Thread 28551201

Dealership says my tie rod end needs replacing, says it's cracked. OEM, just hit 150k.Pic related. Quoted 500 to fix.

Is a cracked boot a big deal? I've been driving on it, seems fine.

>>28551201 (OP)
Your car is basically totaled, I'll take it off your hands for 350 bucks.

>>28551201 (OP)
Just ask some mechanic named Miguel Gomez De La Cruz to fill the crack with bondo, EZ.

>>28551201 (OP)
Change it yourself then get an alignment

>>28551201 (OP)
>$70 part that takes 15 minutes to change
>charge $500
How are all mechanics not fucking millionaires

>>28551201 (OP)
They come up with all sorts of bullshit without checking. The lazy ones won't even bother with real parts, they'll take out the engine filter or cabin filter and rub their greasy hands on it and say it needs changing.

>>28551283
single arm ft/lb rating higher than iq

You should be able to fix this on your own for less than $100 all-in it's not very difficult. You'll probably want an alignment which is what, $150?

>>28551283
They keep financing at the tool truck, trying to flip junk on the side without knowing what's valuable or worth putting money into, and they get paid wait less than what the customer is charged thanks to needing a mortgage, bigger tools (also on finance), environmental bullshit, and OEM subscriptions to work on newer cars (not even finance, straight up subscription)

>>28551283
Then do it yourself faggot and quit complaining

>>28551201 (OP)
>Is a cracked boot a big deal? I've been driving on it, seems fine.
It's not directly a big deal since it doesn't impact performance or safety. However if the boot is cracked/damaged, eventually all the grease in the joint will have leaked out and you'll have direct metal to metal contact and it will wear out much faster. Or abrasive materials like dirt/grit/sand will find its way into the joint and cause excessive wear. Or both. If you can grab the tire rod end and try to move it around and there's no excessive play in the joint it will be fine for the time being, but it is going to wear out at some point. Just keep an eye out for play or clunking in the steering it needs to be replaced asap.

>>28551201 (OP)
Start swinging the wrench. Mechanics arent rocket scientists.

>>28551201 (OP)
they should be replaced, yes.
you will need an alignment after. how are your tires?
most alignment techs wont align cars with really worn tires.
does that $500 include alignment? if so, then its not a bad deal.
likewise you can buy the parts yourself, eyeball your alignment, and then take it to get aligned. as in right away, do not drive on a self alignment, you WILL wear your tires down in as little as 50 miles.

also that nut doesnt look like its tight. I would definitely get those replaced. its not hard and doesnt take any special tools. I dont see any rust, so it'll be quick.

>>28551283
Do you really think all of that 200 per hour of Labor is getting paid to the mechanic actually doing the work?
Hahahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaahhha

>>28551201 (OP)
>remove nut
>remove boot
>install new boot
>install nut
might be 5min job or might be 3 hour job

>>28551283
>How are all mechanics not fucking millionaires
The shop charges $200/hour for labor, and the mechanic gets payed like $40/hour max. You might think that's the shop owner being greedy but most of the shops are almost broke too. It all goes to insurance companies. I wonder who owns those

>>28551201 (OP)
the tie rod end isn't cracked, the rubber boot on it is, buy a replacement rubber boot on ebay for $3 and fit it yourself, or pay a mechanic $500 to do it for you

>>28551467
You fucking idiot

>>28551201 (OP)
Most tie rod ends, and ball joints, get a split boot by that mileage and that wears them out even faster. Even if they aren't torn like one of mine was the wearout is noticeable. Do you neeeeeedddddd to do them idk probably not but should you probably yeah. Should you pay $500 to sace yourself 1 1/2, 2, 3 hours depending on how stupid you are? Idk maybe.

>>28551571
>You fucking idiot
how am i an idiot, the rubber boot is split, not the tie rod (as op stated, "Dealership says my tie rod end needs replacing, says it's cracked") so where is the idiocy in my statement? if the tie rod isn't worn, and it's only a split in the boot, then replace the fucking boot, idiot

>>28551201 (OP)
Anon, buy 2 new OEM tie rods for about $100.
Then install them.
Alignment might need to be set, but I'd you are smart; you can avoid it.

I would drive it till the tires went bad, then replace it along with new tires.

>>28551283
Why do leftoids not understand overhead? It’s like per capita for blacks

>>28551768
Whether or not OP is smart doesn’t matter – what matters is whether or not he possesses the knowledge that you need to mark or count how many turns it takes to remove/install the tie rods, for alignment.

>>28551764
Split boot means loss of grease, contaminated grease, contaminated joint, excess wear+excess wear+excess wear. Brake dust and road grime do nasty work to it.
If you can move a tie rod end or ball joint without needing a good amount of strength it's wasted. Usually wear is an ellipsoid pattern so you'll notice it moves easier in one axis than the other. If it's floppy sloppy well hell you should've been able to notice that by how the car drives.

1. Blast it out with brake clean

2. Pump full of fresh grease

3. Superglue the slit shut

4. Drive car / give 0 fucks

>>28551201 (OP)
Tie rod end is a $20 part and is extremely easy to replace. Don't be a fag and do it yourself fag.

>>28551201 (OP)
I broke a ball joint before in a crown vic and it caused the wheel to go up into the fender. Couldve been real bad but luckily I was just driving 5mph a parking lot

>>28551283
>>28551296
>>28551324
>>28551325
>>28551392
>>28551436
>>28551793
itt, a bunch of wrenchlets who never had to battle a ball joint.

while the price for the part is cheap, if you dont have the know-how or tools and techniques, your going to have a bad time, depending on the design.

>>28551201 (OP)
Change it yourself, it's less effort than doing a ball joint or w/e and should be cheaper. Count the turns when you take it off, leave the locknut in place, and then wind it on the same amount of times. Then get an alignment as soon as it is economically viable to do so, because that doesn't really work, but it's close enough for the meantime

>>28553363
It's called harbor freight grandpa

>>28551283
It's not 15 minutes to change if it's at all seized, at which point it takes you way longer than a shop. The last one I took off required fire, penetrant, more fire, a teeny bottle jack and a big hammer before it budged.
>Inb4 you mention how your hydraulic Steely Dan Buckbreaker 9000 can do it no problem
That doesn't help notools OP

>>28553363
nigga just spent $30 on a ball joint separator. the hard part will be removing the outer tie road from the inner. the only time I’ve had to use a torch on a car was doing exactly that.

>>28553390
you can also mark the threads where the rod end sits with a paint pen, which is a good idea to do anyway since you can also ensure none of this assembly is coming undone

>>28553363
Tie rod ends usually arent (as) problematic like a ball joint can be.
If they're stuck you just melt some wax into the threads. Comes right off.

>>28553415
Gotta be careful and check the knuckle design first. Might need a special cutaway press adapter that fits just right.
Really don't want to botch a ball joint install from fucking around and forcing shit.

>>28553363
that's nice and all but the guy that's fixing the car for you still isn't getting 500 bucks for that unless he's the owner of the business...
>>28553451
wow that's smart, never thought of that. now i actually have a use for all those candles people keep dumping on me as gifts

>>28553451
although actually now that i think about it...how would wax in the threads break it loose? isn't it the taper that's the problem? no threading there.

>>28553399
>>28553415
>>28553415
>>28553451
lol i do my own work, i know all these things. there are a bunch of bus riders here who think they can wrench but cant.
high mechanic prices are punishment for being a wrenchlet, end of story.

>>28553486
Trust me it works.
Just, obviously, you need to clean off the threads of whatever the replacement goes on. Clean them very well.

>>28551793
im da based alpha right winger. i understand how much money goes to my jew boss and the jew landlord who owns the building he leases.

>>28553451
>>28553485
>>28553486
>>28553602
Project Farm tested it and it's an absolute old mechanics tale. The wax does not get into the threads at all. It's a placebo effect from the fact you have to heat it up enough to melt the candle wax.
Use an actual penetrating oil like PB Blaster or K&W Knock'r Loose

>>28553363
Easy solution is to buy a new control arm with a balljoint already pressed in. Or just take it to a shop they can press a new one in for 1/10th the cost they'd charge to replace it in the car.

>>28553363
>>28554136
posts like these make me once again extremely grateful that i have access to workshop tools at work
don't think i could've done at least 3/4 of the shit i've done with my car without it all