Inner tie rod snapped.. what else should be replaced?

[wander2039]

02 Focus with 186k.. Wife heard a loud snap, she doesn't think she hit anything but thankfully she was able to get to the shoulder. I can't get it to move so seems froze up. The boots have torn up for years, weird our 04 Escape boots seems fine. Guess I'll fix it since it'll be less than $100 but not sure how much I should do for safety reasons. Car is pretty rusty in the rockers but hardly any rust underneath. Oil pans leaks but seems to stop sipping coolant. Runs, drives and has pretty good AC. There's reasons she doesn't want to buy a new one or another so have to push it along a little longer.

Everything steering wise except the struts and sway bar link. The outer tie rods and ball joints the boots are still good and no play but thinking I'll order inner and outer tie rods, bellows. Debating on ball joints also. What would be on your list? Besides a ticket to the scrap metal bin.

 

[jims5600]

Glad your wife is ok,that looked nasty. Considering the age and rust I would just
renew the tie rods if everything else is tight

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Glad she's ok

Get inner and outer tie rods, the bellows, and the ball joints probably are worth replacing. You already have to remove the outer tie rods to get to the inner, so you might as well use all-new parts anyway

Also, Ford has Motorcraft quick struts for the Focus, including OE struts, springs, and the top mount.

 

[wpod]

Replace the car.

 

[bdcardinal]

Also, Ford has Motorcraft quick struts for the Focus, including OE struts, springs, and the top mount.

They are obsolete.

 

[ripcord]

What to change? How about your shorts!

How much rust falls off whenever you go over a speed bump too fast? I'd want to get that car up on a rack and do some poking and smacking on structural components to see what's actually left before sinking any money into that car. Sorry to be so negative, but I'm sure glad I don't live in the rust belt.

 

[ecotourist]

Assuming you're on the jack point, I don't like the way that pinch weld is crushed above the jack in the middle photo. I second @ripcord 's suggestion of checking out the underside pretty thoroughly before spending any money on it. Rust may be terminal.

 

[wander2039]

Glad she's ok

Get inner and outer tie rods, the bellows, and the ball joints probably are worth replacing. You already have to remove the outer tie rods to get to the inner, so you might as well use all-new parts anyway

Also, Ford has Motorcraft quick struts for the Focus, including OE struts, springs, and the top mount.

Not worth those.. not sure what I out on a few years ago. Those ball joints would be a bugger to replace.

 

[wander2039]

Assuming you're on the jack point, I don't like the way that pinch weld is crushed above the jack in the middle photo. I second @ripcord 's suggestion of checking out the underside pretty thoroughly before spending any money on it. Rust may be terminal.

Not a jack point, on the sudo frame rail underneath. I did tap with a hammer quite a bit before deciding to fix.

 

[wander2039]

What to change? How about your shorts!

How much rust falls off whenever you go over a speed bump too fast? I'd want to get that car up on a rack and do some poking and smacking on structural components to see what's actually left before sinking any money into that car. Sorry to be so negative, but I'm sure glad I don't live in the rust belt.

Well its the wife’s car so probably alot I did check it quite a bit.

 

[ripcord]

Well its the wife’s car so probably alot I did check it quite a bit.

Sounds like your wife drives a lot like mine.

 

[edyvw]

The car!

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Not worth those.. not sure what I out on a few years ago. Those ball joints would be a bugger to replace.

depending on what the hard part is about the ball joints, it could still be worth doing them

They are obsolete.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[wander2039]

Have to cut and knock out the rivets. The order.. got the middle if the road price wise. Cheaper shipping wise just to get the ball joints at the same time. No zerks but the car can’t have more than 15-20k left. At least the prices are cheap for old cars.

 

[eljefino]

Don't know why it froze up... oh wait, we do, the boots were shot.

I'd check the steering rack bushings in case the lack of flexibility manifested itself there, and the casting of the rack itself. But otherwise I wouldn't sink too much money into this car.

You can save a hundo on a alignment if you DIY. Get a laser bubble level, 18 inches long, and put it on the front tires at 4 and 8 oclock. Aim the laser at the rear tires, should just barely miss them by 1/2 inch or so. Roll the car back and forth a couple feet without steering, and only using the hand brake, then repeat until you get it dialed in.

 

[bdcardinal]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A bunch of them went obsolete due to slow sales.

 

[wander2039]

Good call on replacing both sides. The bellow was still good on the drivers but some rust and slop under. The ball joint was toast on the passenger, talk about a bugger to replace had to drill them out. Should of just got new arms but even the bushings are still good.

 

[zzyzzx]

I'm about to replace a pair of inner tie rod ends on an Escape. I understand that the Motorcraft originals use plastic where it should have used metal.