How To Replace A Tie Rod // You Break It, You Fix It!!

[@adamsfly6212]

I'm not a licensed mechanic but I have been doing all my own wrenching for over 40 years. This short tutorial was outstanding! The video was clear the audio was clear and the commentary was clear, I love the comment "pretty darn tight!" You covered everything that I could see that needed to be done. Thanks Ken!

[@offroadhub.official]

Thank you! I'm glad you recognized my torque spec humor... 😉

[@marcotruitt19]

Dude I’ve learned so much about trail repairs from you. Thanks a lot!

[@eddiegray1979]

Nice vid, I was just thinking about what tools I need to carry

[@offroadhub.official]

Thank you! The only deviations I've ever seen are different sized jam nuts (22 or 24mm) and it's possible for the castle nut to be a different size, 19mm being stock. 👍

[@bquade70]

That was excellent. Easiest to follow yet I've found.. Thx Lake Havasu- ☀️ AZ.

[@offroadhub.official]

Glad you liked it! Have fun out there!

[@fjoffrd1240]

Very effective video again! I will definitely follow up I have tools and tie rods ready in the event thanks Ken

[@offroadhub.official]

You're welcome, and thank you!

[@cj5fromla]

Thank you so much sir for showing us the trail repair type informative videos as well as shop type ones,hope will get to learn more from you, just not with your rig breaking down though of course lol be safe, and happy trails.

[@dougbourdo2589]

Nicely done Ken. Prepared.

[@darrylm.5514]

Thanks for this informative video! I’m a 2000 Nissan Frontier owner and learned a lot from this step-by-step. I have read that using a front locker will cause tires to want to naturally toe in under power so perhaps that is what’s causing you to bend tie rods. I would think going to 40” tires will increase those forces by several orders of magnitude. I’m sure the aftermarket offers a complete heavy-duty steering system upgrade for the FJ which might be something to consider so you do not continue to have to replace tie rods.

[@offroadhub.official]

Thanks, glad you liked the video! The Frontier tie rods are replaced with virtually the same procedure, different wrench sizes, but basically the same thing. I'm sure the front locker puts more stress on things. I'm going to one ton axles soon, Dana 60 front, Sterling 10.5 rear, so we'll have to see what likes to break on those!

[@jessej.5523]

Thanks for the vid! I'll put this one in my tool kit. 😁

[@stevegreen245]

That was very helpful. After watching you I'll be carrying 2 inter and outers from now on. I'm on 34s so it will probably happen to me as well. Nice to know it's not that big of a deal. Thanks again.

[@offroadhub.official]

Yeah they're not bad at all. Being prepared is key!

[@jimmcgettigan1326]

Nice tutorial 👍

[@offroadhub.official]

Thanks for watching!

[@travelndan]

Everyone makes the boot placement look so easy with a jump cut Any tips on how to get the big end to fit snug I have zero room to get in there to see if it’s all the way back

[@offroadhub.official]

The big end should snap/pop into place on the rack. Then you carefully pinch the clamp back on with a pair of dykes. You should feel it pop into place though.

[@frcon200340]

Thanks for the video, I replaced my inner and outer tie rods few weeks ago. Alignment shop said inners where to worn out. I was worried because when I installed, I didn't really bend that little washer to lock it in on passenger side, but I did use loctite.. seeing you have been without lock washer makes me feel all better now. Lol but I actually tore apart inner clamp on boot, didn't wanna come loose, so I made it come loose. I replaced it with a zip tie, its holding . Not sure for how long..

[@offroadhub.official]

Yeah they don't come with a lock washer from Toyota, so you'll be fine!

[@brettbenoit454]

Great Video. Headed to Moab in a few weeks. Been meaning to get a spare or 2??

[@offroadhub.official]

Have fun in Moab! Carry 2 inners and 2 outers. They don't take up much space. 👍

[@FenixYota]

Nice video!! Very clear and helpful thanks.

[@offroadhub.official]

Thanks for watching!

[@protacodan4225]

Thanks Ken, great info.

[@lacostamontana3019]

great vidos, greetings from Kazakhstan

[@offroadhub.official]

Kazakhstan?! Awesome, thanks for joining me! Any good off road areas there?

[@tomsmith2215]

@@offroadhub.official if you can get past The Terminal

[@lacostamontana3019]

@@offroadhub.official yes, of course there is. this machine is very popular with us. but they don't tear her like you do. mainly used for hunting and fishing. I don't have such a beautiful car yet, so I just have to watch the video

[@rollerangel]

awesome info, thanks for sharing

[@jeytex3161]

Great video Ken! You are delivering much needed content even while in your home away from home. Great stuff my friend! One question I do have is how often do you grease your joints?

[@offroadhub.official]

Which joints are you referring to? I grease the joints on my drive shafts every 5k miles or so.

[@jeytex3161]

@@offroadhub.official what about your ball joints steering links?

[@offroadhub.official]

@@jeytex3161 all my ball joints are non greasable. My rear reszfab links are greasable and I do those when I do my drive shafts. There isn't really anything on the front I can grease.

[@jeytex3161]

@@offroadhub.official appreciate it! About every 5k

[@EMA-uk5ob]

thanks, ken. i think i can even do that.

[@offroadhub.official]

If I can do it, anyone can! Thanks for watching!

[@Kingsley7930]

This is Needed Nice!

[@offroadhub.official]

Should be a similar experience on a GX. Maybe exactly the same. 👍

[@Kingsley7930]

absolutely! your cv vid gave me Knowledge when i broke one and replaced myself! i carry spare cv now, bearing, waiting on tie rods.

[@chris-gh4cd]

Great video

[@FJcruisin07]

No locking claw washer behind the inner tie rod?

[@offroadhub.official]

No. They don't come from the factory with them either, at least not on a 2010-14.

[@CACressida]

One time I had a different kind of tie rod problem. I was driving down the trail and my old wore out tie rod was chattering like crazy. I used a twig to get my "precise" alignment done at camp when I replaced it. After a couple of days of rock crawling, I got back on the pavement and my alignment was perfect. So now, just in case scenarios, I have my measurements written dowm just in case I bend a tie rod and need a good enough trail alignment.

[@offroadhub.official]

You "used a twig?" More details on that please! Alignment is a pretty exact thing, getting it right outside of a shop takes talent and a little luck.

[@CACressida]

@@offroadhub.official lol believe it or not, I laid the dinky twig and cut it to size. The story is I had pressed out all of my lower control arm bushings and replaced them with solid ones and had an alignment done two days prior. So I didn't want my $70 to go to waste so I precisely measured it with a twig lol. I noticed you didn't gave the big washer that folds over the tie rod end on the rack side. I mangled the hell out of mine.

[@offroadhub.official]

@@CACressida oh yeah the big washer. This rack from Toyota didn't come with those washers which you see sometimes. My old rack didn't have the washers either.

[@kollinsendall1]

Aluminum pipe wrench makes it a bit easier. Especially if you use thread lock. There is no slipping with a pipe wrench like the channel locks.

[@Krystof.Veritae]

Great Video ...these Trail fix videos are fantastic welcome to the trail rides .....\-/

[@offroadhub.official]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!

[@JamesSmith-zs8fl]

Good video!

[@offroadhub.official]

Thank you for watching!

[@stevegreen245]

Question, are you using OEM parts? Or have you found a better product?

[@offroadhub.official]

OE is important for some things, but not tie rods, I've found. I haven't found anything better, but nothing worse either.

[@FJREY]

Due to amount of trailing you do, do you prefer aftermarket inner / outer tie rods and cv axles or use OEM Toyota? Thanks Ken -FJREY

[@offroadhub.official]

I'm ok with aftermarket. I don't wear things out driving thousands of miles, I just break things on trails. Toyota parts seem to snap just as easily as good quality aftermarket parts. Thanks for watching!

[@FJREY]

@@offroadhub.official any particular brand you suggest OR should stay away from? I'm reassessing my inventory & was gonna with either Rock Auto (MOOG) or AutoZone Duralast line.

[@offroadhub.official]

@@FJREY any medium to premium parts store brand part is fine, ones with a lifetime warranty. I don't have any brand loyalties. 😄

[@matthewferrier9675]

Great video, Ken. Perhaps even a mechanical idiot like me could do that. Do you use OE Toyota tie rods?

[@offroadhub.official]

Thank you! I used an Import Direct brand tie rod from O'Reilly in this video. The bent tie rod was an OE Toyota.

[@frankk2351]

What brand of tie rod did you use? Local dealer wants $192 for an inner tie rod

[@offroadhub.official]

I used an Import Direct from O'Reilly.

[@ea8454]

THANKS!

[@xtrekadventure8225]

What brand of CVs do you trust for wheeling?

[@offroadhub.official]

With no front locker I would trust just about any CV as long as it wasn't the cheapest you could find. With a locker I would really only trust RCV's. I don't have RCV's, so I don't trust my CV's... 😆 All CV's are the same except for RCV's. There's some thought out there that OE Toyota axles are better. But I haven't seen that in my experience. RCV's have a chromoly bearing cage, which is the part the usually explodes.

[@xtrekadventure8225]

@@offroadhub.official Thanks for the information! I just looked up RCV for the 4Runner platforms, HOLY COW that is $$$! I think I'll just keep a spare CV in the boot for now!

[@offroadhub.official]

@@xtrekadventure8225 yeah they're pretty pricey!

[@victorrebollar9297]

Can confirm-even in “shops” we use channel locks to remove inner tie rods too😂

[@offroadhub.official]

Oh I know. I spent 15 years turning wrenches for money. But the tool is easier to use when access is limited.

[@Strangeland701]

Are there stronger aftermarket tie rods available?

[@offroadhub.official]

I've heard of using tie rods for other models that are stronger, I can't remember the specifics. I know that there are sleeves that you can buy to go over the tie rods that reinforce them. BUT, having a tie rod bend is a much easier fix than breaking your rack and pinion, so I'm not totally sold on the idea of having stronger tie rods.

[@JamesSmith-zs8fl]

In a pinch; you can use that big ass Hammer to straighten out the bend.

[@Strangeland701]

@@offroadhub.official Ohh ok yeah makes sense

[@offroadhub.official]

@@JamesSmith-zs8fl that might be harder to do than just replacing it. 😉 But I guess if you didn't have one with you.

[@SlangYeti1990]

What year is your FJ? 2013?

[@offroadhub.official]

It's a 2010.

[@SlangYeti1990]

@@offroadhub.official Have you swapped out the inner tie rods yet?

[@offroadhub.official]

@@SlangYeti1990 In this video I swap out an inner tie rod. The long part is the inner, the part that I screw onto it is the outer.

[@SlangYeti1990]

@@offroadhub.official My bad, what is the tool you mentioned for replacing the inner rods? Is there a torque spec?

[@offroadhub.official]

@@SlangYeti1990 the tool I mentioned is Lisle part number 45750. It is basically a giant socket that fits all the way over the inner tie rod, half inch drive. I'm sure there is a torque spec but I don't know it.

[@Hunchedoverman]

I'll just say you drive really fast I don't think you can blame the tie rod lol 😆xoxo

[@offroadhub.official]

Oh I know I'm way outside the limits of what they were designed for. Thanks for watching!

[@krashnpa]

Nothing is truly unbreakable off road, but maybe the swap to tons will help!

[@offroadhub.official]

I'm sure things will still break. 😆

[@bradshutler9356]

Don't buy the cheap ones even the Moog brand. Toyota OE are stronger but even they will bend in certain situations as I'm sure you know Ken. I have never had this problem but I don't wheel as hard as you. None the less I still carry spares.

[@offroadhub.official]

All of my bent tie rods have actually been OE Toyota parts. I wouldn't buy the least expensive parts store tie rods, but I've had pretty good luck with the ones I've used. Carrying spares and the necessary tools is really the important part! Be safe out there!

[@cenccenc946]

I have never seen anyone bend that many tie rods, ever. I am starting to think you work for Toyota. LOL

[@offroadhub.official]

It was only 3 tie rods in 3 days. 😆 But I've gone months without breaking anything... You just never know.