Question on removing inner tie rods from donor rack

[6t8dart]

I have a Question on removing inner tie rods from donor rack. When I pull back the rubber boots, the large nut has what looks like rivets holding it in place, do I drill these out? I don't want to damage the rack.

[edwardb]

Some that I've seen have a roll pin on the inner tie rod. Some don't. You could drill it out as they're pretty short. Or you could just twist it off like I've seen some do. The bigger question though is what are you doing with the donor rack? Hopefully not converting a power steering rack to manual steer. That is universally recognized as a very bad setup. Highly recommend you consider a purpose built manual rack or actual power steering.

[6t8dart]

No, i'm staying with a power setup. It is definitely not a roll pin, though, it has a mushroom shaped head with a pin in the center, just like a rivet. I was going to drill it, but just wanted to make sure that's the right way to go, the FFR manual is very vague.

[Ram4x4sprt]

The rivet is there to just help to hold it in place. You can drill it or not. If access is difficult, just screw them out. When installing the new inner tie rods, use red loctite!

[edwardb]

No, i'm staying with a power setup. It is definitely not a roll pin, though, it has a mushroom shaped head with a pin in the center, just like a rivet. I was going to drill it, but just wanted to make sure that's the right way to go, the FFR manual is very vague.

Have only seen them with nothing -- just Loctite -- or a roll pin. Whatever it is, IMO just drill it out. That's the only choice you have. Then use Loctite for the reassembly.

[6t8dart]

It was an aluminum rivet with a steel center pin, I used a screwdriver and a hammer to chisel them out. I did try to just twist them off, but the pin started to dig in the threads.