When pressing out one of my tie rod ends from the upright I managed to screw up the threads for the bolt that screws in at the top. Is it safe to drive without the bolt? I'm planning on replacing that TRE soon anyway because it's pretty old so I won't be driving like that for long, if at all.

 

i was on a road trip from MN, to Delaware, in my buddy's 98 eclipse spyder GST.
We were in Pennsylvania i noticed a really bad shutter in my drivers front wheel. its 12am on a turnpike in the winter.

as soon as we got to a town, luckily there was this shop that is 24hours, able to look at my car.
because of my tierod end bolt missing, he told me my lugs were finger loose, meaning he removed my front wheel's 5lugs with his finger tips.
i feel we are talkign about a similar bolt.
so id assume, no its not.

edit: i did in fact drive the car for a good few miles(maybe 10) at 70+mph however had i got back on the turnpike, id prolly have died.lol

 

Hate to admit it but I had to drive a little while without that bolt, I snapped that top bolt in the TRE. I had no shutter or shake, and the tre never shifted and looked fine after I replaced it. The pinch bolt on the TRE also slides through a groove on the TRE so in my own opinion, it would be ok for a little while. But obviously they put it there for a reason, and its one of the most critical components connected to the wheel carrier.

 

oh i forgot to add, thanks dallas, that the shutter only happened at about 65mph+ and when turning to the right(i think) on the freeway.

it was freaky as hell tho.

anyways, if you need to get to a shop or take you around town, id suggest at least keeping it to no faster than 40mph max, temporarily of coarse.

 

A new outer TRE is like $20 at Autozone.

 

I'm in Canada, parts chains have it for over $80, cheapest I found locally was $45. You Americans get parts so cheap.

My thought is it's a small low-grade bolt so it can't be expected to hold much, if any load, but then again it is there so it must serve a purpose.

 

going back to my story of PA, when i had it fixed the mechanic used 2 regular Nuts, with some lock-tight and he told me i can replace it if want. however he also told me it should hold for life and would be a waste of money.lol

 

Lucky me, my local parts place gave me a full tierod assembly with all hardware for $60, so I'll be replacing the inner and outer as one piece. What's the procedure for replacing the whole assembly as one piece? (I don't wanna screw around with the end because it's probably rusted to the inner)

 

You'll probably need a new steering rack boot if you don't pull them apart, because pulling it over the outer tie rod end will probably rip it, and pulling it in past the rack-inner tie rod connection point will probably rip it. You will have to go to a dealer or order this. I couldn't find any in stock at my local parts stores.

 

Do you have to remove it to get to the inner tie rod connection or can you just compress it or something to get it out of the way? Nothing is stopping me from just cutting the tie rod assembly in half after I take it out because it's going in the trash anyway.

BTW: Local parts store has them but not in stock, this store also has bolts and stuff like that, nearly a complete OEM catalogue.