TIE ROD END - PRICE?

[48ply1stcar]

Has anyone noticed the difference in the price of tie rod-tie ends?

NAPA has three prices, 20, 50 and 100 dollars.  O'Reilly's 85 and 120.  Bernbaum $40.

Now I know you get what you pay for, but when car is a pile of rust, four tires and tie-rod ends I won't care.  Any opinions or suggestions?  I'm hoping to increase my annual mileage from zero to about 500.

For the past five years I have slowly been working on the interior and have the engine finally rebuilt.  

Just had my first hard look at the suspension in twenty years.  I discovered that I still had the suspension of a $75 car.  Now I have leaf springs and a king-pin set on it's way from Bernbaum.  I also need other bushings and tie-rod ends.

Thank god I retired 1 April.

 

 

[48ply1stcar]

Come on, anybody got a preference, I'm looking at buying the cheapest from NAPA they should be good for the lack of abuse they will receive.

Also, I got my King-pin set from Bernbaum that I ordered two days ago. 

[Dodgeb4ya]

if you can order two or three of them in and take a look to see what's different quality wise.

I  went to NAPA to buy a Lexus pencil coil.... got two prices... looked at the cheaper one... it was a factory Denso coil exactly the same as the double the priced Denso one!

Of course I purchased the cheaper one as it was a factory part.

Edited April 29, 2017 by Dodgeb4ya

[Dodgeb4ya]

You might look at Rock Auto too. They list different brands and prices....http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/plymouth,1948,p15+deluxe,3.6l+218cid+l6,1486874,steering,tie+rod+end,7428

[Tom Skinner]

I got mine at Bernbaum. About $40 a pop (all 4 @$168 w S&H). Damn good Tie Rod Ends. Chris is a big help. They are high Quality Tie Rod Ends.

I also got Pitman Arm Bushings and Took the Right Splash Shield off the Bottom of the Engine and Clened everything up and Painted it.

Then I went to Good Year and got a Front End Alignment. She Rides like a New Car now.

Tom

Edited April 30, 2017 by Tom Skinner

[JerseyHarold]

2 hours ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

You might look at Rock Auto too. They list different brands and prices....http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/plymouth,1948,p15+deluxe,3.6l+218cid+l6,1486874,steering,tie+rod+end,7428

There are two links in each product description.  One of them gives the application chart (list of makes and models the part fits) and the other gives photos and additional information.   If you study the pictures you can often pick the better part by reading the markings on it.  I did this a few weeks ago with the blower motor resistor on our '06 Stratus.  For a dollar more, I got the OEM part in a 'Wells' package.

[Flatie46]

4 hours ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

if you can order two or three of them in and take a look to see what's different quality wise.

I  went to NAPA to buy a Lexus pencil coil.... got two prices... looked at the cheaper one... it was a factory Denso coil exactly the same as the double the priced Denso one!

Of course I purchased the cheaper one as it was a factory part.

I like to lay parts on the counter and compare. This is what I hate about ordering online, you loose this option. I once compared the USA made brake rotors VS China made at  parts store. They laid 'em both on the counter, USA made was double the price. On the outside of the box one said "made in USA" the other said "made in China". I pulled em  both out of the boxes  and they both said " made in China" on the actual part.

 I wish ya luck, lots of options out there.  Congrads on your retirement.

[Dodgeb4ya]

I am saying to try to ask thelocal  parts counterman to order up the different brand parts to the parts store for  comparison if not all ready in the store.^^^^^^^

I do not generally buy the cheaper parts.

I buy the best quality parts that fit, work and are safe........Getting hard to find today for our old MoPars

.

Edited April 30, 2017 by Dodgeb4ya

[Cudan]

21 hours ago, 48ply1stcar said:

Come on, anybody got a preference, I'm looking at buying the cheapest from NAPA they should be good for the lack of abuse they will receive.

Also, I got my King-pin set from Bernbaum that I ordered two days ago. 

hi, i am curious about the quality of the kingpinset, because i also need them for my p 15  1948.

please let me know your experience with this set from bernbaum.

Dan

[Andydodge]

Cudan..............before you order from anyone check the "King Pin Saga" thread on this forum..........it seems that there are kingpin sets around that have a slightly oversize kingpin which can make life difficult due to the oversize pin not fitting thru the spindle or support and also issues with the area on the kingpin where the kingpin lock pin fits being smaller or incorrectly placed.........read this thread and I'd be questioning any supplier regarding these potential problem areas..........regards, andyd

[Dartgame]

When I replaced the tie rods on my 52, I found that several were not too expensive (the inners ?) and were actually parts used on dodge pickups from the early 60's (IIRC). It seems the drivers outer is the most expensive and I got both outers for 80 or 90$ For the pair.

[Cudan]

11 hours ago, Andydodge said:

Cudan..............before you order from anyone check the "King Pin Saga" thread on this forum..........it seems that there are kingpin sets around that have a slightly oversize kingpin which can make life difficult due to the oversize pin not fitting thru the spindle or support and also issues with the area on the kingpin where the kingpin lock pin fits being smaller or incorrectly placed.........read this thread and I'd be questioning any supplier regarding these potential problem areas..........regards, andyd

Hi Andy, thanks i read it and because of that tread i asked the q about the kingpin of bernbaum. I am curious his experience with it.

 

Dan

[48ply1stcar]

This week I'm going to decide whether to replace the king pins myself.

I have been looking at buying tie-rods ends from Rockauto.  Apparently, I don't understand what I need.  It appears that there is a right front and a left front, but you can use either for inner tie rods.  Bernbaum list four different numbers.  I tried NAPA and they were also confusing.  Is it possible that Inner tie-rods are purchased based on the placement of the grease zert.  It's cold here in Minneapolis, so I don't feel like getting under the car.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Be careful about the modern Chinese replacement tie rod rubber boots. They can crack after installation. Just re-did a job because of this issue.

The rubber is made out of clay and other bad things swept off the floors of the factory..

 

[Mike36]

Now it is becoming clear why their population is so high.

[Niel Hoback]

That's gotta hurt!

[desoto1939]

Here is the information that you need:

 

According to my Toledo Steel Suspension Catalog for 1942-48 Plymouth. you need the following tie rod end both Right and Left of each series.

I did a serach on ebay just a few minutes ago and here is what I found.

All ties rods manufacturers used the same numbering system

ES60 was used ont he right side or the car and ES131 was on the left side of the car.

ES60 r&l  right and left on ebay for $30 for the pair and these are old stock not remanufacturer

ES131 r&l   $25 for the pair NOS good old american made

 

ES60 is a common tierod end.

The collecting of the various catalogs has come to save the day again.

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[48ply1stcar]

Rich, Thanks for the information.

A blinding glimpse of the obvious AND WRONG.

Last night I woke up in the middle of the night with the thought and maybe the realization that the L and R relate to the grease zert position. This probably not news to everyone else.  With the tie rod flat on a table and the bolt facing up it appears that the zert is to the left or right of the rod stem. (??????)

Last night I laid down on the garage floor and looked at my tie-rod ends. All of the grease zerts face to the front of the car, therefore the ends are from my left-to-right: Pass outer, left; pass inner, right; driver inner, right; and driver outer, left.  Also I found when I grease the driver's side outer tie-rod zert points toward the King-Pin and is inconvenient.

So now when I order the MOOG tie-rod ends from RockAuto I will order one left and three rights.

Thanks every one for your input, even you Mike and Neil.

Edited May 2, 2017 by 48ply1stcar
Correction

[Niel Hoback]

It has to do with left and right hand threads. Two of each. Zerks can be anywhere you can reach them.

[48ply1stcar]

10 minutes ago, Niel Hoback said:

It has to do with left and right hand threads. Two of each. Zerks can be anywhere you can reach them.

Well that's the answer I have been looking for all along.

[Dave72dt]

Quality on the outside may not be much different.  it's the quality of the working part of the product that matters.  As far as tie rod ends go there is a difference in the quality of the finish and materials on the internal parts that rub against each other.  A coarser finish will wear faster than a more polished surface and you can't see that by looking at the outside.  At 500 miles per year you may never wear the cheaper ones out in your lifetime.,  Planning a cross country trip, I'd spring for the better ones.

[desoto1939]

Go with the ones that were listed on the bay that I found for you. The Good old stock had better materials and had the leather boot and not the crap junk from overseas.

So you asked about price in your first posting. So think this way do you want to depend on  some cheap items in which the steering is control for your car or for something that you know will last and is of great quality. You make the deciding factor. 

Rich Hartung