930 turbo tie rods for 1980sc

[Eomak]

hi i've worked on cars a bit but suspion i hvnt done. Its says its a easy bolt on replacement from stock.Can a back yard mech. do it at home to save $? or let the pros. take care of it.

[cbeers]

It is VERY DIY in my opinion. I did it on mine as one of my first projects and was very happy with the results.

Needed (or at least a good idea):
Air compressor
impact wrench
pipe wrench
ball joint removal tool (some just use a hammer or other methods)
basic torch (either propane or MAPP)
QUALITY turbo tie rod kit from our host, don't skimp on cheap kits.

I have a brief write up on this posted in the archives....
EDIT: here you go!
Turbo Tie Rod Installation



-Chris

[defcon65]

Yes, you can do it yourself! Buy the quality Lemforder kit from Pelican and search the threads and tech articles. I did it with just hand tools, but there are some tricks. First, you will need a pickle fork to pop out the tie rod ends. You will want to jack the car up high so you can get under there with plenty of elbow room when replacing the rubber accordian boots and the springy ring retainers that slip over them - that was the toughest part of the job in my opinion. And wear some goggles so you don't get crud in your eyes like I did.
You can loosen the old rods from the rack by turning the steering wheel all the way to either side so there is clearance to drop the rod end down and use it as a lever to unscrew it from the rack.
Do one side at a time and use the old rod as a guide to adjust the length of the new one, make sure to tighten the retaining nut on the shaft. To screw them tightly into the rack you will need some big-ass channellocks to grip the flats on the end. Some have used vise-grips on the rod itself to snug it up - you may need an assistant to turn the wheel so you can get enough clearance as there is not a lot of room to work in there.
You will have to wrestle with the rubber accordian boots to get them properly seated onto the rack ends. A little oil on the inside of the boot helps. Now, those $%#* spring-ring things! I found it was easier to snap them into the groove and then rotate them around to the top than it was to try and snap them into the groove on the top. I spent about 45 minutes getting it right in very cramped quarters.
The rest of the job is gravy - just make sure to torque the tie rod nuts to spec and install the cotter pins, then take it to the alignment shop.
Good Luck!

[Nine9six]

Originally posted by defcon65
You will want to jack the car up high so you can get under there with plenty of elbow room when replacing the rubber accordian boots and the springy ring retainers that slip over them - that was the toughest part of the job in my opinion.

I agree with the PITA of this installation, but dont hassle the small stuff. Take a zip tie and use it in place of the springy ring retainers. They work fine, and are alot less headache.

[arcsine]

I say go ahead and pull the entire rack and do the whole job at the bench. Not much more difficult, makes replacement of the tie rods/boots etc a cinch and you can clean and re-lube the rack while you are at it.

[boyt911sc]

I agree with ARCSINE's suggestion. Just a few additional task of disconnecting the steering rack and it offers you a lot of convenience. No bruised knuckles at end of the day.

TD