Which takes more punishment the inner or outer tie rod

[Ariel Guerra]

So I need to replace both inner and outer tie rods and was wondering if I could get away with replacing one fo the pair with house brand, and the other with Moog?

I'm thinking the outer ones would take the most punishment, but then again I've been wrong before.

Of course if I wouldn't notice the difference in how it handles with a daily driver, please let me know.

 

[The_Roadie]

Welcome! I see you got the word we all moved.

I break tie rod ends all the time due to trail abuse, but for street driving, I'd recommend any brand but the ones that are so cheap that you KNOW they come from some unknown Chinese Crap factory. Moog is a fine brand. I often install Deeza to save a buck. Outers typically wear before inners.

 

[Ariel Guerra]

Welcome! I see you got the word we all moved.

I break tie rod ends all the time due to trail abuse, but for street driving, I'd recommend any brand but the ones that are so cheap that you KNOW they come from some unknown Chinese Crap factory. Moog is a fine brand. I often install Deeza to save a buck. Outers typically wear before inners.

Yep I got the word and couldn't be happier to come on over to the "dark side"

Ok so then I'll go with Moog for the outers and store brand for the inners.

I know I need the outers cause the guys at Firestone showed me them making the light clunk.

Honestly, I'm only changing the inners because they're the original ones and they can't be adjusted to have the alignment done.

Not bad though for a truck with almost 190k on it :wootwoot:

 

[The_Roadie]

... the guys at Firestone ...

Say what? Do you have good experience with that shop? Can you check Yelp for reviews?

In general, Firestone shops are entirely dependent on the ethics of their manager to deliver an honest culture. And in my reading experience, many Firestone shops FAIL badly on that measure.

Unless your inner tie rod ends are corroded to the outer threaded part, or the inner ball is moving in its socket, there's NO NEED to change them. How did they convince you they need changing?

 

[Ariel Guerra]

Say what? Do you have good experience with that shop? Can you check Yelp for reviews?

In general, Firestone shops are entirely dependent on the ethics of their manager to deliver an honest culture. And in my reading experience, many Firestone shops FAIL badly on that measure.

Unless your inner tie rod ends are corroded to the outer threaded part, or the inner ball is moving in its socket, there's NO NEED to change them. How did they convince you they need changing?

The guy convinced me by showing me the part and that it wouldn't move when he tried to rotate it. Now since you told me they're not all ethical, I just called the mechanic who is installing the water pump right now on my truck (lots of play and causing a slight wobble of the fan) to have him take a look at inner tie rods while he's got my truck there.

If he tells me they're ok then I'll just take the truck to a different Firestone, seeing as how I have the lifetime warranty anyway.

And never thought of Yelp for reviews. Thanks though, I will from now on.

 

[The_Roadie]

The guy convinced me by showing me the part and that it wouldn't move when he tried to rotate it.

If the outer tie rod end was still connected to the steering knuckle, any corrosion on the threads will lock the two together. Often, you need to start a day or two ahead of a tie rod job and spray PB Blaster (penetrating oil) on the threaded part. And sometimes the alignment shop has to apply a torch to the joint to get it to loosen up. It's EASIER for the tech to sell you a new inner part. And of course more profit. What did they quote for the parts or the job?

I apply anti-seize to my threads when I install parts, since I don't have a day to wait if I break one offroad. Now I can change them in 15-20 minutes and not even jack the truck up or remove the wheel. A minor annoyance, except for one time I forgot my spare.

If the technician showed you the threaded part wouldn't turn, and he hadn't even backed off the jam nut, then he's a total crook and I'd never go back there again.

 

[Ariel Guerra]

If the outer tie rod end was still connected to the steering knuckle, any corrosion on the threads will lock the two together. Often, you need to start a day or two ahead of a tie rod job and spray PB Blaster (penetrating oil) on the threaded part. And sometimes the alignment shop has to apply a torch to the joint to get it to loosen up. It's EASIER for the tech to sell you a new inner part. And of course more profit. What did they quote for the parts or the job?

I apply anti-seize to my threads when I install parts, since I don't have a day to wait if I break one offroad. Now I can change them in 15-20 minutes and not even jack the truck up or remove the wheel. A minor annoyance, except for one time I forgot my spare.

If the technician showed you the threaded part wouldn't turn, and he hadn't even backed off the jam nut, then he's a total crook and I'd never go back there again.

Unfortunately I've never replaced them myself so I wouldn't know what to look for. That being said, I will tell the guy looking at my truck to spray with a lube oil and see if that loosens it up. If not I'll replace the part and take it to a different store.

So just wondering Roadie, if the inner doesn't break ,and can be loosened up, then theres no real reason to replace it, right?

 

[The_Roadie]

Replace it if it moves like this:

[video=youtube;D9cFh68Bwho]http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUHa4noplRWTLOY7UXK87Bxw&v=D9cFh68Bwho&feature=player_detailpage[/video]