Tie Rod Replacement Cost?

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Tie Rod Replacement Cost?

JG2020
Welp, I still have my truck ha ha. Every time I take it for a drive I think " I can't sell this truck"

I am going to attempt to drive it to my house where I have a garage it can stay in and I can work on it in a better environment than outdoors in the winter. It's about a 300 mile trip.

My front end wanders a bit over bumps and my tie rod end bushings look a little beat.

I got a quote from a local garage for the tie rod ends and alignment. $600??? Seems like a lot.

Might just drive it as is. I can post some pics later to see if anyone has a more educated opinion.

Hope everyone is doing well out there!

Josh
Josh G
1984 F-150 Inline-Six 300
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Re: Tie Rod Replacement Cost?

85lebaront2
Administrator
Replacing the tie rod ends is a bit interesting, the outers are pretty straight forward, inners are essentially the bulk of the tie rod. They are not impossible to do by yourself with a separation tool and if you carefully measure the length and count the number of turns to remove the ends it will be close.

Alignment, if you have a ball joint front end there are offset bushings for setting caster and camber within a moderate range, if you have the kingpin front end as I do, the only way to set caster and camber is by bending the beams. Most shops will not touch these as a result, however, if you have a shop that will and they do it right, the alignment will hold up extremely well. Darth last had a full alignment in 1994, my front tires wear completely evenly across.
Bill AKA "LOBO" Profile

"Getting old is inevitable, growing up is optional" Darth Vader 1986 F350 460 converted to MAF/SEFI, E4OD 12X3 1/2 rear brakes, traction loc 3:55 gear, 160 amp 3G alternator Wife's 2011 Flex Limited Daily Driver 2009 Flex Limited with factory tow package Project car 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible 2.2L Turbo II, modified A413

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Re: Tie Rod Replacement Cost?

ratdude747
Part of the estimate may also be predicting seized tie rod adjusters... took a couple tries to get mine aligned due to it seizing on the rack (I freed them up with liquid wrench and a pry bar and returned the following week).

Honestly for the work involved, it may be worth doing all 4 tie rod segments... align once, cry once. I didn't follow my own advice through and only half my joints are recent (one outer, one inner, opposite sides); there isn't a hard/fast rule.

Not that this is good practice, but if memory serves I didn't even jack my truck when I did the tie rods... just set the parking brake, popped out the old, popped in the new.
1984 F150: 300 L6, AOD, RWD. EEC IV / TFI, Feedback Carter YFA Carb. Stock everything but radio (for now).
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Re: Tie Rod Replacement Cost?

Gsmblue
This is on my list. I am going to do the same thing and replace everything and then go for an alignment
1985.5 F-150 XL Explorer standard cab 5.0 EFI AOD 4x4
Daily Driver. We call her Eunice the Ute.

1982 Bronco XLT Lariat 351W AOD 4x4
Code name Esperanza, or Espy to her friends. Please see my Project thread for the blow by blow.

1984 F-350 XL Centurion crew cab 460 T19 4x4
"Eylza Dual-little"