ok, I'm removing my inner and outer tie rods. Let me run my steps by you:

1. remove cotter pin from outer tie rod and remove 17mm nut
2. remove the outside clip on the bellow/boot
3. remove the ring on the inside part of the bellow (which is holding it to the rack)
4. pull the bellow towards the outer tie rod
5. unscrew the inner tie rod (which will be removed with the outer tie rod as well)

really simple.

My questions are:

1. when I did step (4) above, some fluid began to drip, is this ok?
2. can I remove my inner tie rod without removing the outer tie rod? (after all, I wanna remove both, the inner and outer tie rods)
3. on the manual, it says that after you do step (4) above, that you're supposed to remove the feed tube from the gear housing, remove the end plug, and only then you can remove the inner tie rod. Is it necessary to do all these things to get the inner tie rod out?

 

I'm gonna answer my own questions in case someone else has them:

1. yes, it's ok to have some fluid drip (it won't gush out or anything, it'll just drip a little bit)

2. you can remove the inner tie rod without removing the outer tie rod and bellow/boot (as long as it has been removed from the steering rack), provided that the outer tie rod is out of the knuckle. The only problem is that it will be a little more difficult to remove the inner tie rod, this way, but it IS doable!

3. no! The only things you have to remove is the bellow/boot from the steering rack AND the inner tie rod cotter pin. Yes, the inner tie rod does have a cotter pin. Mine didn't have a cotter pin, but it should have one.

 

Thank you, I know this will be useful some day smile.gif