Ditched the Car, Everybody's Okay Except the Car.
#21
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The more pictures the MERRIER!
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#22
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Closest thing to my GP I've found so far.
Pontiac Grand Am how to get inner tie rod end loose on ca - eAnswer.com
I don't know if this is credible information.
My preliminary assessment is that just getting the boot off there is going to be a bee eye itch.
Those engineers crowded a lot of stuff in there, not much room for hands or tools.
I don't have the luxury of putting the car up on a rack,
but it looks like it would be hard even from underneath.
#23
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From my searching, I'm seeing most people have to use the special tool..
This video is probably the best way to remove yours...
This video is probably the best way to remove yours...
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Huckleberry (01-13-2014)
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So from what I'm reading, the pipe wrench ain't gonna work on a w-body Pontiac.
You've got to use either the crow-foot wrench with ratchet and long extension,
or the tube-tool that slides over the rod and grabs a special crow-foot wrench that goes with it.
The solution to getting the tube over a bent tie rod seems to be called a Sawzall. Duh!
Also reading that I may have damaged the assembly that receives the outer toe rod end,
and possibly the wheel bearings. I hope not.
I'm just going to replace the obviously damaged component and hope for the best.
#25
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Well, either way, that car is going to end up in a shop for an alignment. That is when they are going to tell you if something else is broke or not. Because the laser alignment machine will know if somethings off.
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Huckleberry (01-13-2014)
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Okay so I got the inner and outer tie-rod replaced.
I cheaped out on the parts, bought the O'Reilly'* house-brand.
Outer for $20, inner for $15, tube of lock-tite $7.
Borrowed (with deposit) their removal tool.
So I might get out of this for $45 plus $60 for the alignment.
If so, I'm counting my blessings, including the fact that sliding
into that ditch could have been a serious crash with injuries.
This was the most helpful thing I found on how to do the replacement:
How do you replace an inner tie rod end on a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am
Pretty easy job except for that damned bellows.
I couldn't get a zip-tie back there to re-clamp it to the rack,
nor was I able to get the air tube that goes between the bellows back in either side.
I drove it gingerly down to the alignment shop (3/4 mile away)
and told them to do those two things on top of the alignment.
Should have her back by lunch tomorrow.
Hoping there'* no bad news from the tech.
I cheaped out on the parts, bought the O'Reilly'* house-brand.
Outer for $20, inner for $15, tube of lock-tite $7.
Borrowed (with deposit) their removal tool.
So I might get out of this for $45 plus $60 for the alignment.
If so, I'm counting my blessings, including the fact that sliding
into that ditch could have been a serious crash with injuries.
This was the most helpful thing I found on how to do the replacement:
How do you replace an inner tie rod end on a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am
Pretty easy job except for that damned bellows.
I couldn't get a zip-tie back there to re-clamp it to the rack,
nor was I able to get the air tube that goes between the bellows back in either side.
I drove it gingerly down to the alignment shop (3/4 mile away)
and told them to do those two things on top of the alignment.
Should have her back by lunch tomorrow.
Hoping there'* no bad news from the tech.
#27
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You could have gotten away with using stainless steel screw clamps for your boots. But, no biggie. If you didn't feel anything abnormal on the way to the shop, you can probably consider yourself lucky. Some people break A-arms.
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Huckleberry (01-15-2014)
#28
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so I figured the alignment shop could do it from underneath.
There is literally no way to do it from the wheel well,
and I couldn't get the front of the car high enough to get under there.
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