Hi,

I am trying to remove the tie rods from my manual rack, the FSM says:

"remove the tie rods using wrench. At this time, the pins will be pushed up by the rack. Remove the pins."

I can't even budge the tie rods. Is there something I am missing here??

Thanks,
-nate

 

Anyone mess with tie rods recently?

 

Has anyone just drilled out the pins? If so...where do you get replacements?? I didn't see them listed for sale in the catalogs I have...

-n

 

you should be able to remove the cotter pins with a pair of dykes.


Thats how I do it.

Mark

 

They're not cotter pins...its the pins that are in the steering rack itself. They are almost flush with the surface, and even with dykes or plyers you can't grip any of it.

 

try a metal punch to hammer them out. then you need a big assed wrench to turn the inner tierod sleeve

 

They don't go all the way through...otherwise I would have punched them out.

I'm thinking not alot of people have done this??

-n

 

i dont know man but ill be tackling this same problem in a couple of weeks, i guess ill see what happens..

 

all i can suggest is pentrating fluid and a pin punch with a hammer. They should come out but i have never worked on a RX-7's tie rods before...

 

Outer tie rod ends? Many people have done this.... just straighten the pin and pull it through.

Hitting it with a punch is just going to bend the pin more and make it harder to get out.

 

I don't think you guys are listening...take a look at this picture:

http://www.clowar.com/locost/Images/RX-7_Rack.jpg

NOT the tie rod end with the cotter pin. The TIE ROD its attached to the rack with a pin that does NOT go all the way through the rack. Its not a cotter pin. You can't hammer it out.

 

I'm about to de-power my steering rack and I plan to (carefully) drill those pins out. They're like $.85/ea from Mazda to replace (part # FB01-32-241). I have the rack on the workbench right now about to be disassembled...

-chris

 

Let me know how it goes. I tried drilling them out as well...didn't go so good...even being really careful the drill bits broke, and I never got them out. Just gave up on it for now. Ug.

 

I replaced both of my inner tie rods...

Infact...I did me a write up :P

https://www.rx7club.com/search.php?searchid=2841202

James

 

Hold up .... do you guys see pictures in my write up ....

I put them in there...but I dont see red Xs or anything....

 

I got one drilled out tonight. I actually drilled through from the other side. I went through two 7/64" bits...you have to go very slow and even. I now have a hole all the way through the rack end and the tie rod end. When it goes back together I'll use a pin that will go through the whole thing.

-chris

 

You should have taken them off with it mounted. But then again I did take 2 off my spare rack and it was not mounted. Put it in a vice and get your 24mm wrench(i believe it is) and turn it hard. It will unscrew and the lock pins will pop-out. It's not really that hard. Just turn harder, put a little effort into it.