Tierod end boot shot in 9 months??? Good for the weekend?

aigel · aigel's Garage

So, I got the turbo tierod end kit locally and installed it when overhauling the suspension last late spring. Sure enough, the joint boot on the drivers side tierod end is gone. Are these tierod kits cheap POS? Sure seems like that to me.

I'll put a new end on after next weekends DE. Can't do it now, because I have plenty of other suspension mods planned and can't pay for an alignment over a tierod end! Should be fine with a split boot for a weekend? It looks like it hasn't been like that long. No dirt etc. I haven't put but 3k miles since the rebuild...

Cheers, George

Schrup · Schrup's Garage

Where did you buy it?

aigel · aigel's Garage

I bought it at Parts Heaven in Hayward. The guys don't sell junk. They had a special. I will bring it back to them and see what they say. I have trouble digging up the receipt, but I should be in their computer...

I have replaced the other end already, so I don't know if that one would have gone too. I had messed up the theads, when removing the nut ... ... don't ask. Air tools are great, if you don't mix up the direction that they should turn.

George

Early_S_Man · 03-10-2004, 02:39 AM

George,

Leland Pate reported the exact same problem a couple of years ago ...

chrisp · 03-10-2004, 04:23 AM

I bought a set of turbo tie rods from a source I won't name but it wasn't PP. It was a special listed in Pano. I think I got them for around $110. Anyway, I had the rod end itself go bad in about 14 months with 3,000 miles and two DE's on them. Both ends had excessive play.

That's one thing I have learned in the three years I have owned my car is that there are a lot of look alike parts out there. If it's a really important part (suspension, brakes, safety related, engine internals, oil system, etc) I encourage people to buy from a reliable source. This is often why their price is a little higher. They're sell better parts.

KTL · 03-10-2004, 05:01 AM

I believe the OE manuf. of the tie rods for our older Porsches is Lemforder. So that should be the question someone asks if they are buying turbo tie rods elsewhere- who is the manufacturer? In the future, people can buy 'em at Pelicanparts and not have to worry about cheap imitations. They sell the OE Lemforder rods.

George,

You should be fine for a short while without the boot intact. The boot is obviously a shield for keeping dirt & water off the end joint. You could also shoot a little grease in there just for extra insurance until you replace it.

Other people have had problems with the rack accordian boots as well. With a damaged accordian boot, too much dirt and/or water can contaminate the grease inside the rack. And if the rack has never been disassembled for regreasing, the interior could get damaged pretty easy due to a lack of lubrication.

chrisp · 03-10-2004, 05:58 AM

Think of it this way.....

The boot increases drag so not having it makes the steering more supple. It's not quite the same as normal seal drag but there's some drag

This is what I do on my bike parts.....I remove the dust seals on most of my sealed bearing race parts. Other folks remove the grease and use oil.

Jeff Alton · 03-10-2004, 07:09 AM

I have Lemforder ones on my car. Boots lasted 9 months! I don't know why some retailers claim these are the only ones to buy.

Jeff

ZCAT3 · 03-10-2004, 07:11 AM

George - I had the same problem with a set a purchased from AJ-USA a few years back. The boots lasted about 9 months and then started to crack and completely break down. AJ-USA replaced them and told me that they believe there was a bad production run out there (probably still working there way through the distribution stream). AJ-USA did not seemed too concerned about driving the car for a short time with the boots falling apart. While working through this problem, I also discovered that places like NAPA and Kragen actually sell tie rod end boot replacement kits for maybe $15-20 - this may be a short term solution for you, but if you go to the trouble of releasing the end from the strut, you may as well replace the whole end.

ubiquity0 · 03-10-2004, 07:22 AM

My boots are shot as well after a couple years. I'm not sure that they're lemforder as I bought them from another Pelican member (unused). Anyway I'm thinking that driving another few weeks is not going to hurt, other than wearing the rod end that I'm going to chuck out anyway. I think if you measure the lengths VERY carefully you may not need another alignment.

john70t · 03-10-2004, 08:42 AM

Mine went out as well a few years back after less than a year. I don't remember the aftermarket name but it came with a nylock nut(!)and the boot was stamped "made in germany". I replaced them with Lemforders which were of much better quality.

911ctS · 03-10-2004, 09:05 AM

I put Lemforder tie rods on my car as well. Boot lasted almost 9 months!! Had to take the old boots off my stock tie rods.... they are still perfect and going to last alot longer than that cheap crap. Although every other Lemforder product ive gotten has been great.

They just dont make rubber like they use to ehh. IMO

Jdub · 03-10-2004, 09:19 AM

I am sure Pelican will back up what they sell. If any vendor gets enough returns they are going to raise hell or find a distributor who can provide a part worthy of something past nine months.

I bought my 930 tierods here at PP. I will keep an eye on them and report back, but Wayne was pretty specific that not that many of these got through their inventory.

John

jdowty3 · jdowty3's Garage

I had the same issue with a set of turbo tierods I got in Feb 2002. The boots were brittle and broken on both side and one of the steering rack bellows was the same by October 2002. I didn't get them from Pelican (trying to save a few bucks) as the Unmentioned Supplier had them on special. I got them replaced at no charge after a phone call to customer service. I was iritated that they would not even consider some type of remuniration to lessen the sting of the $140 expense for a second front end alignment.

jgporsche · jgporsche's Garage

I experienced this same problem. I purchased a set of Turbo Tie Rods off of eBay from a dealer called “BIGBABBO” @ MERCEDESPARTS.COM INC . Received the tie rods w/o spacers. After numerous emails received spacers about a month later. Then, three months later they are disintegrating. Emailed same and after a two weeks he says send them in for replacement.
He states that an “MD” had just tried to send in a set from some other company. So, he wanted to see them. So, pulled off the bad ones sent them certified. Two weeks later, I get a letter from MERCEDESPARTS.COM INC. stating that the tie rods I sent in were not there’s, that my mechanic pulled a fast one and swapped my good tie rods out for defective ones. Unsigned and no names just their letterhead. Problem with this theory is I installed them. Other than alignments & tire changes, I do my own work, that’s half the fun of owning an older Porsche. My question is: Has anyone gotten any resolution to this? Or has anyone had any dealings with these people from Mercedesparts.com?

jdowty3 · jdowty3's Garage

Sounds like it's Mercedesparts.com that is trying to pull a fast one.