The bellows on my left side tie rod end ball joint is shot (obviously). I'm assuming the downside is loss of grease...ingestion of dirt, and premature wear? Anyway, what's the fix? Do I need to replace the whole joint or can the bellows be replaced. Hand tools? Ease of repair on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being changing a tire and 10 being rebuilding the trans.?
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replace the end. They are cheap enough and chances are that if the boot is cracked, the tie rod end is worn.

George,

Thanks. BTW, the inquiry is not an order.

Ease of installation?

I usually replace both sides at the same time.


And get a cotter pin for that nut while you're in there ...
Andy

PB BLASTER IS YOUR FRIEND ..let soak for a day then remove ...easy install ...measure or count the thread before you remove tierod end so it will go back the same ...prolly realign it anyway but that will get you close.......better yet buy the turbo tie rod ends and be done with it ..Because your really only changing one end when you should do both

PB Blaster (never heard of it) any better than CRC ? If so, is it a FLAP thing?

Its actually a fairly easy project.
Jack it up and turn the wheel so that end is sticking out of the wheel well as far as you can get it.
remove the nut.
Get a 5 lb hammer or a large ball peen hammer.
If you look at the spindle where the tie rod end goes in, on one side is the arm that attaches to the rest of the spindle...
Hit the arm directly opposite of the arm.
Its designed for this (all joints are) and it you hit it firmly and square, a few wacks and the joint comes loose.

Now, once its out, measure the exact distance from the end of the tube it threads into out to the end of the tie rod, or a place you can measure accurately. Write that down.
Loosen the lock nut (hold the middle tube at the notch with a cresent wrench, use another wrench on the nut.
then turn out the threaded tie rod end.

I cant remember, but each side is threaded either left or right handed.
Before you strip the nut, try it the other direction.

Put the nut on the new tie rod end and thread it in to the same dimension that you measured above.
Put it back in the spindle and tighen everything up.
Make sure to tighten the lock nut tight.

If you think you messed up on the measurement, bring it to sears and have them give you an alignment.

Rich

PB blaster
Aero Kroil-better in my book
or for the real DIY, acetone and ATF mixed 70 atf/30 acetone

All super penetration oils, makes jobs like that a lot easier. Napa by my house carries Kroil, about 13 bucks a can.

Thanks. Not really sure where you're telling me to hit. Can't I just wack the threaded top of the ball joint since I won't be reusing it, or use a wedge kinda joint separator thingamabob? Car pulls to the right anyway, so alignment is coming anyway. Any tire place can do a 40 year old Porsche? Do I need to take specs to them?

Simple way is to have sears replace the end for you.
Bring the part, have them do it and align it.
Tell them to do just a front wheel alignment and keep it simple.

Rich

That's no fun at all, and doesn't increase my automotive education, but thanks.

Ken
The removal is fairly easy , look at it . The stud that the nut threads on is tapered to wedge into the arm, take off the nut , wack it hard a few times , yes you could use what some call a pickle fork , a tool designed to do the removal will also work, especially sense you will not be reusing that tierod end,the nudge to get turbo tierods would benefit you greatly, a little more involved than just replacing tierod ends.Also as others have mentioned , before screwing the old tierod end out , try to measure the distance from where the jam nut is up against the tube that goes back to the rack ( other tierod end ) to approxamately the center of the old tierod stud . If doing the turbo rods check some threads on the forum , there is all kinds of info on that setup ,more $$, but well worth it. good luck ...

Jack / Jaxdream

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If you beat on the threaded end, you'll likely never get it loose. The ball joint is a tapered fit into the arm on the spindle. You have to literally shock it loose unless you have the correct removal tool. "Pickle forks" don't really work all that well, and penetrating oil won't affect it as it's a press fit. We use a large ball peen hammer. Be sure you hit the "ring" at a right angle and really hard. Usually they come loose in 2-3 whacks, but sometimes they let go on the first attempt. If you don't even have to hit it, the nut was never tightened properly. When you install the new one, you may have to apply vertical pressure on the top of the tie rod end to get the stud to stop turning. Air tools are your friend in this case.

The Cap'n

Thanks guys...as always.

Speaking of alignment...the car drifts to the right if I let go of the wheel (haven't done the tie rod ends yet). If I take it to the local Merchant's Tire place, do they need specs for a 1970 914? Are such specs even useful considering I have much more wheel and tire than stock? Is this an easy alignment or should I look for a shop that preps race/AX 914s ?

easy. I did the shocks the ball joints, bearings, rotors and brakes in an afternoon. the ball joints didn't want to come out, either...

check you ball joints while you are under there too... if they look as bad as the tie-rod end, it's a no brainer...

Rick,

There was no nut on the threaded rod of the tie rod end...the sleeve it screws into had a split end (pinch type assembly). Once the tie rod end is threaded into the female end, you simply tighten the pinch assembly that's on the end of the tube. Is this different than what you're describing due to model year?

Also, "whacking" didn't work, so I went and bought a pickle fork tool and it came right out.

Also noticed that the ball joint bellows on the left side is also shot, so I guess Ill be replacing ball joints too. Are the joints different because I have a 911 front suspension?