I am replacing the steering rack boots on my '92 Miata. They are pretty much wasted. Should I replace the tie rod ends too. The car has about 152,000 miles on it. Maybe it is time for a replacement.
I am replacing the steering rack boots on my '92 Miata. They are pretty much wasted. Should I replace the tie rod ends too. The car has about 152,000 miles on it. Maybe it is time for a replacement.
sounds like ... "as long as I'm there ..."
'cause ya know if you have any luck like mine.. you Will be swappin 'em out next month.
Grab the end and pull/push. If they feel loose, replace them. If they feel tight, leave them alone. That's what I would do.
If your Miata rack is like my Toyota racks, you need a special clawfoot to get in there and get them out. I made one from a pawn shop combination wrench and a 1/2" drive socket from my junk tool bucket.
It's not like your toyota rack then.
It's not like a 'Yota - no special tools are required. Good instructions can be had at Miata.net or in the Enthusiast Guide, but it's not very complex.
A cautionary note from the Spec Miata ranks is in order - be certain the ends (I assume we are talking about the inners, not the outers) are threaded on sufficiently. Over the years and various ham handed attempts at alignments, it is possible for them to be installed and be hanging on by one or two threads. This is Not Good. Engineering types may suggest better solutions, but I like these things to be threaded on at least to the depth of one diameter of the rod.
As for service life, mine had in excess of 200K and four years of on track service on them when I replaced them. The only reason they got replaced was because a tie rod failed, and that failure was caused by an impact with a guard rail at LRP which bent it. I straightened it and got the car aligned, but the rod failed later. That failure led to a much more catastrophic one moments later going down the hill that ended up with me backwards and upside down against the guard rail.
If the Toyota racks were sitting on the shop floor, no special tool would be needed. It's just that when they are way in there, you can't get to them otherwise. I think an aftermarket SST is available, but if you have a cutoff saw and a welder, well, you have 95% of the SST's.
I busted (snapped in half) a tie rod on the '86 Toyota Truck. A Buick Roadmaster slammed into the driver's front wheel at maybe 50 MPH. Buick pieces everywhere. I put a new tie rod on (drag link and a gear box, not rack and pinion) and we drove it the 200 miles home. The Buick was towed.
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