Cost of tie rod boots

[mikec03]

Both tie rod boots [rack and pinion, not cv] are ripped on my 95 subaru. One stealership says $350 if the tie rods are ok and the $575 if not. Second says $550, period.

 

I know that it needs alignment afterwards but this still seems high. Whats a price that people have paid?

[porcupine73]

That seems insanely high, I mean that is not that much labor to replace those boots. You don't need an alignment afterwards if you just count the turns when taking off the outer tie rod end.

 

Hm in rethinking it, I guess if that includes parts and labor, and is at a stealership, that is probably not all that bad a price.

Edited July 3, 2012 by porcupine73

[davebugs]

IIR the boots are more expensive than the ends.

 

The old GF's 96 Impreza had the boots torn away and was loosing PS fluid. A bottle of Lucas stopped the leak for another 100k until it was totalled(for the second time and after hitting 8 deer) at 260k.

 

If it's just the boots I may just let them go.

[lmdew]

Head to the yard and pull the boots from a 2000 or newer Subaru, they have the tougher plastic boots instead of the rubber.

 

The UPAP yards charge me a few dollars for them.

[Blue Whale]

I bought the boots from the J. C. Whitney web site. They weren't expensive at all--at least for the lowest priced replacement brand.

[Red92]

I know that it needs alignment afterwards but this still seems high. Whats a price that people have paid?

 

I paid $385 to have an inner tie rod end and both boots replaced on my '94... This was at a dealership.

 

Looking at the paperwork, my original quote was for $380 for boots + front alignment, but then we added in the tie rod end and I changed it to a full alignment after they had started, so the paperwork is a bit jumbled.

Edited July 5, 2012 by Red92

[idosubaru]

After the wheels are off it requires removing two nuts (actually removing one nut and loosening the second). WOW - TWO ENTIRE NUTS, WHAT A JOB!!!better make sure that guy is certified, bonified, insured, experienced, tested, and mack-daddy talented for two whole nuts....for five hundred dollars. wow. i'll remove your two nuts for $250...LMAO

 

actually i even did this job once (just to see if i could) by removing only one nut...it's not a good way to do it, i just wanted to try it once.

 

you can probably be fairly certain they'll replace the tie rods for the higher figure, they have zero incentive to replace the boot - even though Subaru tie rods are robust and not prone to failure and boot replacement is often a good fit.

 

Boots are $30 or so at the auto parts store. They could do the job in a half hour - so figure two hours labor and you're looking at $150 - $200 for boot replacement....possibly a $100 if you can find someone honest to replace the boot.

 

1. there's no need to have a dealer do this, it's so easy that's way overkill to pay their exorbitant prices.

 

2. if it's done right an alignment is not needed and simply an upsell. you didn't need an alignment before and a rack boot is no cause for alignment. if you need an alignment after a steering rack boot job, particularly by the dealer (since they're replacing with identical parts) then either:

 

A. they are upselling you needlessly

or

B. incompetent

 

either way - go elsewhere. done properly it is very easy to do tie rod ends and not loose alignment. given the nature of geometry and that you're using threads, you can either install it exactly the same way it was (thereby retaining alignment) or you can install it differently and loose your alignment. alignment is only lost if someone wants it to be...and they have financial incentive for that.

[Caboobaroo]

Let me help fill in from the mechanic side of things.

 

 

First off, I will say that I'm one of the best Subaru alignment specialists in the greater Seattle area. No, I do not work for the dealership either.

 

That being said, here's my bit of info.

When it comes to replacing inner tie rod bellows boots, you need to remove the wheel, then loosen the 19mm jam nut on the tie rod that locks the tie rod to the tie rod end. Once loose, remove the cotter pin and castle nut from the tie rod end where it bolts into the steering knuckle. Smack the knuckle a few times with a decent hammer and the tie rod end will "pop" out of the taper its in. Unthread the tie rod end from the tie rod, remove the jam nut to previously loosened and now you're ready to remove the boot. They are usually mounted onto the car a few different ways but here's the most common ways from the factory. You will obviously see the metal snap clamp on the small end over the tie rod but the rack side is either a metal style clamp or a metal spring. If its the spring style, then reattach your new boot the same way you took it apart. If its the metal clamp style, I usually use a prybar and a hammer to smack it off the boot which will pop it apart. Replace using a decent ziptie and reassemble.

 

Always make sure to use anti seize on the tie rod threads and inside of the tie rod end. This will ensure they spin easier when it goes in for an alignment as it will need it.

 

Now here's my little bit of information when it comes to getting even routine alignments and parts. Even OEM parts are not identical to one another so counting threads can get you close but not dialed in. On Subarus, the number one alignment angle that will really eat tires, is toe. I tell customers that if it's a daily driver, get the alignment checked once every six months. It's like having insurance for your tires. As far as I know, alignments are cheaper then a set of tires...

If you were doing an axle and had to remove the strut mount bolts, you can merely mark them and install back in close enough to the original position. If you replace any of the tie rods or ends, go get an alignment.

 

This is where my father would say something along the lines of "Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades."

Edited July 6, 2012 by Caboobaroo

[lmdew]

I pin punch the nut and the outer tie rod for putting the nut back. I only back of the nut enought to loosen it. Then unscrew the tie rod.

 

With a stiff wire, up against the nut, bend it over the end of the tie rod threaded rod end. This will be used to locate the nut, thus the length of the tie rod.

 

Remove the nut

 

Install the new boot

 

Install the nut and use the wire to position it.

 

Screw the rod into the outter tie rod end

 

When close, positon the rod so that when you tighten up the nut the punch marks are still aligned.

 

This get you very close.

[Ricearu]

I just back the nut off a inch or so, and mark the tie rod with a sharpie. sharpie works really well for this because it won't bleed into the tie rod itself and holds a good line. you may need to clean the inner tie rod with brake parts cleaner if it's all greasy.

 

when you reassemble, just screw the tie rod, until the mark on the inner (threads) touches the tie rod end.

 

I do like the idea of routine alignments, but if you shop around, you can have them done really cheap. 20 miles from my house is a shop that has the alignment rack flush into the floor and does a lot of high end and lowered cars, and does a basic 4 wheel alignment for $40.

[987687]

If you leave the boot ripped, the tie rod will die within the next year. At least, if you live in a place where the salt the roads and it gets full of slushy salt all winter...

I ignored it, and for a prize, I got to replace the inner tie rod at the same time.

The job took me a total of $50 or less of parts online and about 45 minutes. In my garage in winter with no power tools or a torch. It's not a hard job, don't get ripped off.

 

When I worked at a repair shop up here I had to replace just the boost from time to time. I think it cost the customer around $80, $50 for labor and $30 for the boot.