Why does no one replace inner tie rods?

[Menace Kustoms]

So, my rack is leaking at the inner boot. There's also a little play on that side, so the inner tie-rod end is shot. My question is, why do you guys jump to replacing the whole rack? Inners aren't to bad to replace, is there something else I'm missing? It seems that it's popular to rebuild the stock starter and axles when at all possible, but why not the rack?

 

[squabeggz]

If your rack is leaking power steering fluid from the boot, the inner seals are shot. Rebuilding a steering rack is way more complex than just replacing the ITRE. If you are just getting play from the ITRE, then yes, just replace them. If there is play from within the rack, the seals and internals are shot and replacement with a quality rebuild or new OEM are the only ways to tighten that back up. If the leak is not too bad, you can sometimes tighten things up, temporarily, by replacing the steering rack guide and other rack bushings.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Lots of us replace our ITRE's. I did it once when I re-did my whole front end, then ended up replacing them again when my new rack came with ITRE's already installed. ITRE's and steering racks are completely separate replacement reasons.

If you have play, you need to figure out if it is actually the ITRE or the rack itself. You can't just assume it's the ITRE.

 

[SWOLF]

If your rack is leaking power steering fluid from the boot, the inner seals are shot. Rebuilding a steering rack is way more complex than just replacing the ITRE. If you are just getting play from the ITRE, then yes, just replace them. If there is play from within the rack, the seals and internals are shot and replacement with a quality rebuild or new OEM are the only ways to tighten that back up. If the leak is not too bad, you can sometimes tighten things up, temporarily, by replacing the steering rack guide and other rack bushings.

X2

I just replaced the rack bushings and guide on mine. If the rack leaks replace it. I have rebuilt racks and for me its not worth the time spent to save a few bucks.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Does replacing the "steering rack" by default involve replacing the tie rods?

I didn't think so and I could be wrong but your original post implies that replacing the rack means the inner and outer tie rods.

What I though happened was when a shop replaces the steering rack they just reuse the factory tie rods.

 

[Menace Kustoms]

Does replacing the "steering rack" by default involve replacing the tie rods?

I didn't think so and I could be wrong but your original post implies that replacing the rack means the inner and outer tie rods.

What I though happened was when a shop replaces the steering rack they just reuse the factory tie rods.

FYI, your post comes off a little combative and I'm not sure why that was needed. I was asking an honest question. I didn't imply anything about outer tie-rod ends, I just replaced those when I did my ball joints. I just know as a mechanic at a shop, I've done several other vehicles, mostly Silverados, where the ITRE fixed the leak in a rack. Almost every rack I've seen for sale comes with ITRE, so yes, to me replacing the rack means ITRE, not OTRE.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Dude I was legitimately confused. No combat intended lol.

I didn't replace my own rack, it was done by a shop at about 140k but I always assumed these, including the inner tie rods were separately replaced.

I'm a bit skeptical about rebuilt racks now. I had my original replaced at ~140k miles, then again at around 190k some years later, then 6 months ago I replaced my inner and outer tie rods with brand new Toyota parts. Steers like new now.

 

[Nelsonmd]

I didn't read any combativeness in his reply either, I think you must have misread something.

I can't quite reason through why fixing an ITRE would affect a leak in the steering rack. I can comprehend and ITRE causing damage to the rack, but I can't think of how it would fix a leak.

When I replaced my rack, I found that the autozone ITRE's I had installed a few years ago didn't have enough travel, and the ITRE had some deformation from too much droop (See Here). Bottoming out the ITRE like this I would certainly think would damage the rack, and I kind of suspect that might be why my rack failed. I don't know 100% that the OEM ITRE has more travel, but I'd have to assume it would. If it does, then maybe that would explain why the OEM ITRE is so ridiculously expensive...

My rack also came with ITRE's, but in my research, not all of them did. It's nice that they do, but I don't know what brand ITRE my rack came with, and I don't know yet if they have enough travel to prevent the kind of bottoming out I was on my last set of ITRE's.

 

[BrianSD_42]

I'm pretty skeptical that a $400-$450 rebuilt rack would have $300 worth of OEM ITREs.

I suspect my replacement rack had either used or aftermarket ITREs.

I know one user (Texas?) Bought a rebuilt OEM rack from Camelback. I do wonder if that investment had better parts.

 

[nevada]

Does replacing the "steering rack" by default involve replacing the tie rods?

I didn't think so and I could be wrong but your original post implies that replacing the rack means the inner and outer tie rods.

What I though happened was when a shop replaces the steering rack they just reuse the factory tie rods.

they come with the inners installed. on a very rare occasion they will come with new outers also.

FYI, your post comes off a little combative and I'm not sure why that was needed. I was asking an honest question. I didn't imply anything about outer tie-rod ends, I just replaced those when I did my ball joints. I just know as a mechanic at a shop, I've done several other vehicles, mostly Silverados, where the ITRE fixed the leak in a rack. Almost every rack I've seen for sale comes with ITRE, so yes, to me replacing the rack means ITRE, not OTRE.

nope. that didn't happen.

I didn't read any combativeness in his reply either, I think you must have misread something.

I can't quite reason through why fixing an ITRE would affect a leak in the steering rack. I can comprehend and ITRE causing damage to the rack, but I can't think of how it would fix a leak.

it wouldn't. they are completely unrelated.

 

[1985taylor1925]

When I was working through my front end issues a few years ago, I replaced my ITRs before replacing the rack. But my rack was bad as well. You can diagnose that accurately by removing the rack boots and watching the inner shaft as you turn the steering wheel back and forth. Turned out that the rack was bad too.

And regarding rebuilt racks, I would highly recommend steering clear of them. Im on my second one now, and they have both been absolute garbage. I have a brand new Safari rack, along with a plethora of other parts in my shed waiting to be installed