This procedure is applicable to most cars and trucks.


1. Loosen lug nuts, raise vehicle, and support securely on jack stands. Remove front wheels.

2. Turn steering wheel all the way to the right (left), to remove the outer tie-rod end on the driver's (passenger's) side.

3. Attach pipe wrench (best), Channellock pliers, or Vise-Grips to the splined or grooved portion of the tie-rod. This will prevent damaging the inner tie-rod end.

4. Spray the jam nut with Kroil, PB Blaster, or Liquid Wrench. Allow it to soak and spray it again. This nut can be very stubborn. Attach a large adjustable wrench, flare nut wrench (21 mm), or crowfoot wrench (21 mm) to break the jam nut loose. Major Trick: To get greater leverage with your existing wrench, slip a large deep socket over the wrench. Attach a 10-inch extension bar or breaker bar to the socket, for a handle. This takes the place of slipping a pipe over the wrench. Now, you can do some "serious damage." Some may prefer to apply heat.

5. Break loose the jam nut, by holding the pipe wrench with one hand and the lengthened adjustable, flare nut, or crowfoot wrench in the other.

6. Back-off completely the jam nut and mark the position of the outer tie-rod end. There are three methods: 1) mark the position with paint, 2) count the number of turns it takes to remove the outer tie-rod end from the tie-rod, and 3) measure the distance from a reference point (e.g., the edge of a completely backed-off jam nut) to the center of the grease fitting, using a Vernier Caliper. Method 3 (TxGreaseMonkey's preferred method) is a Trick, which may eliminate the need to have the car realigned (if it's done very precisely). Most FWD vehicles are "toe and go," anyhow. Use all three methods and you'll see that Method 3 is unquestionably the best.

7. Remove and discard the cotter pin. Loosen the outer tie-rod end ballstud nut.

8. Separate the outer tie-rod end from the steering knuckle with a puller.

9. Remove the ballstud nut, detach the outer tie-rod end from the knuckle, and unscrew the outer tie-rod end from the tie-rod.

10. Install the new outer tie-rod end to the paint mark, number of turns it took to remove the outer tie-rod end, or reference point distance on the tie-rod.

11. Coat (lightly) the inside of steering knuckle hole with grease, to prevent corrosion. Insert outer tie-rod ballstud into the steering knuckle and tighten the jam nut.

12. Install new castellated ballstud nut and tighten 35 lb.-ft.

13. Install new cotter pin properly in the castellated nut--one trimmed tang bent up and the other tang bent down and across the end of the ballstud.

14. Grease the outer tie-rod end with NLGI #2 synthetic grease; e.g. Mobil 1, Amsoil (GLC), or Valvoline SynPower.

15. Install wheel, lower vehicle, and torque each lug nut to 95 lb.-ft.

16. Decide whether to have the vehicle realigned.