Inner Tie rod end replacement help

[bolisham]

I have a 98 4x4 explorer sport. I had ths clunk in my front end for a while and checked it out today. when I jack it up and shake the front left wheel it is loose in the inner tie rod end I think. The boot covers it up so I cant be for sure. I have a haynes manual and I says nothing about replacing the inner tie rod end. Is this part replaceable? How do I do it? It looks like a pain in the butt. Could it be the rack and pinion? Thanks.

 

[Doug]

Replacing the inner tie rod end is pretty easy. detach the outer end from the knuckle. and turn the wheel all the way to the side you're working on. you're going to have to cut the clamp on the boot and get a new clamp. once you pull off the outer tie rod end and the boot (remember how many turns it took to to take off the outer tie rod end) you can either buy the tie rod removing tool or you can use a big adjustable wrench (like me) and take it off that way.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

You can use a zip tie to re-secure the boot. In fact, new boot kits include zip ties, because there's very little room to reinstall a clamp.

The inner tie rod end takes something like a 1 1/4" or 1 3/8" wrench, or like Doug says a big adjustable wrench.

 

[jimbo74]

on some of the inner tie rod end that we do at work, they are fully radiused and cant always be gotten to turn with a standard adjustable cresent wrench. we have found that a large pipe wrench works well for this duty

 

[Fusion213]

I've done mine with a big crescent. Real easy.

 

[Doug]

I've used zipties to try and hold the boot in place and it doesnt work. The best way i've found is to go buy replacement crimp on clamps and cv boot pliers..