Yea yea, I know Firestone does a toe & go, but I did pay for lifetime “alignments”. They can’t set my toe, the outer tie rod ends are frozen with the inner tie rods. One store gave up, this one tried. They told me to take a torch to the junction where threads to the inner rod and try breaking it free. Should I try that out or just get new outer ones for safety’s sake - I’ll go OEM Toyota or see what the local parts house has for Moog - if it’s Central(Korean made), I’ll bite.
Frozen tie rod ends - torch ‘em or get new ones?
- Thread starter nthach
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Been there done that. Hours of fighting and ended up cutting the tie rod with a Sawzall and replacing both inner and outer.
How much are OEM inner and outer tie rods? If they aren't expensive, I think I'd save myself the hassle.
How much are OEM inner and outer tie rods? If they aren't expensive, I think I'd save myself the hassle.
Freeze off and let it sit.
Turn the steering wheel all the way so it's sticking out of the fender, put a long pipe wrench on the inner tie rod and another on the nut, and a jack underneath whichever once will spin to loosen. Then let the jack and weight of the car give you lots of torque.
Or
Pop the TRE out of the knuckle and try to spin it off the locknut. Then once you have just the inner tie rod and locknut put a socket on there, back up the inner tie rod with a pipe wrench, and rattle gun the nut loose.
Of course sometimes you just need new parts. I've gotten "kits" that are everything between the two tires for considerably cheaper than if I bought the parts individually.
Or
Pop the TRE out of the knuckle and try to spin it off the locknut. Then once you have just the inner tie rod and locknut put a socket on there, back up the inner tie rod with a pipe wrench, and rattle gun the nut loose.
Of course sometimes you just need new parts. I've gotten "kits" that are everything between the two tires for considerably cheaper than if I bought the parts individually.
Get new ones, and anti-seize them 
CRC Freeze-Off and Knock'er Loose are great products. Either one should let you free the tie rod.
Sankei 555 is also a good choice.
Rock Auto has the Sankei 555 inner tie rods but not the outer ones for your 2009 Prius. You could get the Sankei inner tie rods and Delphi or Suspensia outer ones.
The 555 outer tie rods' part numbers are SE-T441L and SE-T441R. Partsgeek has a few in stock, though they are more expensive.
CRC Freeze-Off and Knock'er Loose are great products. Either one should let you free the tie rod.
Sankei 555 is also a good choice.
Rock Auto has the Sankei 555 inner tie rods but not the outer ones for your 2009 Prius. You could get the Sankei inner tie rods and Delphi or Suspensia outer ones.
The 555 outer tie rods' part numbers are SE-T441L and SE-T441R. Partsgeek has a few in stock, though they are more expensive.
Sankei was $10 less than OEM when I priced it out. I’ll call my local parts house and see if their Moog is made in Korea by CTR - if the price is $<50, I might bite but I’ll order OEM more than likely.Get new ones, and anti-seize them
CRC Freeze-Off and Knock'er Loose are great products. Either one should let you free the tie rod.
Sankei 555 is also a good choice.
Rock Auto has the Sankei 555 inner tie rods but not the outer ones for your 2009 Prius. You could get the Sankei inner tie rods and Delphi or Suspensia outer ones.
The 555 outer tie rods' part numbers are SE-T441L and SE-T441R. Partsgeek has a few in stock, though they are more expensive.
Just a touch of heat should do the trick.
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I would get new ones. They are not going to fix themselves and you cannot get a proper alignment until the issue is resolved.
Then add some Fluid Film to the treads of the new tie rod ends before you hand them over, or if you are going to install them.
The turnbuckle / adjustment collar is frozen? You might be able to free that up with heat and quench multiple times.
But if you have lifetime alignments, it wouldn't hurt to just replace.
But if you have lifetime alignments, it wouldn't hurt to just replace.
I remember when Sears did lifetime alignments and if I remember (or guessing) it was about 2X the price of a standard alignment. But not sure there are any Sears auto centers left. (I did read there are actually 4 Sears stores that are still open).
Do the places doing lifetime alignments have competent techs doing the alignments?
I had my Indie mechanic do my last alignment. No lifetime alignment.
Do the places doing lifetime alignments have competent techs doing the alignments?
I had my Indie mechanic do my last alignment. No lifetime alignment.
It’s through Firestone. I assume their definition is toe & go.
My turn to play the Moog lottery. $54 at the local parts house, I’ll take made in Korea - the catalog images on Rock show a different part. OE Toyota from the local dealer online was $80(not including the 15% off), I could have done it from the east coast in a week for $65. Ugh.
Called Firestone to book a time for Friday for the alignment.
Also, should I give CRC Freeze-Off a try? There’s a $30 can of Kroil I’ve been spraying on the jam nut and outer tie rod end to work through the rust. The SDS tells me it’s not much different from Kroil except for a healthy amount of 1,1-difluoroethane(R-152a, aka Dust-Off) in it as both the propellant and the cold “shock”.
I also have real MAPP gas but no cutting torch.
I also have real MAPP gas but no cutting torch.
Tie rods are off. I had to use a torch on both sides. One outer tie rod was seized as well as the jam nuts, but the threads looked fine - no rust or galling. Used “MAPP” gas until the nut was hot - it didn’t turn color, then hit them with Kroil to quench them. I think someone used Loctite on them. I did see something turn into carbon, the inner tie rods didn’t turn color while I was heating them. So I don’t need to buy new inner tie rods.
Are these locknuts special, or will a metric 10.9 flange nut from Home Depot/Ace work? I’m going to wire brush the inner tie rod threads.
Are these locknuts special, or will a metric 10.9 flange nut from Home Depot/Ace work? I’m going to wire brush the inner tie rod threads.
Turned out a mom and pop tire shop before I took this into Firestone years ago used red Loctite on the jam nut and tie rods. The OE Toyota ones were still in good shape. I deduced to install the Moogs anyway to freshen up the steering.
I sprayed Fluid Film on the jam nuts. Let’s see if Firestone can toe it.
I sprayed Fluid Film on the jam nuts. Let’s see if Firestone can toe it.
They’re M14x1.5. Home Depot and O’Reilly didn’t have them.
Good luck with Moog. You may be under there replacing them and back to Firestone again before you would like to be.
That's a Silverado lug nut, they have 'em.
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