Need steering component advice please...

I have a bent steering tie rod and need to replace it. It's called different things, so just to make sure...it's the long straight tube which connects to the drag link just inside the right wheel and the left wheel steering knuckle.

The tie rod ends are good so I'm just replacing the tube, with Moog.

Originally I thought I could leave the tie rod ends attached at their respective end points and just PB for 2 days, remove clamps, and then twist the rod to remove it from one end then the other. Apparently I was wrong b/c the tube didn't budge.

So, to get this thing off I guess I need to remove both cotter pins and crown nuts at the tie rod ends, and then use my pitman arm wedge (looks like a tuning fork) to pound the ends off. I say pound because the only other time I've dealt with replacing a steering component was replacing the tie rod end b/t the pitman arm and drag link, and I had to use the olde sledge awfully hard to get it to pop off. I'm assuming these same type connections will be as difficult to separate.

Also, I'm concerned with getting my tires back straight after getting everything back together. I suppose I measure the distance between my front tires and then try to recreate that distance when installing the new piece.

Any advice at all is appreciated on how to do this. Thanks ahead.

do a go-jeep alignment afterwards... http://jeep-xj.info/HowtoAlignment.htm


a trick for the TRE's (tie rod ends), is to heat the knuckle with a mapp gas torch, avoid heating the TRE. then tap the knuckle with a big hammer, hitting the head of the bolt, or the caslte nut turned on upside down and threaded in a couple threads COMES LATER.... start on the knuckle... its like magic, but taps in opposite directions, from opposite angles does wonders.

BUT.... you should be able to get it off without taking off the tre's....

why wont it turn off? are you sure you went the right way? its usually kinda simple thread wise... dont be afraid of that pipe wrench..

Thanks x. Forgot to mention I'm talking about my '96 XJ.

The problem with a pickle fork is it usually messes up the rubber boots. New boots aren't usually expensive but can be hard to find on occasion.
I usually use a sacrificial nut (something out of my nut bin) screw it on just far enough the threads don't show and use a BFH. I've never had much trouble or had to use a flame.

The top trac bar cone bolt (TRE) was a whole lot harder. I used a smiths hammer,


I use the wedge end of the smiths hammer between *half* of the TRE and the mount, then wack the face of the smiths hammer with a big ball peen hammer (eye protection).

Steering Components Parts Photo
From Tim MN http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1003161

One way to break the TREs loose without heat, pounding or damaging anything is with a two jaw puller. Loosen the castle nuts but do not completely remove them to prevent everything from flying when the joint separates. I just replaced all the TREs and draglink on my '93 (and '85 years ago) with this method and, in fact, the Jeep is still on the jackstands with the driver's side tie rod hanging down while I have fun with the ball joints.

I assume you had some sort of trauma that resulted in the bent tie rod but in any event, the bend is probably preventing you from unscrewing the rod. It would seem that you would only need to break one TRE loose, probably easiest driver's side from the knuckle, to enable you to unscrew the tie rod from the passenger side TRE.

You can count threads and/or measure before removing the tie rod and duplicate the measurements when installing the new rod. This should get you very close to the proper alignment which you can then verify with go-jeep's method.

Thanks everybody. Taking in all the advice.

Although the rod is bent, I think it wouldn't turn before b/c I was using a large vice grip instead of a good pipe wrench. Wrench is on hand now so I'll be taking that approach again soon.

So if I get this right, if I turn what I'm gonna call the steering tube one way BOTH TREs back out and would eventually separate? And then turning the other way results in both tires toeing in? Sounds like the tube ends are threaded in different directions.

One of my boots has a gash so I'll be replacing it. What particular type of TRE boot do I ask for at the store? Or can they look it up based on location and veh type?

From DJ Try this
Tie Rod End Boot
Auto Zone
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/1996-Jeep-Cherokee-4WD/Tie-Rod-Boot/_/N-j59taZ8oy7v
Part Number: 9.13101R
Part Number: 9.13101G
Part Number: 9.13102G
Part Number: 9.13102R