When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I need some help here... I decided to get into my car and replace all 4 tie rod ends. I purchased two front tie rod ends, Item number 575001, and two rear tie rod ends Item number 585035
But the rears! I'm supremely confused!
I knew the rear tie rod ends are supposed to be longer... I expected this.
But when I pulled the existing rear tie rods off the car they were SHORT! Shorter than my new rear tie rods.
Additionally the threading on the new tie rod end is much longer than the old tie rod ends. The threading is so much longer now the castle nut is is no where near the cotter pin! What the heck!?
Here is the tie rods next to each other, old on left new on right (if it's not obvious )
And here is the cotter pin sitting well above the castle nut
I bent the cotter pin such that it would get into one of the castle nut notches. The way you show it it can loosen up quite a bit before stopping the castle nut from getting looser.
Should have also gotten the inner tie rods for the rear. It's the threaded shaft you screwed your new outers onto. Those are common to go bad and are the items responsible for tail wag under hard acceleration when worn.
Last edited by ~Josh; Mar 16, 2017 at 04:02 PM.
Reason: clarified
The aftermarket rear tie rod ends are different as you noted. I was disappointed with mine too when I installed them. I think they're intended for some other application and have been modified, or just relabeled to be Corvette replacements. I put two more washers under the castle nut so that the cotter pin would actually engage it properly. It's survived a summer and a track day since then, so I think it's okay, but I would have bought OEM if I had known the difference.
Last edited by TastyBacon; Mar 16, 2017 at 03:00 PM.
Rear tie rod end length
)
