Fix It

Explore » home» 95 » a » accord » change » how » on » outer » rod » the » tie » to » How to Change the Outer Tie Rod on a 95 Accord

---

How to Change the Outer Tie Rod on a 95 Accord

The outer tie rods ends on the 1995 Honda Accord connect the steering system to the integral knuckles of the front wheels. Wear and tear on the ball sockets of the outer tie rods will eventually weaken them, causing them to become loose. This symptom will give a slight to major back-and-forth movement of the tire and compromise the tire wear and the steering of the vehicle. While replacing the outer tie rod is not overly difficult, the car should have a front-end alignment after any major steering component has been replaced.

Instructions

1

Apply the parking brake and loosen the lug nuts on the wheel one-half turn counterclockwise, using the breaker bar and a 19 mm wrench.

2

Hoist the vehicle up with the car jack and support the Accord onto a jack stand. Remove the lug nuts and wheel.

3

Remove the cotter pin from the ball shaft of the outer tie rod with a pair of cutting dikes or a set of needle-nose pliers.

4

Make a mark on the threads of the inner tie rod with a permanent marker where the outer tie rod lock nut ends. This mark will keep the front-end alignment close to its original position until an alignment can be performed on the vehicle.

5

Hold the base of the outer tie rod with one wrench and turn the lock nut on the threaded shaft of the inner tie rod counterclockwise just enough to break it free.

6

Loosen the castle nut from the ball shaft of the tie rod end, at the knuckle, using the breaker bar and metric socket. Loosen the nut until it covers the top threads of the ball shaft.

7

Strike the castle nut on the ball shaft with a hammer until the ball socket of the tie rod separates from the integral knuckle. Remove the castle nut and allow the outer tie rod to drop down from the knuckle.

8

Unscrew the outer tie rod from the threads of the inner tie rod and then unscrew the lock nut from the inner tie rod.

9

Thread the new lock nut, supplied with the replacement outer tie rod, onto the threads of the inner tie rod up to the permanent marker mark. Thread the replacement outer tie rod onto the inner tie rod up to the lock nut, but align the outer tie rod so the ball shaft is standing in an upward position.

10

Place the ball shaft of the tie rod through the integral knuckle. The ball shaft of the replacement tie rod will be stiff and hard to move by hand. If necessary, place the old castle nut on the threads of the new tie rod ball shaft and gently tap it to manipulate its angle until it aligns to the hole of the knuckle. Remove and discard the old castle nut.

11

Thread the replacement castle nut, supplied with the replacement outer tie rod, onto the threads of the ball shaft and tighten with the breaker bar and a metric socket. Tighten the nut securely and align the notches of the castle nut to the pre-drilled hole in the top of the ball shaft.

12

Insert the replacement cotter pin, supplied with the replacement outer tie rod, through the ball shaft hole and notches of the castle nut. Bend the ends of the cotter pin over the top of the nut and ball shaft with the cutting dikes or needle-nose pliers.

13

Tighten the lock nut on the inner tie rod threads to the base of the outer tie rod, using the two metric wrenches---one to hold the base of the outer tie rod and the other to tighten the nut to the base.

14

Replace the wheel and lug nuts. Snug the lug nuts tightly to the knuckle and then lower the Accord to the ground.

15

Tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern, using the torque ratchet set at 80 foot-pounds and a 19 mm socket.