Tie rod ends

[Car54]

Replaced the lower control arms both forward and rearward. Bought new tires mounted and balanced.

Steering wheel still shakes, moved rear tires to the front to rule out an out of balance tire. Still shakes..

Put an open end wrench on outer tie rod, outer rod moves really easy.

Purchased new outer tie rod ends from NAPA.

Installed new tie rod ends, BUT the nut on the inner one won’t budge.

???? I can turn the inner rod by spinning it to tighten the nut to the outer rod…

IS this an easy way to adjust or am I creating a really bad scenario??? Like stuff falling apart while driving on the highway to work tomorrow???

I’m used to a sleeve set up on tie rods, tighten one and loosen another to adjust..

[Sanford]

You adjust the toe-in/out by turning the inner socket. The nut needs to turn freely on the threads. May have to use a torch on the nut to free it up. Another way is to back the nut with a 5 lb hammer and give the nut a whack on the other side. The shock may loosen it up. If the car is from the rust belt, the hammer method might not work.

[sardillim]

I'm not 100% sure on what not you're trying to get loose. If it's the nut on the ball joint and you can't break it loose you're in big trouble. If it's the jam nut on the inner tie rod just break the ball joint loose and use an adjustable wrench on the inner tie rod at the rack, that's how I got mine out then just reassemble the new parts the new inner tie rod should come with a jam nut

[Car54]

Thanks guys for all the responses.

My fault, It’s the jamb nut that is literally frozen in place on both sides. Car is not from the rust belt, the nut easily came free from the knuckle.

I was not sure how the inner tie rod shaft is put together. Whether it’s threaded on both ends, by turning it to many turns it would come apart near the steering rack.

After YouTubing for the last 2 hours, see it’s not, and u need a special tool to remove the inner shaft.

I’m going to replace both inner and outer. The shimmy and shake at the steering wheel is a royal pain.

Car has 144,xxx miles, all the control arms were shot.

[bstoner]

The inner tie rod threads into the rack. But you are probably just spinning the inner tie rod in the ball joint inside the boot. I have used a pipe wrench to hold them before or to replace them instead of using the special tool. Not sure if you can rent the tool or not from AZ or O'Riellys.

[sardillim]

Just pull the boot off the rack and you should be able to take break loose the inner with a large adjustable wrench the inner tie rod tool won't work if the outer is still attached to it