Tie Rod Information

[bajajoaquin]

I took my '67 Imperial in to be aligned today and they told me that I need new inner and outer tie rods as well as adjuster sleeves. Also, the car would require shimming to fully cure the pull to the left.

Looking at the diagram in the FSM, I see a left and right tie rod which both attach to the "Center Link." Looking at the PST website, I see Driver's Side and Passenger's Side tie rod ends, adjuster sleeves, and "inner tie rod ends."

From this, I infer that a complete tie rod assembly is a left or right tie rod end, an adjuster sleeve, and an inner tie rod end (which is the same left to right). If I'm replacing the tie rods, it's two of these complete assemblies, correct?

And should I be worried about "shimming?"

 

[commando1]

By suggesting you needed shims tells me the guy knows his Mopar front ends. I'd trust him.

I try to help people understand about tie rods by using turnbuckles as an example.
Imagine the center link as a rod. At each end of the rod is a turnbuckle. At the other end of each turnbuckle is your wheel. Don't forget a turnbuckle has a RH thread on one end and a LH thread on the other.
As you turn the turnbuckle one way, it gets longer and gets shorter when you turn the turnbuckle the opposite way.
Since the center link is a fixed length, turning each turnbuckle draws its respective wheel inward or outward from pointing dead straight ahead. This is called Toe in and Toe out.

So, you need two turnbuckles (tie rod adjusters), two LH threaded eyebolts (outer tie rods) and two RH threaded eye bolts (inner tie rods)

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[polara66hardtop]

Shimming where? if your lower Inner and upper control arm bushings and ball joints are good, then the alignment guy might not be well versed on torsion bar suspensions. at PST I had to specify all four tie rod ends when I ordered.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Toe rod ends and sleeves are common service items available through your local parts store.

Alan

 

[commando1]

The shims are used on the upper control arm to adjust camber and caster.
Over a zillion years and umpteen miles, the existing shims may not be enough to take up all the play the front end has developed.

You need four different "eyebolts".
An outer lh thread
An outer rh thread
An inner lh thread
An inner rh thread.

In some front ends, the left inner and the right outer are interchangeable and likewise for the left outer and the right inner.

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[bajajoaquin]

Thanks.

The FSM says "use special tool XYZ for removal." How hard is this remove and replace process?

On the up side, he said that the rest of my front end looked good.

 

[tallhair]

You may just want to pu an offset upper control arm cam bolt kit .. this is common for a high mileage mopars to get the adjustment you need .. don't know about shims

 

[polara66hardtop]

tierods

The shims are used on the upper control arm to adjust camber and caster.
Over a zillion years and umpteen miles, the existing shims may not be enough to take up all the play the front end has developed.

You need four different "eyebolts".
An outer lh thread
An outer rh thread
An inner lh thread
An inner rh thread.

In some front ends, the left inner and the right outer are interchangeable and likewise for the left outer and the right inner.

Posted via Topify on Android

I got it, I never referred to them as shims, just cam adjusters. Your right, they do wear out. My bad! ops:

 

[commando1]

Thank your lucky stars that he doesn't want to replace your upper and lower control arm bushings.

Posted via Topify on Android

 

[tallhair]

Thank your lucky stars that he doesn't want to replace your upper and lower control arm bushings.

Posted via Topify on Android

If they've never been replaced they probably should be, esp lower ones

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I agree lowers with more than 10,000 on them probably need replaced and no they don't shake test, also make sure you grease you idler arm often because it is unobtanium

 

[bajajoaquin]

How hard a process is it to replace the tie rods myself? Do I need the special tool indicated in the FSM, or can I use a more generic puller, or a pickle fork, or the "unthread it a few turns and smack the casting with a hammer" method?

The alignment shop gave me an estimate of about $500 to replace the tie rods. Looking at NAPA or AAP, I'm looking at north of $400 for parts alone, so paying someone one hour of shop rates to do the job seems like a good deal. PST has the parts listed for under $300, plus shipping, which makes it more tempting to do it myself, particularly if it's straight-forward and doesn't require the purchase of a $125 special tool.

 

[commando1]

It ain't the money.
Do you have any interest in getting dirty, learning new words, and the bragging rights after you're done?

 

[bajajoaquin]

It's about both money and time. And space. I have a 15-month-old, and live in a crowded beach community without good space to work on the car. I don't mind getting greasy, but open-ended projects are difficult for me to tackle because I have to do the work away from my house, which means I can't put in a few hours, help with the baby, put in a few more hours, etc.

So if it's something that's straight forward to do, I'm game to knock it out. If it's several days of swearing and setbacks, that sounds like something to pay to have done.

On the other side of the coin, I'm into this car for more than it's worth, like the rest of C-Body owners. I'd like to keep that ledger from bleeding too much red ink, though. If I buy from PST, and don't have to buy an expensive tool, that's a good chunk of change to keep in my pocket.

So I'm trying to get some color commentary on relative ease of the project to add to the dry play-by-play in the FSM.

 

[polara66hardtop]

You can do it, mainly getting the Inner unhooked from the link, and spindle. If you are replacing it all, do one side at a time. just match the tie rods up, as one is left handed, the other right. that way the sleeve either is pushing the two tie rods apart, or pulling them together. I usually buy the whole kit from PST, and add for the Inners. it is cheaper in the long run, as you will have all the front end parts when you need them.

 

[commando1]

Put it this way, if you install the tie roads, you are still going to have to immediately get to the shop to have it aligned.
If I was you, let them do it.

 

[saylor]

hey! i just got the pst kit. good lookin stuff. i think zmurgy got their kit too.
im stuck on popping the upper ball joints out of the spindle, pickle fork wasnt doing it. i went and got a dead blow hammer and will try more this weekend.

i think the special tool you are talking about is to get the upper joint out of the a arm.
the joint is cross threaded on purpose into the UCA. zmurgy or jason or someone was telling me ya you need the tool, a pipe wrench wont do it.

 

[68plymouth383]

I used a tool like this for my tie-rod removal. You should be able to borrow one from autozone/Advance auto through there loan a tool program.

How hard a process is it to replace the tie rods myself? Do I need the special tool indicated in the FSM, or can I use a more generic puller, or a pickle fork, or the "unthread it a few turns and smack the casting with a hammer" method?

The alignment shop gave me an estimate of about $500 to replace the tie rods. Looking at NAPA or AAP, I'm looking at north of $400 for parts alone, so paying someone one hour of shop rates to do the job seems like a good deal. PST has the parts listed for under $300, plus shipping, which makes it more tempting to do it myself, particularly if it's straight-forward and doesn't require the purchase of a $125 special tool.

 

[68plymouth383]

I looked up your imperial through advanced auto the tie-rods are 100 plus a piece. There the rare-parts brand. This website is a rare-parts wholesaler. There a little over 60 a piece through them. They have your adjusting sleeves also.

http://www.carpartsdiscount.com/auto/parts/tie-rods-center-links/chrysler~imperial~68.html?3594=2058

 

[bajajoaquin]

Yeah, that's what they are from NAPA, too. I'm leaning towards doing it myself and buying from PST. It's like $100 cheaper from them. Between a puller and a pickle fork, I'm sure I can get it done. I'll just go back to driving my truck for a while until I can get the time together to get it done.