Outer Tie Rod Ends: Is this bad? Smells like dead fish?! HELP! (PIC INSIDE)

[sonick]

So this afternoon after work, my mind wandered and I ended up knicking the curb at moderate speed (~30mph).

 

Later that night, I'm driving with the vents on and it smelled like dead fish coming from it!!! I go home, and find the smell coming from behind the wheel that hit the curb.

 

I look around, and I thoguht I saw something odd. Wipe away the grime, and this is what I saw. Compared to the other side, the top black part sat at an angle (not parallel to the ground). 

 

Does this look odd or anything?

 

 

Is my outer tie rod royally f*cked?  If so, how much do you guys reckon it would be to fix? I looked it up on autozone and the replacement doesn't seem to bad, except for the use of a special GM tool, which in past experiences is VERY overpriced (pulleypuller for power steering pump).

[mra32]

I've gotten many W-body tie rod ends off with a $3 harbor freight tie rod separating fork. You can also hit them with a hammer from the bottom. Be careful, i've bent one doing this and the only way i could get it out was to take out the whole strut (was taking it out anyway) cut off the bent end (thread side) and press the stud out with a 30 ton press.

[Hairdo12]

you can get loaner pickle fork from autozone. replacing an outter tierod end takes about as much time as taking the wheel off. if you can keep the jam nut from moving you might even get away without an alignment...granted you probably lost your alignment when you hit the curb. will cost 30 to do yourself and probably 75-125 for a shop without alignment.

 

and yes it looks odd and dangerous. get a friend to drive you to get new parts.

[1990lumina]

Beat the shit out of the area where the stud for the tie rod goes through - it'll pop out with a few good hits.

[rockfangd]

wait whoa are you sayng it is turned and not straight. it is normal because it is a ball and socket. if you lift the front end and shake the wheel left and right and it has play then it may possibly be the tie rod end, but that one looks almost like new, maybe i am looking at it wrong but it looks normal to me

[cutty]

wait whoa are you sayng it is turned and not straight. it is normal because it is a ball and socket. if you lift the front end and shake the wheel left and right and it has play then it may possibly be the tie rod end, but that one looks almost like new, maybe i am looking at it wrong but it looks normal to me

 

I agree, looks normal to me. And i would check it also.

[rockfangd]

maybe a better pic could explain a little more

[sonick]

Yeah i pulled off the wheel for a closer look at how it worked, and it was fine. But it still smells like ASS in that wheelwell.... I'm thinking the new engine mount I got was hydraulic and it exploded again... F*ck.

[mra32]

I've had a cat piss on my car when it was parked in front of my house, it smelled bad after that

[AxlCrucifix]

I've gotten many W-body tie rod ends off with a $3 harbor freight tie rod separating fork. You can also hit them with a hammer from the bottom. Be careful, i've bent one doing this and the only way i could get it out was to take out the whole strut (was taking it out anyway) cut off the bent end (thread side) and press the stud out with a 30 ton press.

what kind of tool is needed for removing the tie rod end?

I have to replace one of my tie rod ends this week

[cutty]

Beat the shit out of the area where the stud for the tie rod goes through - it'll pop out with a few good hits.

 

This is the same method i use

[sonick]

I've gotten many W-body tie rod ends off with a $3 harbor freight tie rod separating fork. You can also hit them with a hammer from the bottom. Be careful, i've bent one doing this and the only way i could get it out was to take out the whole strut (was taking it out anyway) cut off the bent end (thread side) and press the stud out with a 30 ton press.

what kind of tool is needed for removing the tie rod end?

I have to replace one of my tie rod ends this week

I found a 'pickle fork' or a 'tie rod end fork', which is basically a fork with flat, wedge-shaped ends you stick in and it wedges out the tie rod end.

[rockfangd]

I've had a cat piss on my car when it was parked in front of my house, it smelled bad after that

that is just funny and fucked up at the same

I've gotten many W-body tie rod ends off with a $3 harbor freight tie rod separating fork. You can also hit them with a hammer from the bottom. Be careful, i've bent one doing this and the only way i could get it out was to take out the whole strut (was taking it out anyway) cut off the bent end (thread side) and press the stud out with a 30 ton press.

what kind of tool is needed for removing the tie rod end?

I have to replace one of my tie rod ends this week

I found a 'pickle fork' or a 'tie rod end fork', which is basically a fork with flat, wedge-shaped ends you stick in and it wedges out the tie rod end.

that works every time for me

[AxlCrucifix]

any ordinary thing i may find laying around that would do the same thing?

[PCGUY112887]

I'm more curious about this smell than anything else...

[Mach 5]

Get some lysol in a spray bottle or febreeze and spray the shit into your vents on high. Or maybe when you hit the curb a dead mouse or something moved into your vents.

 

For tie rod, have someone bounce the steering wheel left to right while you check underneath for play. For removal, use a dead shot sledge and hit where the stud goes through. The tie rod end is tapered usually where it goes through and will vibrate itself out with a couple good hits. You will need an alignment after. Check the steering rod as well to see if its not bent.

 

 

-Jarek