Inner Tie Rod 2006 Aveo Hatchback with Automatic Transmission

[L88]

Attached is a picture of the right hand inner tie rod that I removed from my vehicle. In this Aveo forum site I have seen it stated that inner tie rods are not replaceable and that is an inaccurate statement. I bought my Moog part from Rock Auto online. What is interesting is that after overcoming the initial torque of the tightened inner tie rod while using a 1/2" breaker bar that it stopped loosening. Ultimately acetylene torch heat had to be applied to the outside surface that the male tie rod threaded in to and a very long lever arm breaker bar used to overcome what you can see was an internal thread failure, very unusual. Then I cleaned up the internally damaged threads with a M16 x 1.5 tap (this is an uncommon tap size so beware). Everything went back together just fine, the vehicle was realigned and all is well. Kevin

[Daox]

Thanks for the info and update Kevin!

[avguy]

Wow, that thread appears to be really mangled and almost looks like it somehow cross-threaded. Did it lose a lot of material in the cleanup process? Any wiggle room as you were rethreading it back in? Thanks for sharing this info!

[flood404]

Sorry to revive this thread but this is a heads up.

I have a 2004 that needed alignment. I was told I had to replace both inner and outer tierods because they were rusted together.
I bought the tierod removal tool from harbor freight and it uses the 1 1/4 inch crows foot. Well I did the driver side and it was alittle hard to remove but I got it off. A few threads were torn up like that. But when it came to do the passenger side. I was able to get the initial torque off and it spun about 2 turns then seized up. Which I tried spinning it back and forth and wounded up stripping out the the 4 flat spots on the inner tierod for the crows foot to lock onto. So right now I had to remove the Rack and pinion which isn't that easy. I had to have 3 friends stand on the rack while I used a pipe wrench with my foot to get it off and it looks exactly as the original poster have for pictures. I would have to clean out the threads as best as I can and use blue loctite on the new inner tierod. The next time if the inners are rusted together with the outer ones. The rack is getting replaced instead. I hope coating the jam nuts and the threaded parts with anti seize will prevent this from happening.

[gingerdyde]

I'm also sorry for reviving a dead thread. Tonight I went to do the inner tie rods on my girlfriend's Aveo and had the exact same issue on the passenger side.

The first few threads on the rack itself are pretty full of crud, so I am hoping that a tap will fix the problem.

My advice is to beware when you pull these inners out and they start to get hard to remove. This is what will happen.

How did your rack threads look? Since it has been awhile did they hold up, or would it be risky and should I consider replacing the rack itself?

[gingerdyde]

I figured it would be helpful to share some pictures as well.

Here's the old tie rod threads:



Here's the new tie rod threads:



Here's a few shots of the end of the rack:

[flood404]

Well what I done was just thread in the new tierod and use blue loctite on the new inner rod threads. Since the thread chaser was an odd size. Then wrench the crap out of it until its tight. It never came off and its been like that for a year. Of course it will mangle up the new inner tie rod threads as you tighten it making removal a impossible job or a really PITA to remove. Then I would cake the treads where the inner screws into the outter tierod and its nut for the alignment adjustment with anti seize so you do not need to replace the inner ones again.

If you want to replace this rack and pinion I would just get a new power steering hose for $20 and and return line for a few bucks while your at it. Since they torque the fittings on the steering gear very tight. IT will require lowering the subframe to get room to remove it. At least the steering shaft is easy to unbolt from steering wheel with no dust boots in the way. Just do not turn the steering wheel once you disconnect it or you will be replacing a clock spring for the horn and airbag system.

[gingerdyde]

Alright, I'm glad to hear your repair is holding up well still. I liberally applied red locktite to the driver's side inner tie rod threads. These lasted 110k miles, if the car makes it to 220k the rack will just be replaced. I haven't put the outers on yet, but I will definitely put some anti seize on.

The biggest problem with mine isn't that the hole is stripped out. It's more that the old tie rod left a decent amount of its threads literally stuck (melted?) to the very first few threads of the rack. I can't even get the new tie rod to catch on the rack to start turning. I'm going to try and pick up a tap like OP and see if it helps.

The other thing I was thinking was to just drill out those first few threads. If you look at the tie rod, the thread ends before it reaches the "bolt" part, so threads wouldn't even be holding there even if the threads were perfect.

She doesn't even have a horn anymore, but don't want to destroy the airbag. I'll just tie it somehow. Hopefully it doesn't come to that though.

[flood404]

If you can't get the tierod to start threading you will need to tap or chase the threads out then. Good luck on finding one. Or try using a pick to remove the metal shavings off the threads the old inner tierod left behind. Just enough to get the tierod started in the rack.









Since this car has 110k miles on it you should replace the rear brake shoes once you got this done.
My friend bought his 2004 aveo with 120k miles and the 3rd day of owning it the driver rear brake shoe friction material came unglued from the metal support and locked up the wheel. I found this is very common with the stock brakes that came with the car. It required 1 whole day to use a slide hammer and axle puller to get it off if that happens. Even though the shoes looked good you can peel off most of the friction material with your fingers or a small flathead screw driver.

I recommend getting autozone's $50 brake drum with new bearing that is sealed for life with it since his came with serviceable ones. You will need a axle nut socket to remove the nut.

[gingerdyde]

Luckily I found a tap at Napa in Naperville and some proper sized bolts to test the threads at that Home Depot so I am heading that way to grab them.

Good thing you said that because I am doing the front brakes. And I did pull the backs off and think to myself "Oh these are fine!". Ugh I HATE replacing drum brakes too.