Boshed on the passenger side tie rod. Wasn't difficult at all.
Tie rod tool was a pile of shit. Ended up zip tieing the thing together to stop it falling apart every time in position.
My old ball joint separator (iirc I picked it up from a big giveaway box at field of dreams a few years ago when FoTU was on over there) didn't fit so I ended up bashing it into place. This acted as a pickle fork and popped it off. One of Bezo mate is delivering a Laser ball joint separator and proper pickle fork later today. So the other side later should be easier.
Trying to get a new one of those the metal clip things on the boot took the longest out of the whole job. Ended up sticking a zip tie around there in the end as simply couldn't get any tools in to compress it. Probably fine as not doing a lot?
Some pictures.
I did attempt to see if this would undo but it was solid. I reckon it would have come off with heat. Just no patience when I can replace the lot.
I love my fat impact. Expensive but whizzes stuff like this nut off in tens of seconds.
This took more of a fight. Hammer wasn't enough to get it off so I had to abuse my tools and use that ball joint remover as a pickle fork.
I cut the boot off as it allowed me to get the tool over. You can see here where it kept wanting to open up.
After a fight it was off. Pretty certain the inner tie rod was factory and tbh I think the outer tie rod might be too as it has VAG part numbers on its boot.
Tightened the new one up to 120Nm. Book figure I believe says 100Nm but I did it a tad tighter just incase. There is some mechanical differences here from not doing it up on the centre so I wanted to be double sure it was tight. Probably the only and last inner tie rod this car will get anyway.
This boot took most of the time and fight. Zip tie at the back and one of those crush clips (supplied with the new boot) at the front.
New tie outer tie rod on. 21.5 turns is what I counted to match the old one up on length. It looks out by eye and probably is, but hopefully good enough to drive 8 miles or so to the tyre garage for alignment.
Bottom bolt on the outer tie rod I did to 50Nm. Retaining nut on the arm I did to mega tight with an adjustable wrench (I didn't have a open 24mm spanner - I probably need to get more spanners).
Looking at picture times, roughly hour in total - half hour to get it off and half hour to get it back on. Then half hour tidy up as I am doing it outside on my drive. I reckon even slow me can get the other side done in an hour.
![Image](https://autoshite.com/uploads/monthly_2024_03/PXL_20240328_233528308.jpg.2812acadf1b5f585a42c61d8d07130d2.jpg)