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'04 Deville Outer Tie Rod Replacement


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Good evening All,

I know it looks so simple.... but I have been down similar roads before...Are there any pitfalls to changing out the outer tie rod ends on an '04 Base Deville? I will do the work Saturday and have new tires and alignment on Monday. I know to measure before and after to get them close. Please advise anything I might be overlooking.

Thanks!

Ohio Jim

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nothing really. I find that the original adjusting nut is thicker than the cheap replacements so I usually reuse the original.

If shaft spins just cut it off with cutoff wheel and good to go. I did both of mine in 30 minutes on my 01

GM FAN FOREVER

Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile

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reuse the locking nut for tie rod. If alignment is off after, I have aligned many cars with a tape measure for toe.

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rockfangd, barczy01,

Thanks for the advice!

Rockfangd,

Please excuse my ignorance...what shaft am I worried about spinning? Are you referring to the ball joint when I try to get the nut loose? I will grind it off, if need be. I am thinking the tapered end should let loose with a hit to the boss.

I'll let you know how many hours, I mean minutes, (lol) it takes for two ...

Ohio Jim

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rockfangd, barczy01,

Thanks for the advice!

Rockfangd,

Please excuse my ignorance...what shaft am I worried about spinning? Are you referring to the ball joint when I try to get the nut loose? I will grind it off, if need be. I am thinking the tapered end should let loose with a hit to the boss.

I'll let you know how many hours, I mean minutes, (lol) it takes for two ...

Ohio Jim

The shaft is the tie rod - they have wrench flats on them.

You will need a tie rod puller to dislodge the tie rod end from the knuckle - Autozone, Advance, etc. will loan them at no charge.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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KHE,

I thought I would only have to rap the knuckle to get the outer tie rod loose. Is the tool like a clamp with the center 'bolt' pushing on the tie rod stud? I guess I am asking, is the only one rental tool I need worry about getting?

Thanks,

Ohio Jim

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Where the tierod is seated on the knuckle, hit the knuckle with a hammer a couple times and the tie rod will pop loose. I sometimes use mapp gas to melt the nylon from the nut.

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KHE,

I thought I would only have to rap the knuckle to get the outer tie rod loose. Is the tool like a clamp with the center 'bolt' pushing on the tie rod stud? I guess I am asking, is the only one rental tool I need worry about getting?

Thanks,

Ohio Jim

Yes - that is the tool. You might also try barczy01's method of hitting the knuckle with a hammer. Just don't beat on the tie rod stud or it will never come out.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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KHE,

I called Advance to reserve the tool. The guy gave me such a hard time about using the tool, I told him forget it. He kept telling me to hit it harder and harder until it came off. The more I thought about it, if the knuckle is aluminium, I don't want to hit it. I called back and reserved the tool for tomorrow from another counter person. Thanks...

barczy01,

I thought about the knuckle being aluminium so I ordered a puller. I do have a Mapp gas torch here, so maybe that's a quick way to get the nut off...I will try it if I can.

Thank you both for helping me save a buck!

Ohio Jim

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I have never used a tool besides on a pitman arm on Chevy truck to remove a ball joint, tie rod etc. Let the hammer do the work promise your not going to hurt the knuckle.

Mapp Gas works great.

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I am trying to tell you that most of the time on these that I have done

The nut on the tapered portion breaks it loose when you try to take it of and the joint just spins free in the knuckle. I did it with both of mine and just cut the nut and bottom of the shaft off. no hammer needed.

Its the ones with the castle nuts that are usually harder to get out

GM FAN FOREVER

Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile

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KHE,

Yes, I am a slow learner. Now I get it! Don't strike the Shaft, only the Knuckle. I thought there was concern hitting the aluminium knuckle.

barzy01,

Thanks for the clarification.

rockfangd,

Yes, I see what you are saying. I do not currently have access to an impact, which would remove the nut in seconds. By doing it by hand, the joint will not stay put.

Thanks to you all,

Ohio Jim

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All you Helpful Men!

Thanks for all the discussion. It sure made it much easier once I got going. The driver side, which was replaced with only 22,k went bad @ 68,k. That one came right out. The passenger side, with 68,k seemed fine, but I thought with 68,k, I might as well replace it. Advance only had an inner tie rod puller at my store, so I used a brass hammer and quite a few hits, but it came out alright. The part that got me was the two sway bar links were broken. Wish I had seen that one coming. LOL No store in the area had the OEM style, with the 1+" diameter plastic over the metal bolt, so I had to buy generic style Moog. Cut the tops off the old ones with a Sawz-all. Other than that, and trying to hurry so I could cook out on the grill, it took almost three hours. I never said I was fast... Good news is...four new skins and an alignment today. Rides like a dream! I still prefer the STS suspension, but boy that sway bar sure helps the float on that base Deville!

Now about those alignment specs... I plan to bring that up in my next discussion so I can learn about that.

Thanks again,

Ohio Jim

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