Inner + outer steering tie rod

[kallisti5]

Just a heads up to anyone thinking of replacing their steering tie rod ends (inner / outer), removing the 32-year-old original factory ones takes a 4# sledgehammer, heat, WD40, and the might of Zeus.






Flipping through the TM's trying to find the torque.. anyone know it off the tops of their heads? Inner tie-rod end.
EDIT: Nevermind. TM 9-2320-289-34 6-82 90 ft-lb

 

[cucvrus]

Removing it from the knuckle? It is tapered and just requires a puller to pop it out. Or a Fork. A fork ruins the rubber grease seal but works if you are replacing the tie rod end. I can see you beat it out. What's done is done. Good Job.

 

[kallisti5]

Removing the power steering end. They're pretty cheap still and the quality seems fine.

The original grease boots are all blown out since the rubber is rotted. (I know you can get just the boots, but "while everything is apart" might as well splurge and spend $20 on a new end)
How full of grease should these be? I've got the new rubber boot pretty filled, not sure my normal "until you see grease oozing out" applies to these since they're pretty well sealed.


I plan on doing the knuckles at a later date... they look even harder to get apart. Maybe I should invest in a puller that fits these

 

[cucvrus]

I grease my front end every other oil change. Three pumps of grease to each fitting. I grease it more often if I am plowing or mudding. Takes 10 minutes. Takes a few hours annually to grease the upper ball joints on an M1009 with new greaseable ball joints. But done once a year is good for wheel and spindle bearings. Man I love the newer stuff that has sealed bearings. I just replaced the front wheel bearings on the 2007 Silverado 2500 with 200K on it. unbolted and bolted on. No greasy mess and good as new. I could tell the instant I drove it that it was good and smooth again. But back to the question. 3 pumps and done. Don't blow out the rubbers. Good Luck. And get a Milwaukee cordless grease gun. I received one a s Christmas gift a few years back and everything gets greased with ease. ​