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In this video, we're going to show you how to replace an outer tie rod on this 2003 GMC Envoy XL. We show you on the passenger side, but the driver side is a similar procedure. The items you'll need for this include a new outer tie rod from 1AAuto.com, 19mm and 21mm socket and ratchet, 10mm, 22mm and 26mm wrenches, flat blade screwdriver, tape measure, pliers, hammer, torque wrench, and jack and jack stands.
Start by removing your wheel and tire. Pry off the cap first. If you don't have the benefit of air tools, you'll want to loosen the lug nuts, then raise and secure the vehicle on jack stands, and remove the lug nuts the rest of the way. We have air tools, so we put the vehicle up on jack and jack stands, remove the lug nuts, and remove the wheel and tire.
Start off by just spraying both ends of your outer rod with some penetrating oil. This will just help to remove those nuts. Then you want to measure from the end of the first nut on the outer tie rod to the center of this nut. You can see we actually marked on the outer tie rod where you should measure to. You want to make sure when you put your new outer tie rod on that it's the same distance.
Put a 26mm wrench on the larger nut and a 22mm wrench on the smaller nut. Just break that smaller one free. Now, using a pair of pliers, just straighten out this cotter pin. Once it's straightened out, try to hit it through or pull it through. If it doesn't move, then you can just break off this end. You just move each tab up and down until it breaks off. After you've done that, you can again try pulling it from the other side. If that doesn't work, you can just use a hammer and a punch.
Using a 21mm socket, just remove that nut. Hit the wheel knuckle with a hammer. That will just break that free. Then you can just twist your outer tie rod off. Now, just remove that nut on the outer tie rod the rest of the way.
I can see that my bolt was on to here, so I'm just going to make a mark on the new one to here. That's where I'm going to put my bolt onto, just a preliminary alignment. Twist the outer tie rod into place. Make sure that rubber boot is back on there. Then push the outer tie rod up into the wheel knuckle.
Just measure and make sure it's the same distance. If it is, you're all set. If not, you want to just adjust the nuts on the end of the outer tie rod. Since it is, we're just going to replace this nut and tighten it up. You can see we're using a 10mm wrench to just hold the stud steady. Now just tighten up these two nuts.
Replace your wheel. Replace the lug nuts and tighten them up preliminarily. Lower the vehicle. Tighten them the rest of the way, and torque each of them to 100 foot-pounds in a crossing pattern.
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