Should Tie Rods Automatically Be Replaced?

[Bingster]

I hadn't gotten around to thinking about the tie rod ends on my '47 Desoto, but as I have all the other front wheel and brake parts, I wondered if while I'm in there, that I should just go ahead and replace the tie rod ends.

 

And, with so many vendors plus NOS, I'd want to go NOS or some American-made end, if they exist.  Or does it really matter?

 

As for adjusting the new ones.  If I made a mark on the connecting rod where the old end stopped on the thread, would the new one match it?

 

One really nice thing happened when I found a fella right in my tiny home town who works on flat heads. An older guy.  I'm very excited about firing up the engine sometime in the summer under his supervision.

[Niel Hoback]

If you are trying to keep the toe-in the same when changing tie rod ends, it might be better to take a measurement from the center of the stud to the other end of the tie rod. There could be differences in the length of the threaded part of the tie rod end that would change the distance from the end of the tie rod thread  to the center of the  stud.  Geez, could I make that more complicated?

[Bingster]

That's fine, thanks!

[YukonJack]

What I do when changing tie rod ends is take a hack saw and make a mark on the tie rod threads where it meets the sleeve before disassembly. Then I remove the tie rod end, lay it next to the new end and using the hack saw make a mark in the same position on the new end. When installing the new tie rod end screw it in until you reach the mark you just made. I've been doing this for years with out a problem. 

[Bingster]

Sounds very good! So, should I just go ahead and change them no matter what?

[desoto1939]

Binster:

 

This is rich Hartung send me your home email and I will look up the tie rods ends that you will need for your 47 Desoto. I am assuming that it is not the 7 passenger and or the suburban model.

 

Since you are taking the fron suspension apart and putting in new parts and i assume all new bushing upper and lower support arms and bushing then I would also do the tierods. You have the unit apart and you will also need to have it realigned so just bite the bullet and do it all at the same time and then you know that you have new components inthe front end.

 

Did you also get all of the other parts that you need for the front end?

 

Rich HArtung

desoto1939@aol.com

cell 484-431-8157

home 610-630-9188

[Don Coatney]

If it were me and the tie rod ends have no slop or free play I would not spend the money to replace them.

[RobertKB]

If it were me and the tie rod ends have no slop or free play I would not spend the money to replace them.

 

Like he said. So much depends on the condition.