When TRE's and Tierod Become One

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Nay

Nay

Joined
Aug 17, 2004
Threads
134
Messages
5,102
Location
Colorado
So I am changing out my tierod ends for fresh factory joints from CDan, which required acquiring a propane torch from Home Depot and a full size sledge hammer on the relay rod to pitman arm joint just to get them off, and my tierod ends are rust seized into the tierod.

As in forget about it. I have PB Blasted them, torched the crap out of them, used 2' of leverage on opposite ends with my full weight on it by holding the bar on one side with lock pliers in enough to dent the metal and it still strips the metal rather than freeing the TRE.

So I'll be calling Slee in the morning for new HD rods. One TRE on the tierod was definitely toast (loose) and the other wasn't great, the relay rod ends were still in great shape after 14 years and 130K miles.

Liberal amount of anti-seize will accompany the installation in the new rods. :eek:
 
If you had a "MAGICAL CRUISER" that wouldnt have happend :) :doh: :wrench:
 
last (and only) time i had the adjustment checked on the 80 by a pro I did put Kroil on the adjustment lock nuts several days before, the idea being that it would be less likely that the guy would mangle things up. Sure enough when I told him, he was gushing that he wished everybody else did this, it was so great etc upon which he proceeded to put ugly marks on the rod with a crappy wrench anyway and then proceeded to overcharge me also.... :rolleyes:


but anyway, yes, think about how nice your new rod will be after this...
 
Same thing here. Changed mine out with circle 555 ends and rods from bud built. It looks and acts a lot better now.
 
Man, I love my California Cruiser:flipoff2:

Not that you haven't decided to go another route already but busting loose rusted parts usually requires a "real" torch, not a plumbing torch.
When one of my O2 sensor studs snapped off about a month ago, I got it out with an oxygen/acetylene torch and a rosebud tip. As soon as it was bright red, the stud broke loose and turned freely. As it cooled and lost the "red hottness", it started to seize back up.
 
619TOY said:
Man, I love my California Cruiser:flipoff2:
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It can happen to California rigs also. Mine spent its life in So Cal from when it was bought in december of 91 till june of 2007 when I moved over to charlotte. It has rust on it.... but it spent most of its life right next to the ocean.
 
landtank said:
I went and got the MAP/Oxygen torch at Lowe's. $47.00 of pure heat. A few minutes on the tie rod and the ends turned relatively easy.
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Yea, my plumbing torch was not enough. Of course, given a real torch is half the cost of a new HD rod, and it will arrive on my doorstep ready to bolt up it's a no brainer at this point. Might as well do the relay rod while I am at it, it's clear how difficult these stock rods become to align and you know any shop is beating the crap out of the ends to get it done.
 
What are some of the indicators of needing to replace your tie rod ends?

The reason I ask is that I have a creaking sound coming from what I think is my TRE's. Could you hear them or would you just have sloppy/wandering steering?
 
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adamsclarke said:
Try using heat and wax. get it as hot as possible and let the wax drip down into the threads. I swear by it. I also put the old end in a vise and use a big pipe wrench...works everytime :)
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Ive read the wax trick in many other places, not much here (haven't been that desperate to "search for wax"). But what sorta wax? Most the other places I read say parifin. Typically I guess used for canning and fruit preservative? found in a gorcery store? Anyway, ideas on were to source the wax and what kind? Im sure it matters do a little degree? I couldnt find any, but then again I was a sorta a blind chase and didnt know where to start looking.
 
J-Bo said:
The reason I ask is that I have a creaking sound coming from what I think is my TRE's. Could you hear them or would you just have sloppy/wandering steering?
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more than likely a creaking sound from your front end is going to be your panhard or lower control arm bushings.


when your tre's are warn your steering feels sloppy.
 
retrofive said:
Ive read the wax trick in many other places, not much here (haven't been that desperate to "search for wax"). But what sorta wax? Most the other places I read say parifin. Typically I guess used for canning and fruit preservative? found in a gorcery store? Anyway, ideas on were to source the wax and what kind? Im sure it matters do a little degree? I couldnt find any, but then again I was a sorta a blind chase and didnt know where to start looking.
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Surfboard wax, soft and sticky. I've found many uses for it, smells good too. :cheers:
 
Any wax works...parafin just works better. I keep atorch and a candle in my trail bag, and it's come in handy a few times. I keep one of the baking sticks of wax in the garage that you get at the grocery, seems to do the trick when I'm tearing down an old rusty vehicle.
 
Nay said:
Yea, my plumbing torch was not enough. Of course, given a real torch is half the cost of a new HD rod, and it will arrive on my doorstep ready to bolt up it's a no brainer at this point. Might as well do the relay rod while I am at it, it's clear how difficult these stock rods become to align and you know any shop is beating the crap out of the ends to get it done.
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That is exactly what I did a couple of weeks ago. I bent my tie rod in Moab last year playing at Area BFG. Figured I might as well just install new TREs rather then trying wrestle the old ones off. Much happier I did, not only did a get new TREs all the way around but it ending up being a 1 banana job. With all the time I saved I slapped on set of new rear lower control arms.

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