2001 Olds Intrigue, inner and outer tie rods

trying to change the outer tie rod have a couple questions: How does the boot that is closest to the rack and pinon come off? And which way does the outer tie rod turn to unscrew it from under that boot?

as far as i know you need a special tool to remove the tie rod from the rack....remember to mark & count the turns on the outer tie rod so you don't end up with a horribly out-of-line steering set up. If your good enough, you won't need an alignment, for the other 95% of us, an alignment is necessary....

RedRodeo--

Take a look at the following from a person called RichPin06. Most of his video posts are on a saturn, or Impala. Both are GM, and give the general idea of the procedure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk-toz8jsdI&feature=related

If I remember in a separate post you mentioned you had an accident in the current ice storm. I'd shake the wheel in all directions and check the hub bearing as well. If Tie Rods are bent there's a reasonable chance that the lower ball joint or hub might also end up giving you noise.

Do a search under this guys posts. He does a video of removal of the outer tie rod end, inner tie rod end, and Hub Bearing on the Impala.

Good Luck--

I plan on getting the allignment, if we ever get this done. Got the tool to pull the inner tie rod, from the auto parts store, BUT it doesn't fit, too small. Does this tool come in different sizes? Like by make of car or something, it is obviously not 'one size fits all'! Or, is it an Olsmobile /GM thing. Really frustrated at this point, what should have taken a few hours is taking forever.
Didn't hear any noise while driving it, just the wheel sitting at an slight angle and the steering wheel not straight.
I did find the videos, they were helpful, who would guess youtube would be such a helpful tool.
Thanks for the help

I plan on getting the allignment, if we ever get this done. Got the tool to pull the inner tie rod, from the auto parts store, BUT it doesn't fit, too small. Does this tool come in different sizes? Like by make of car or something, it is obviously not 'one size fits all'! Or, is it an Olsmobile /GM thing. Really frustrated at this point, what should have taken a few hours is taking forever.
Didn't hear any noise while driving it, just the wheel sitting at an slight angle and the steering wheel not straight.
I did find the videos, they were helpful, who would guess youtube would be such a helpful tool.
Thanks for the help

There is an adapter that you are supposed to use in conjunction with that tool. It is called a Saginaw Tie Rod adapter as seen here (http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/accessories/accessoriesShelf.jsp?itemId=1301-10&parentId=6-10&displayName=Tie+Rod+Adapter+%28Saginaw%29&currentPage=1&navValue=101301&categoryDisplayName=Steering+and+Suspension&_requestid=1433556). The tool that you have is simply a glorified socket extension and is useless without the adapter.

There is an adapter that you are supposed to use in conjunction with that tool. It is called a Saginaw Tie Rod adapter as seen here (http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/accessories/accessoriesShelf.jsp?itemId=1301-10&parentId=6-10&displayName=Tie+Rod+Adapter+%28Saginaw%29&currentPage=1&navValue=101301&categoryDisplayName=Steering+and+Suspension&_requestid=1433556). The tool that you have is simply a glorified socket extension and is useless without the adapter.
Thank you, the auto parts store didn't seem to realize, even thou I asked, that we needed that part.
Another wasted day.