[DeTomaso] NPT Shop says I need inner and out tie rod ends??

[Daniel C Jones]

> Sure seems like the outer would wear out sooner?

That wasn't the case on my 1987 Mustang GT. I used to go through inner tie
rod ends every 50K miles or so.  The symptom was the car would start to
dart side-to-side, following ruts or ridges in the pavement. Watching the
rack and tie rods while cranking the wheel side-to-side would show slack in
the inner tie rods but not the outers.  I replaced the inner tie rods
several times before I noticed that a rebuilt rack with inner tie rods
already installed was only a few more dollars so I bought a rebult rack.
That turned out to be a mistake as I found that Ford used the same basic
15:1 ratio steering rack on multiple applications with different valving.
Passenger car versions were valved for maximum assist but had little or no
feel.  Only performance applications like the Mustang or Thunderbird Turbo
Coupe got the performance valving.  Unfortunately, the mass market
rebuilders don't really differentiate so you don't know which you're
getting in the box.  The rebuilt unit I got had little feel but I had
alrready turned mine in for the core charge by the time I figured that
out.  Ugh.

Note that for many applications, Moog makes a heavy duty or problem solver
replacement part that's typically greasable.

Dan Jones
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   > Sure seems like the outer would wear out sooner?
   That wasn't the case on my 1987 Mustang GT. I used to go through inner
   tie rod ends every 50K miles or so.A  The symptom was the car would
   start to dart side-to-side, following ruts or ridges in the pavement.
   Watching the rack and tie rods while cranking the wheel side-to-side
   would show slack in the inner tie rods but not the outers.A  I replaced
   the inner tie rods several times before I noticed that a rebuilt rack
   with inner tie rods already installed was only a few more dollars so I
   bought a rebult rack.A  That turned out to be a mistake as I found that
   Ford used the same basic 15:1 ratio steering rack on multiple
   applications with different valving.A  Passenger car versions were
   valved for maximum assist but had little or no feel.A  Only performance
   applications like the Mustang or Thunderbird Turbo Coupe got the
   performance valving.A  Unfortunately, the mass market rebuilders don't
   really differentiate so you don't know which you're getting in the
   box.A  The rebuilt unit I got had little feel but I had alrready turned
   mine in for the core charge by the time I figured that out.A  Ugh.A
   Note that for many applications, Moog makes a heavy duty or problem
   solver replacement part that's typically greasable.
   Dan Jones