OEM 2009 Ford Focus Tie Rod

2009 Ford Focus Tie Rod Parts Q&A

• Q: How to service and repair the inner tie rod on 2009 Ford Focus?

  A: The first step in servicing the inner tie rod involves inspecting the steering gear bellows boots and clamps for air-tightness to stop water and contamination entering the internal components. The use of zip ties is not recommended because they fail to provide water-tight performance. Water poses incompatibility issues with the inner tie-rod ball joint grease so it is essential to check for water condensation in the grease before proceeding. Pull back the left-hand inner tie-rod boot towards the right to support the steering gear during right-hand side operations. The first step involves taking away the outer tie rod before gradually removing the tie-rod jam nut from the inner tie rod. The instruction directs the technician to remove the outer and inner bellows boot clamps as well as the steering gear bellows boot. Apply an appropriate wrench to the flat of the rack gear to stop rotation as you remove the inner tie rod with Set Screw style inner tie rod tool TRT48 from Matco. All reusable installation components must be thoroughly cleaned and examined before install. New components need replacement when required. The proper tool for installation of the rack gear consists of a wrench placed on its flat surface to prevent rotation with a crowfoot style inner tie rod tool such as Snap On stock # YA3000B while you apply torque up to 90 Nm (66 lb-ft). The alignment mark on the steering gear and vent tube must match the position of the bellows boot to minimize internal harm. Place specified grease inside both the tie rod groove and the boot inner diameter to stop twisting when adjusting toe position. Set the steering gear bellows boot properly over the housing bead while connecting it to the inner tie rod groove and proceed with installation. Boot Clamp Pliers should be used for installing a new inner bellows boot clamp followed by installation of a new outer bellows boot clamp. Place the tie-rod jam nut on the inner tie rod and install the outer tie-rod end after that. Check and perform necessary adjustments to the front toe as the last step.