Berlina Tie Rod Ends

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

       You need to get the car up in the air to replace the tie rod ends.  
Break down and buy a couple of jack stands and a floor jack.  Sears 
advertises a 3 ton jack with 2 stands set for $50 up to $100.
       You will also need to buy a tie rod removal tool.  I am not big on the 
pickle fork that wedges between the pitman arm and the tie rod end as they 
tear the rubber boots.  Plus they do not always work if you cannot get the 
proper angle to beat on them with a BFH.  I prefer the screw type tie rod 
tool.  These are available at the usual Alfa parts suppliers.  I have not had 
luck finding generic ones that work at the local auto parts stores.
       Measure the length of each tie rod and the center link before you take 
things apart.  Try to get the links back to about the same length.  After you 
are done, make sure the tires are aimed somewhere close to straight by 
eyeball and drive it immediately to an alignment shop.
       There is no adjustment on tie rod ends.  You just replace them, which 
if you can detect any movement, you need to do.  I normally squeeze them with 
a large pair of water pump pliers.

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City


In a message dated 10/14/2002 2:03:08 PM Central Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:



> 
> Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 09:57:04 -0700
> From: "Damian Magista" <magista@domain.elided>
> Subject: Berlina Tie Rod Ends
> 
> My Berlinas steering has got lots of play in it. No surprise for a car
> that old. I crawled under it yesterday and poked around a bit. Here's
> what I found...the tie rod ends that are closest to the steering box
> (drivers side) are sagging and have lots of play. I can grab and move
> 'em around with my hand. 
> 
> Holding the ends to the steering box lever (for lack of the proper
> technical term)there seems to be a castellated nut w/ cotter pin. I
> imagine I just pull the pin and undo the nut. Undo the ends from the
> main rod and install the new ones. This seems fairly straight forward to
> me. 
> 
> Is this something I can do without jacking the car up? I guess the
> question is are there any tricks I should know about so I don't kill
> myself. 
> 
> Also, I don't imagine that there is anyway to tighten the ends back down
> until I can have them replaced or is this impossible? Either way I'm not
> really driving the car until the exhaust and tie rod ends have been
> taken care of. 
> 
> Thanks, 
> 
> Damian 
> 
> Damian Magista
> 87 Milano Gold
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