Ok, I had to do a tie-rod end on a f-350 eco high cube with a fricken adjustable wrench and a carpenters hammers in my church clothes. I guess that's why I've earned the Master Tech, L1 status and have my badges to prove it.
There are tools you can buy, pickle fork, tie rod seperator, BFH tools even from harbor freight (cheap tools) that would have allowed you to save 180 bucks. There's more research and Google than any one can simply handle, and there's probably even a write up about it on a jeep forum with all of the tools you have to use.
How to Replace a Tie Rod End in a Jeep Grand Cherokee | eHow.com
Forgot to mention to clean the threads first. This is the topic to the article:
Even the trusty Jeep Grand Cherokee needs attention when the tie rod ends need replacing. When the tie rods ends become loose, it can affect the steering and you must replace them to fix the vehicle. This is something even the amateur mechanic can do.
Even a video if you can't read the Chilton's manual
YouTube - Grand Cherokee steering linkage repair
I would have used a punch to get the pin out if it happens to break off. You focus on trying to even get one piece of the cotter out. If you watch where he beats on the steering arm, it is because it is a pressure fit and the knocking (most of the time) will allow the rod end to fall right out or pop up.
It's a good thing VA caught your tie rod problem because when one breaks, the wheel with the best traction sends you either into the ditch or into on coming traffic, possibly killing either you or someone else. I'd rather see you safe than sorry.
If wrenching on anything other than a 'Stang troubles you, perhaps a newer daily driver with a warranty would better suit you.
Amen to that.. I've owned 3 4.0 cherokees myself - on a 2 door in college and 2 red 4 doors. All 3 ran well over 200k miles no issues with major mechanical malfunctions save for basic maintenance. I had to do 1 water pump on all 3 of them but of course that stuff goes with 150k+ miles on it.
The tie rods shouldn't have been bad. I love jeeps actually
agreed - the GC's added alot of "luxury" items... With Luxury items come computers, which come breakdowns
my sis has a 02 JGC with the 4.0 in it and every summer it overheats, sometimes it will hover around 280F, the summer before last the fan relay went out (common prob i guess) so i put one on (pita) and then the fan goes out, so i put a pusher fan and a puller fan on the pos, still gets wicked hot. i put a 160 stat in it and it helped for about 45 mins and got hot again, aparently the fan dosent come on until like 220F on hers. so having almost burned it down to the ground, i said F it, and last summer it would get 270+ on a daily basis, and i did nothing about it. thing is it still runs fine lol.. my buddy had a 99 cherokee, and it ran like a champ no probs at all...
What makes you think an F-150 is any better? My '95 has been great except for one thing that really disturbs me. First it blew the left front brake hose off. A friend of mine with another '95 F-150 had the same exact problem. It was a big problem for Ford. Then the brake line rusted through at the rear of the truck up in the most impossible place to repair it. And it rusted from the outside in.
F-150s have their share of problems, trust me.
+1 me neighbor has three of em, one of em has 250+ miles on it and still runs like a champ... they just dont make cars like they used to
What are you, 2 years old? I wasn't attacking you or your pick of truck. I may very well buy another F150 when and if I wear this one out. I was just reminding you that F-150s aren't perfect. Here's mine....
He got a bit e-hurt because we were all supposed to get our tiny violins out and pass out warm fuzzies for him hating on Jeeps.
As most of know, anything that we drive will require some sort of maintenance and depending on what we drive, it may require more maintenance than someone else's mode of transportation.
The gentleman above was upset that someone else had to use their red- wrench (torch) as he didn't spring for a map gas set up at his local home depot for 30 bucks... watch out for grease fires or any above plastics that can get hot and catch on fire BTW.
I DD a 69 bronco for a few years during and after high school in the 90's... I was the guy changing a tie rod on it when I should have been getting ready for my prom...needless to say I still managed to repair it and pick up my date. It also was from the rust belt and I was well, just 17 at the time. Trust me, I am far, far from bragging because compared to the little I know now, I knew a very, very small amount back, but it still came naturally to me.
My point was that for some folks, fixing a vehicle is a welcomed challenge and for others, it's nothing more than a real inconvenience.
Ask yourself this, do you want to starve Peter to pay Paul?
A lot of GC's that I have seen come through the shop are real messes. They also creak something aweful when its around zero ambient.
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