Inner Tie Rod End Removal - How to do it?

[CrUZida]

Tried using an easy-out?
Or just drilling it out?

I hate pins at the best of times, let alone ones with no bottom!

[jondee86]

As I said, the pin is about 3.5mm diameter and only about 4mm long. It is in a blind hole and extends through the rack into the tie rod threads about 1.5mm.

If the pin is that small, it can't have the grip of a mountain Gorilla. Not possible to work out from your pic just how much is sticking out, but I would have thought a decent sharp set of sidecutters (or carpenters pincers) would have levered that out ?? Not much different from levering a nail out after the head has snapped off.

Cheers... jondee86

[petergoudie]

Cruizda, the problem with using an easyout is that the bore in the pin is less than 1.5mm. Also, to drill it out the rack will have to be removed and I'm running out of time until later

Jondee, there is basically nothing sticking out to get a grip on. I've tried that as well.

What a pain!!!! This is one of the few things that has beat me (at the moment).

[allencr]

Like they've said, just turn it, it's only spring action and not a press fit & will barely affect the threads.
Those things are hard and the split makes the drill bit wander off center. I'd be more worried about the garbage & burrs left in the bottom after drilling then the untouched pin.
Grind down a wrench for the rack gear's flats, one that's expensive or cheap or from a pawn shop. The twisting of the rackgear and pressure against the pinion gear without using a wrench isn't good, but has probably been done a million times with no bad results.
Good luck.

[4th surf]

Having worked for both Ford and Mazda in the early and mid '90s this is a BD 323/Laser B being the engine code which is the case of this car will either be a B3 or B5 which should be a chain driven engine of 1.3 or 1.5 litres. 1.6 B6 belt driven on the last of them is you were really lucky.

Here's how we did it in the shop both in the days before hoists were common place and after. Lift car up to comfortable level and place on stands. Remove outer tie rod end making sure to count the number of turns and write this down. Remove the steering rack boot then extend the rack right out on that side. Using a suitably sizes Stilson (pipewrench) adjust that until it grips the joint of the inner tie rod and give it a good tug, this will snap the pin and allow you to remove the inner tie rod. Remove the tie rod and install the new one, drive new pin in using a suitably sized punch and hammer. the old broken bit will fall out, fit new boot, refit outer end the same number of turns and you're done, first stop after the road test is a wheel alignment.

Oh the BP (1.8) engines came out in '89 in both Turbo and NA form in the BG series 323 (AWD for Turbo and FWD only for NA except for JDM where you got both) and later (NA only) in MX5. Damn good engines yet the earlier ones did have an issue with the crank pulley bolt coming loose. Even tho it was done under warranty on one particular job I'll never forget it as we with a little financial input from the owner "Blueprinted" one on an MX5, added extractors, cold air intake and a lot of other Mazdaspeed bits. The car was named "Jappa" and at the time was the quickest NA MX5 in NZ.

OK back to topic don't go near the inner rack end to loosen it with a hammer. The pinion bearings and bushes don't tend to like it

[petergoudie]

Dear Surf, thanks for clearing it up. I didn't think of Stillsons but I did purchase an ABW Wrack Wrench which clamps around the tie rod. As I recall it was about $11.50 plus $5 postage see attached photo.

I will have one last go and see what happens. Also, a number of people have said to loctite it back on which I was planning to do.

Apart from owning two Toyotas, I have this Ford/Mazda and a 2000 NB MX5 which is a great car except as I am tall it's quite tight on me but at least I don't slide around on the corners.

[4th surf]

Well Pete As I can now recall the model code "Jappa" was funnily enough an NA MX5 The owner was actually somewhat larger than the MX5 and once over a beer I did ask him how he fitted in it. The Answer was "Farking carefully". For some reason I spent many years looking after his cars which included some rare beasts as a Humber Scetper wagon (bugger me did that go and I seemed to be the only one that could tune the carbs and make the Laycock Type J overdrive work) and building an RX7 race car (only rotary that I've ever built, hate the damn things). He was really pissed off when I made the move to Perth. Still get e-mails and chrissy cards

[petergoudie]

Well I finally managed to remove the inner tie rod.

I took Surfs idea and used some stillsons about 550mm long. In addition, I purchased a spanner from Supercheap for $1. I ground it down to make it thinner and opened it up a little. I ground its other end off and the shank fitted neatly inside a 500mm length of 1/2" gal water pipe.

I used the extended spanner to counteract the torque of the stillsons and twisted off the rack end.

Attached are three photos. One shows the new rack end and the old. The thread on the old end was turned down near the base to allow the spring steel lock pin enter the thread shank.

The second photo shows the extended spanner.

The third photo shows the offending spring steel roll pin compared to the head of a match. You can see now why I couldn’t hold or move it.

I used 263 Loctite to lock the new tie rod to the rack. 263 is medium strength suitable for up to M20 threads and can accommodate oil which the other strength versions can’t.

Thanks for everyone’s help.