Inner tie rod installation help.

[Bumnah]

Installing OEM z32 inner tie rods to my hicas steering rack.

First time doing them.

Took the boot off, bent the tabs on the locking plate back. That's it.

I see there is a place to hold the rod coming from the steering rack. What size wrench does it use? I'm using a 22 mm. It's close, but I think 21 or 22 would work better. Sadly I don't have 21 or 22.

I used my adjustable wrench to get a hold for the rod it self, but I wasn't able to apply torque well.

I decided to ask for tips before I use my no fail method; big f'n hammer.

Any and all tips welcome. Help me get my rod off!

[Def]

Big ass crescent wrench plumbers style. Put it on the flats of the inner socket and pull. If you have little chicken wings instead of man arms, you can kick it loose.

[Bumnah]

So the issue is I have chicken wings for arms.

When you say inner socket you're talking about the fat piece near the end of inner tie rod, the piece the locking plates sits around.

I'll just man up and do it.

[highoctane]

I used a pipe wrench with some pulling and it come right off.

[Def]

The socket that the locking plate secures into the rack is what you want to loosen. It's a normal thread. Get at least a 12" lever arm on it and you'll be good to go.

[Bumnah]

Yeah. I'm just being a pansy.

I took me months to track down my HICAS steering rack. I'm trying to be careful before I go wailing on the arm with my no fail method (4 lbs hammer).

I pretty much don't even post 240sx related questions on any other forums anymore.

[SoSideways]

Yeah that stuff is probably factory loctite'd on there, plus the tabs, so it wouldn't come out easily.

I have my HICAS rack sitting in my spare room for.... oh... 3 or 4 years now, and I am just getting around to getting some tie rods to replace the stockers, so I can rock them on my car soon, hopefully.

Thanks for making this thread

[Bumnah]

As long as we're talking steering racks. Anyone have some good methods to bleed the rack? I don't think I have done it correctly.

Normally I do it by turning the wheels left to right, and I poured in ATF fluid until it stopped taking in any more. I had the front end up on jack stands when I did it.

When I auto x my reservoir leaks fluid. I'm running 225/50/16 A048R's. My setup isn't one where it would cause the fluid to boil; I think.

[SoSideways]

It probably boiled man lol

Get yourself a cheapy Vatozone special "fluid cooler", doesn't have to be big, and you should be fine.

gsracer talked about how he fitted his on his car, since he runs some decent sized RT-615s up front when he went drifting with his S14 last year or the year before or whatever, and he boiled his PS fluid.

He said he hasn't had issues after he put the cooler on.

[e1_griego]

I'm having the same problem, but people suggested I just lower the level of fluid in the reservoir as it's probably just overflowing around corners.

Still gotta do that before autox sunday, just to try.