car details:
2002 jag x-type, 3.0, left hand drive

ok so i had to get my trani replaced and once i got my car back it no longer drove straight and was pulling to the right...so i took my car for an alignment on fri

i got a phone call after an hour advising that the tie rods were seized and that they needed to be replaced in order to do the alignment

i got them to replace the outter tie rods...... costed me $465 (canadian currency)

my question is... IF I REPLACED THE OUTTER TIE RODS IS IT NECESSARY TO GET THE ROD ITSELF (INNER TIE ROD) REPLACED AS WELL????
(hopefully what im asking even makes sense) PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS...

i've spent enough money on this car within the last few months and i would really like to avoid taking it in to get inspected

 

2 things.
when your tranny was replaced they DID NOT get the subframe back in square. (same original position) It has to be dropped to do the tranny, and if put back in the body more to the left or right, it throws off the camber. 1 side has more negative, 1 less. In your case the subframe is more to the left. Dropping the neg camber on left, raising the camber on the right which causes a camber push to the right. They should have marked the location to get right back in the same spot. This is one of those Jaguar experianced things.
2) if the tie rods are seized(common in your area or any area with salty roads) how are they gonna get them off? Simple they heat them, and if they heat them, thay can then turn them and do the alignment. Lube well when loose and make sure they are fully cool before doing the alignment cause heated parts expand and as they cool will change the toe settings they just did from the alignment. We have to heat tie rods occasionaly and only reaplce if they still wont budge, or are worn out.
And no you dont change the inner tie rods only the outer

 

you rock brutal, just sayin

 

do u suggest i take it back to where i got the trani replaced? i already complained to them the first day i got the car back and all they did was adjust my steering wheel... basically they tried to do a easy fix
oh and the best part is they said there was nothing they could have done to my car that would have messed the alignment
my car drove dead on before i did the trani and even now after i got an alignment it's still not even 100%.... it's such a pi$$ off

can any garage just look up the specs and do it? how hard of a job is it?

 

AGREED!

 

theyre right, They cant do anything to mess up your alignment........EXCEPT shift the subframe....
Its an easy fix. all they have to do is loosen the 4 subframe bolts, use a large pry bar to pry the subframe over to the right and retighten while holding in place. You would not believe how many cars I have fixed this way over the years for alignment issues, hard curb hits etc...

 

you know this forum has really taught me alot. mostly that there are alot of people out there that have no idea what theyre doing. Maybe techs should go to school for 8+ years like doctors.....nah, but it sure as hell does help when you work on the same cars day after day

 

YES I WISH YOU COULD FIX MINE!
honestly, half the places ive taken my car to have no idea how to work on a jag.... and going to jaguar to fix something small turns into an insane bill each time...

even when i took my car to jag they didnt tighten something properly and my car over heated with me............

 

i think that's a general statement about life lol

i dont no much about jags, but im trying to learn
for a girl im not too bad lol

 

hey no ones perfect.....I put a remote battery in backwards on a new Xk today...that was alittle embarassing...But the customer new they pulled me off 1 car to stop and fix his and I was rushed, you know what they say...Haste makes waste...we both laughed and it was only another 15 seconds wait.
I also worked on a car today(Xtype) that had new brakes, pads and rotors front and rear, along with a new left rear caliper from and independant shop. When I asked him about it, he said they called and said he needed a new one cause it was frozen and the piston wouldnt turn in. "uhm I hate to tell you but we NEVER have to replace calipers. But others do cause they dont realise that that the left side turns in COUNTER CLOCKWISE not clockwise like the right side...So you bought a caliper you didnt need!"