SPL Tie Rods Ends and Rods(Z32)

[BryanGrigsby]

I installed these this weekend. I also upgraded all of the other arms on my front and rear suspension and these were by far the hardest to do.

Stock tie rods dont come off easily. Once you remove the rubber boot (you should by a new one by the way) there is a retaining peice bolted between the rod and the steering. This has to be pried back. I used a combo of flat head screw driver and pliers. Then I un-bolted the stock rod using two adjustable clamping wrenches, one on the rod, the other on the steering mechanism. This conection is a *****. I did it in my drive way and it took a lot of doing to brake this connection.

Installing the new rods was easy. Lube it up, put on new rubber boot, adjust the length of the new attached rod and bolt it into place. One of the rubber boots gave me a little bit of difficulty but using a screw driver you can run it around the outside of the boot, similar to putting a tire on a wheel.

My wheels are way out of alignment cuz I installed coilovers and replaced all the other rods and arms like I mentioned...Ill review them after I get an alignment.

[574-240sx]

I have been having problems with mine. Be carefull and check on them often. I have bent several shanks and with the new spacers for the shanks I have had the locking bolt loosen up twice now. Hopefully now they are ok last 1500 miles have been problem free. First 300 miles I had several problems and none from installation error.

[Bronze MFP]

I have yet to put mine on for several reasons, but thats kind of scary to have the adjustment bolt come loose. Did adjusting for bumpsteer help that much?

oh and i'm jealous that Bryan got spl stickers and I never have! cry:

[BryanGrigsby]

I have been having problems with mine. Be carefull and check on them often. I have bent several shanks and with the new spacers for the shanks I have had the locking bolt loosen up twice now. Hopefully now they are ok last 1500 miles have been problem free. First 300 miles I had several problems and none from installation error.

Hmmm... Thanks for the tip. I used the .2" spacer. I had a hard time getting the .45 to fit but once installed it seemed like it was parallel to the lower arm so I said **** it. The nuts on my were actually hard as **** to install, they had a number of threads that were angled slight enough to cause a lot of friction and heat when installing. At first I thought I may have stripped them. The car is actually at the alignment shop right now, so I havent even really got to check out the full potential just yet. I'll be pissed if they start to fudge up on me.

[BryanGrigsby]

Honestly as hard as I torqued them on I dont expect them to fail.

[chmercer]

the .45" spacers have a very low tolernace so that they dont jiggle around/ get on there at an angle/ etc. they will pop on you just gotta push them on there. i actually reccomend the .45" spacer over the smaller one. it is far stronger. and yes the nuts are special anti vibration lock nut type things, the stiffness when screwing them on is normal. make sure to follow proper torque values or else you can cause damage to the piece.

i have been drifting on the version 2 SPL rod ends, short shank version with tein rods, with .45" spacer, for a while now, and they have shown no signs of wear. and if anything beats the **** out of the steering assy its drifting. also i would like to say that i am using the tein steering angle spacers with the rod ends, and i have so much steering angle that i hit the bottom of the rod shank on the flca. its ****ing AWESOME

[BryanGrigsby]

You know I think they sent the .45" spacer for the s14 tie rod ends, cuz I cant get that ***** on to save my life. I keep looking at the picture from SPL and its like ok, am I fukcing retarded or what?

I'll have to get up with them. I'd post a pic of it but I think the difference would be so small it would be hard to see.

[SR22DET]

i have problems with the steering spacer thing for the greater steering angle... you can't put it on properly because it blocks the hole for that little retainer thing...