tips for setting the tie rod adjusting bolts
 

I went to replace my tie rods with new units. From the start the pieces are not the same. I put them on the car, used the adj. screw all the way until no threads are showing and the front tires are still toe in at about 10 degrees's both sides. Way to far to even drive to a garage to actually set the alignment up right. When I adjust the screw the other way it will increase the already terrible toe in.

Some one has to know what I missed to caused the fron tow to become so off.

pic of the new and old tie rods
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...7/IMG_3237.jpg

okay, what year and model of car? power or manual rack?

I think you got the wrong parts... different bend aside, look at the difference in length from the center of the balljoint to the end of the part where the threads go in.

The tie rod end on the right is the wrong part.

The one on the left is the typical inner tie rod end. The one of the right is far too long. Pic of the outer end stolen from Advanced Auto parts:

http://www.partsamerica.com/product_...s2400l_top.jpg

this is in a first gen rx7 with manual steering.

THinking about it now... I think I put the inside on the outside and the outside on the inside. I'm going to go swap those once it cools down and see, I'm almost positive that is what went wrong.

Does anyone know if the inside tie rod is larger then the outter tie rod ?

I'm not sure it would make any difference in the toe setting if you had them backwards. The overall length would still be the same. Check the parts and make sure you don't have something longer than what it should be.

I'm hoping you goofed when you took that pic, and had an inner and an outer.

Worst case scenario, cut the adjust rod to shorten it as needed. Just make sure you don't leave yourself short. :)

Oh yeah, when you installed the adjuster into the tie rod ends, did you count the turns so that each end would have the same number of threads?

I'm either reading this wrong or completely out of it. If you adjusted them so that no threads are showing you are toeing IN the wheels by shortening the distance b/w the rack and steering arm.

Nope, on a 1st gen shortening the tie rod will increase toe out. ;) They steer from the rear of the hub, rather than the front.