I need help on how to remove the Inner tie rods on a 2004 X type. What tool do I need and does anybody have any pics or write up on how to do it. Thanks so much in advance.

 

rainbowboy,

You can rent a inner tie rod tool from any auto parts store. After the tire is off take a measurement from the nut of the tie-rod end to a location somewhere on the engine or frame. This will be your reference point to put the tie-rod end back on. Loosen the nut on the rod that is against the tie-rod end. Remove the lower nut on the tie-rod end. Take off the tie-rod end. The easiest way to loosen the tie-rod end from the control arm is to hit the control arm where the tie-rod is inserted in the control arm with a hammer. Hit it with just enough force - tap 1st, then increasing harder. Next will be the boot that covers the inner tie-rod. There's a small metal band on the rod and a larger one on the other end of the boot. A pair of needle nose of channel locks should take them off. Mine were damaged during this process. I put a black electrical tie back on to hold it.

Now the special tool. This tool is a 2 piece. The 1st piece is place on the nut of the inner tie-rod. The 2nd piece is a long tube, place this over the tie-rod and over the 1st piece of the tool. A 3/8" ratchet or breaker bar is used to turn the long tube. This can be knuckle buster, so be careful where you place your hand when holding the tube.

Put back in the reverse order. The measurement for putting the tie-rod end will get you back on the road, but an alignment is highly recommended.

 

It is also highly recommended to hold the rack (the part to which the inner tie rod attaches) with a wrench with opposing force while loosening the inner tie rod. Otherwise, the rack gearteeth are smashing against the pinion teeth and may cause damage.

 

is there any way of doing this without the tool, is it essential or just useful. i'm having trouble trying to find one locally.

 

With the right tools you can do it without the tie rod tool. It is harder to do and very easy to damage something. You have to be able to hold the shaft/rack side of things, then get on the tie rod and turn it without stripping the surfaces you've put your giant open end wrench on. Not worth it. The tool is super easy to find/buy/rent/or get loaned out.

 

RhinoTH, bore da.

Amazon.co.uk has one here is the link

 

For the love of god don't do it without the tool, you're looking into a weekend job and could make it into a month long venture

 

Yes well, I have to support DrRedAxel on this one. Use the tool. Get the tool. Order the tool. Borrow the tool. Steal the tool if you have to, but don't do the job without it. Trust me on this one, even if you buy the tool and only use it once it WILL pay for itself in the amount of frustration and time you will save over trying to remove the tie rod with some bodged together contraption. The risk of damaging the rack is very high if you try to remove the rod using anything other than the proper tool, it's simply not worth destroying a $600 rack over a $50 tie rod. And you can always sell the tool on Ebay when you are done with it if you want.

I've had my inner tie rod tool for 25 years now and maybe used it 3 or 4 times. But I am glad I had it each and every time.

 

Finally got around to it this weekend. Here is the procedure I used to replace the inner tie rods on my 2004 X type (115,000 miles). Both sides had excessive play and needed to be swapped. Note the pics show the left (driver) side. The workspace on the right side is substantially smaller and narrower, so if you are replacing both I would get comfortable with the left first.