Just making sure before I press the "order" button...

http://www.roverparts.com/Parts/QFS000010.cfm

My driver's side tie rod end has excessive front to back movement and I want to replace it at the same time I put on my OME shocks and springs...

Another related question - Do I need to have an allignment done after I complete all of this work? I've heard yes from some and no from others...I'm assuming as long as I track/mark the current tie rod location and then get the new one back into the same spot I won't need it?

 

For the alignment, if you never had it done as the truck's owner I would recommend it. You don't know if it is good and what the truck went through.

Those big tires will cost you more if it is not perfect.

François

 

Agreed if I didn't know that my allignment was good...I had it checked out just a few weeks ago. Seems like a waste to do one if avoidable when replacing the tie rod...pretty sure I don't need it just by replacing the shocks and springs.

 

If you are replacing the tie rod end you will need an alignment. No matter how careful you are and how close you think you are with installing the new one it will be off.

 

Drag link - no alignment needed
Track rod - Alignment needed unless you have a gauge.

 

You won't need an alignment, just take a look at what that bar connects and think about it. As long as you match the old and new bar lengths, the only thing that a small difference in the drag bar length will make is centering your steering wheel (which will change with a lift anyways). The steering wheel may be turned one direction when driving staight.

Unless you are sure that you only need to replace that one joint, you may want to replace both ends (i.e. the whole drag link bar). If one end is bad, the other is probably not far behind. Come to think of it, if your driver's side joint is bad you will need the WHOLE drag bar since that joint is not replacable.

 

He never said for sure whether it was the drag link or track rod.

I didn't trust that "Seems like a waste to do one if avoidable when replacing the tie rod" didn't mean "tie rod end".

 

^^In my original post I said tie rod...

Instead of screwing around with and trying to pry out that tie rod end after a few years of salty WI winters, I'm going to instead buy the whole assembly and replace the whole tie rod...of course I'll get allignment done afterwards...no way I can avoid getting one done after that...

 

Sure, you said tie-rod (sort of), not sure if thats what you meant though. The terminology gets confusing with the Brits. You said tie-rod which is usually the drag-link in our world (connects 1 wheel to the steering - don't need alignment done). So it sounds like you may be replacing the track rod as they call it in the uk (connects front wheels - need alignment done). The track rod as we know it is called the ranhard rod in the UK and just locates the axle. Crazy British, or maybe it's us.