Tie Rod Ends — Replacement (Opel Vectra C)

1. Set the parking brake, jack up the front of the car and place it on supports, the wheels should rotate freely.

2. Check the steering rod ends for play by moving the steering rods. If there is play, the rod ends must be replaced.

3. Remove the corresponding front wheel.

4. Measure the length of the free threaded part of the rod (see accompanying illustration), or count the number of free turns. Remember or write down the measurement result.



5. Slightly loosen the lock nut on the tie rod end and back it off a quarter turn, holding the end from turning - if necessary, first clean the threads with a wire brush and lubricate them with a special rust-corroding compound.

6. Loosen the ball joint mounting nut to the steering knuckle arm a few turns (see illustration 15.4).

7. Using a puller (see accompanying illustration), press the ball pin of the tip out of the steering knuckle, while the device should rest on the fastening nut.





8. Finally loosen the fastening nut and separate the tip from the steering knuckle.

9. Unscrew the tip and remove it from the steering rod. Remember the number of turns for subsequent assembly.

10. When installing, screw the tip onto the steering rod by the number of turns counted during dismantling. At the same time, check whether the screwing depth size "x" that was recorded during removal has been preserved, otherwise the wheel alignment angles will be disturbed. Manually tighten the lock nut.

11. Insert the ball pin into the control arm on the steering knuckle and tighten the new self-locking mounting nut to the required torque - if the pin turns, press it into the conical hole in the control arm.

12. Hold the end with an open-end wrench to prevent it from turning and tighten the lock nut to the required torque. Install the wheel, lower the vehicle to the ground and tighten the wheel bolts.

13. At the earliest opportunity, take the vehicle to a specialized service station to check and adjust the front wheel alignment angles.