Rear Toe Link / Tie Rod / Lateral Bar, options other then ford?

OE for my '03 LS8 top. Inboard stud is short since I had to sawsall it off.
Aftermarket Deeza Bottom
No issues with install.

Tools Needed:
Jack
Jackstands
19mm for lugnuts
8mm wrench for inboard stud
18mm wrench for inboard stud nut
13mm socket or wrench for outboard joint bolt
15mm socket or wrench for outboard joint nut
I believe the jamb nut is 21mm but I used a adjustable
Also used Kroil rust penetrant, because I live in the rust belt
Job took me about 25 minutes per side.
Stood old next to new outboard down and adjusted until the flat on inboard was equal. I won't be getting an alignment. It should be close enough.

toelink.jpg
 
I would recommend ordering new lock nuts from the dealer... Ford used a locknut there for a reason... and a re-used nylon locknut isn't going to work, thats why they always list in the shop manuals when new nuts/bolts must be used.
 
2000sport said:
I would recommend ordering new lock nuts from the dealer... Ford used a locknut there for a reason... and a re-used nylon locknut isn't going to work, thats why they always list in the shop manuals when new nuts/bolts must be used.
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Ohhhh... Guess I should go check mine then :D

Maybe I'll just throw some northern road salt on it. That should stop it from moving.... ever. LOL

Yeah, mine just came off with a little oil and some love. Every time I hear you guys who actually have snow/salt talking about cutting rusty nuts off and breaking out torches and all that stuff I am glad I don't have that problem. Worse case scenario down here is salt water corrosion if they live on the beach.
 
Kumba said:
Ohhhh... Guess I should go check mine then :D

Maybe I'll just throw some northern road salt on it. That should stop it from moving.... ever. LOL

Yeah, mine just came off with a little oil and some love. Every time I hear you guys who actually have snow/salt talking about cutting rusty nuts off and breaking out torches and all that stuff I am glad I don't have that problem. Worse case scenario down here is salt water corrosion if they live on the beach.
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Whoa buddy!!!! We all don't do that stuff in the Midwest/Northeast (LMAO I had to go there). But for real though that's the main thing I hate. Snow/salt just kills our cars faster. I really contemplate moving sometimes.
 
well....

Talk about cutting off rusty nuts and breaking out the torch...

Tried hitting it with the torch, but still couldnt get the ball joint nuts all the way off.

I think I've got them far enough to cut with the air cut off wheel. But I dont think my neighbors would appreciate that at 10:30 at night.

Ended up stripping the hex stud on both ball joints with like 5 threads left before the nuts were off.

If I feel up to it, I will try to get some pics of the exhaust too :)
 
2000sport said:
well....

Talk about cutting off rusty nuts and breaking out the torch...

Tried hitting it with the torch, but still couldnt get the ball joint nuts all the way off.

I think I've got them far enough to cut with the air cut off wheel. But I dont think my neighbors would appreciate that at 10:30 at night.

Ended up stripping the hex stud on both ball joints with like 5 threads left before the nuts were off.

If I feel up to it, I will try to get some pics of the exhaust too :)
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Are u able to get a set of vice grips on it?
 
No. My vice grips won't fit up there. I'll just hut them with a sawzall or my cut off wheel. Should be fun.
 
Ended up isn't a sawzall. Cut through them in like 15 seconds. Got the new ones on but after adjusting alignment to get the car going straight I now have too much positive toe on both sides. And it's too late and I'm too tired to lift it up again. So it will have to wait. Pics tomorrow if I have time
 
cmack said:
Whoa buddy!!!! We all don't do that stuff in the Midwest/Northeast (LMAO I had to go there). But for real though that's the main thing I hate. Snow/salt just kills our cars faster. I really contemplate moving sometimes.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I had a '95 Taurus SHO that was a northern NY transplant at some point. Penetrating oil just made it angry. My little mapp gas kit came in quite handy. Also got quite proficient with a cut-off wheel and sawzall on the car too.

Anything that the above didn't solve got the blue tip wrench applied to it. Everything came off with that one. Even stuff you didn't want to :)

So yeah, after that, I finally understand why people have winter-only cars. LOL
 
So I just threw my new rear set on tonight. They weren't that hard for me to do, but I didn't have much rust like you guys. I tried to get it as close to the oem set was but I'm still going to get an alignment tomorrow. I will say that it did not get rid of my high speed vibration like I'd hoped it would. So I guess new rear sway bar links are the only thing left in the rear that's also worn out to try. If that doesn't do it, I don't know what will.

But here's some pics for you guys.

2011-07-31192934.jpg


This is how they come

2011-07-31193049.jpg


Out of the package

2011-07-31193214.jpg


Assembled

2011-07-31193226.jpg


I think it was about time to replace...

2011-07-31193315.jpg


Pass side bad too

2011-07-31194309.jpg


OEM vs Deeza

2011-07-31194325.jpg


Oh my...

2011-07-31201308.jpg


Sweet Jesus

2011-07-31200543.jpg


Installed

2011-07-31203808.jpg


Installed on Pass side
 
Looks like you give up the passive rear steering with those. To each their own......
 
2000sport said:
So I lied...

The Jaguar links lose the passive rear steering feature of the LS arms.

The cars on jackstands, but I cant find my 18mm wrench for the ball joint nut. grr... Now I have to wait till my wife gets home to go anywhere
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Yes, but when the OEM parts are as hard to find as they are, I'm more than willing to give up the passive rear steering, which you would only really notice on the track.
 
2000sport said:
Yes, but when the OEM parts are as hard to find as they are, I'm more than willing to give up the passive rear steering, which you would only really notice on the track.
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Or around sharp corners. I can feel the effects every day.
 
LS4me said:
Or around sharp corners. I can feel the effects every day.
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It is noticeable when it's doing it's thing. But if the OEM part disappears, what are the other options? I'd give it up if that was the case.
 
Pinknuts said:
What's the big deal with passive steering anyway? And how can you tell in the pics?
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See the lump after the threaded section on the outer end of the original tie-rod that is not there on the deeza one? This is a compression sleeve that lets the rod move under hard cornering, allowing the toe to change on the wheels thereby giving you a sort of passive steering.

It is not needed, but was put in there to help the car navigate tight turns.
 
adjusting toe angle accordingly can get your stability back through those tight hairpins though :)

I am toed-out on both rears and have an incredibly quick turn-in compared to the stock arms, and OE recommended alignment.
 
Kumba said:
It is not needed, but was put in there to help the car navigate tight turns.
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Actually, they found out accidentally. They never intended to design passive 4-wheel steering into the platform. I forget exactly how the development went, I just know it was accidental.
 
LS4me said:
Actually, they found out accidentally. They never intended to design passive 4-wheel steering into the platform. I forget exactly how the development went, I just know it was accidental.
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It was probably added to flex the bar to allow for changes in toe that need to happen as the suspension travels. In other words, when the suspension is fully compressed (bottomed out), the toe alignment would be different then when the suspension is sitting at idle or uncompressed. This is due to the unequal length control arms and suspension geometry.

The passive 4-wheel steer probably came from it being too soft or something. Would have to ask the guy who designed it.
 
Kumba said:
The passive 4-wheel steer probably came from it being too soft or something. Would have to ask the guy who designed it.
Click to expand...

It was explained to some of us in January 2001, but I just don't remember the particulars.
 
the only thing that worrys me is that you dont really know how the car will react to changes like that, true that most of the time you may never feel a difference in how the car handles, but when the sh!t goes down and you need to perform an emergency maneuver (like a deer jumps out in front of you, or the jack @ss in front of you stops short for some unknown reason) a very quick snap of the wheel could have a bad result. not saying it will by any means, but no one really knows what the consequence will be.
 
Will the members who have used these replacements please leave feedback?
This will eventually be an issude for all LS' im sure..and if Ford restocks the part, it may be worth buying for future use for may of us.
 
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