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  7. Apr 12, 2013 #7
    c2105026

    c2105026 Active Member

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    normally one would put a dab of paint on the final thread they screwed to, i.e. mark old position as guide for new position. This is a rough guide that'll get you home, but would need proper wheel alignment.

    when I need tie rod ends, due to needing a wheel alignment, I just let the shop do it.
     
    c2105026, Apr 12, 2013
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  8. Apr 12, 2013 #8
    Wombles

    Wombles Cars cost too much.

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    Try and line it up with the rears by eye. It will get fairly close that way.
     
    Wombles, Apr 12, 2013
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  9. Apr 12, 2013 #9
    st3r3otyp3

    st3r3otyp3 Donating Member

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    I Know your in UAE, but I would still take it back and say fix the stuff up, but they probably tell you to #### off?
     
    st3r3otyp3, Apr 12, 2013
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  10. Apr 12, 2013 #10
    freefallin

    freefallin Member

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    Ok...I read your post like 5 times and i'm still having difficulty understanding the instructions. Sorry, its the first time i'm doing this, but don't worry i'm very much mechanically inclined.


    So far so good.

    by both, You mean the tie rod and the tie rod end? If so, then what exactly do you mean to tie them in equally....like same turns for each? (i'm thinking not because the threads are shorter on the tie rod). Or do you mean by both the right side and the lest side?

    Totally lost here

    Again would appreciate clarity here.


    I guess the only thing i got was the first sentence :s
     
    freefallin, Apr 12, 2013
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  11. Apr 12, 2013 #11
    ephect

    ephect Donating Member

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    screw on your left tie rod and tie rod end in about half way in on the thread dont lock it in place with the nut. repeat with the right side, slot ur ball joint in its place and put the nut on. now walk to the front of your car and look at both wheels. do they look straight or point in or out. if they dont look straight, turn the tie rod (theres a slot for a spanner) say 3 turns on the left and right sides. go to the front of hte car and check both wheels again. slowly adjusting them until they look straight.

    once you have them straight enough, get a tape measure. what we need to do is fine tune the alignment to get the tyres "square". by this,

    you measure the front edge of the tyre
    |-----------| <-measure this
    []---------[]

    then measure the rear edge of the tyre
    []---------[]
    |-----------| <-measure this

    doing it this way, you can now adjust either the left or right side to give you a matching distance on both the front edge and rear edge
     
    ephect, Apr 12, 2013
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