🔧 Journey - Outer Tie Rod End Replacement

The outer tie rod end connects your steering rack to the steering knuckle and lets the wheels turn left/right. Replacing it restores safe steering and helps prevent uneven tire wear and wandering.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1-2 hours (per side)

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support the Journey on jack stands—never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Keep hands clear when separating the tie rod end; parts can “pop” loose suddenly.
• ⚠️ Do not turn the steering wheel with the tie rod disconnected.
• ⚠️ Get a professional alignment after this repair to prevent rapid tire wear.
• 🔋 Battery disconnect is not required.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• 1/2" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (30-200 ft-lbs)
• 18mm socket
• 19mm socket
• Adjustable wrench (10")
• Pliers
• Ball joint separator fork (specialty)
• Hammer (16 oz)
• Wire brush
• Penetrating oil
• Paint marker
• Tape measure
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Outer tie rod end - Qty: 1
• Cotter pin - Qty: 1
• Anti-seize compound - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and place wheel chocks behind the rear tires.
• Spray penetrating oil on the tie rod end jam nut and the tie rod stud nut 5–10 minutes before disassembly.
• Have your new tie rod end ready to compare length and thread size with the old one.
• Ball joint separator fork: a wedge tool to pop tapers loose.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Assumption: Torque specs below are best-effort typical Journey values; verify with factory service info if available.

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and lift the front

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to loosen the front wheel lug nuts about 1/2 turn.
• Lift the front with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the front jacking point.
• Set the vehicle onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) and give it a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the wheel

• Remove the lug nuts using a 21mm socket and 1/2" drive ratchet.
• Remove the wheel and set it under the vehicle as an extra safety backup.

Step 3: Mark the current adjustment

• Use a paint marker to mark the position of the jam nut on the inner tie rod threads.
• Use a tape measure to measure from the center of the tie rod end stud to a fixed point (like the inner tie rod end or a thread reference) and write it down.
• This helps keep toe close for the drive to alignment.

Step 4: Loosen the jam nut

• Use an adjustable wrench (10") to hold the inner tie rod, and use a 19mm socket with 1/2" drive ratchet (or the adjustable wrench) to loosen the jam nut.
• Back the jam nut off 1–2 turns, but do not move it far yet.

Step 5: Remove the cotter pin and stud nut

• Straighten and remove the cotter pin using pliers.
• Use an 18mm socket and 1/2" drive ratchet to remove the tie rod end stud nut from the steering knuckle.

Step 6: Separate the tie rod end from the knuckle

• Place the ball joint separator fork (specialty) between the tie rod end and the steering knuckle.
• Strike the fork with a hammer (16 oz) until the taper pops loose.
• If needed, apply more penetrating oil and try again.

Step 7: Count turns and remove the old tie rod end

• Spin the tie rod end off by hand, counting the exact number of turns until it comes off.
• Use a wire brush to clean the inner tie rod threads.

Step 8: Install the new tie rod end

• Apply a light coat of anti-seize compound to the threads (avoid getting it on the stud taper).
• Thread the new tie rod end on the same number of turns you counted during removal.
• Insert the stud into the steering knuckle.

Step 9: Tighten the stud nut and install a new cotter pin

• Tighten the tie rod end stud nut using an 18mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 65 Nm (48 ft-lbs).
• Install a new cotter pin using pliers and bend the ends over securely.
• If the cotter pin hole doesn’t line up, tighten slightly more—do not loosen to align.

Step 10: Set the jam nut

• Hold the tie rod end with an adjustable wrench (10").
• Tighten the jam nut using a 19mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 75 Nm (55 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Reinstall the wheel and lower the vehicle

• Reinstall the wheel and hand-tighten lug nuts using a 21mm socket.
• Lower the vehicle using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench: Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• Start the Journey and turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock while parked; listen for clunks or binding.
• Road test at low speed first. Confirm the steering wheel is centered and the vehicle doesn’t pull.
• Schedule a front-end alignment as soon as possible (same day is ideal).
• Recheck the jam nut and lug nut torque after a short drive.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $180-$350 (parts + labor + basic alignment)

DIY Cost: $35-$120 (parts only)

You Save: $60-$250 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.5 hours per side.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.