Was quoted $800 for replacing tie rod assembly...

[sdominguez]

Hey everyone, thanks for the read in advanced.

I normally do all my own work and had swapped the transmission from an auto to manual. Took it in for an alignment (only thing I’ll have someone else do on my car) to a shop that’s pretty reputable in town (Joe’s garage in Eugene, OR)

They had a special on 4 wheel alignments, so I made an appointment. I was also curious to see if they could align all 4 wheels. It’s under my impression that without shimming the rear axle, that there really isn’t any adjustment points in the rear.

Guys we’re condescending right off the bat, making comments about how I parked the vehicle. I get a call from the mechanic about an hour later saying that he can’t align it properly because the tie rods are seized. I was quoted $800 for them to replace them. I said, “no thanks” and went to pick it up.

I was charged for an alignment anyways. I asked mike, the counter guy, what exactly was seized. He told me very condescendingly as if he was talking to child that, “it’s a moveable part that has threads” and that’s it. At this point I figure F this place, get me on my way. Out of curiosity I asked Mike how they figure $800 for new tie rod assembly. He answers again very short, “we only use quality parts.” Ok, what brand? “Like Moog”. Ok still, how do you figure $800? “Well it’s about 3 hours of work.” No details whatsoever. At this point I’ve already forgotten about this shop. Before I leave, I asked if they even tried to heat them up and was told, he’s not going to just give up like that (I’m sure...). So I leave, after paying for an unaligned car, and my car is in an open parking lot UNLOCKED!!! This is not the neighborhood where I’d leave my car unlocked, I carry tools for work in there.

Out of curiosity I called the stealership to see what there price would be. Rough estimate of $800 as well, but it includes an alignment, so stealership is actually cheaper than joe shmo.

What have you guys paid, if needed, to have the tie rod assemblies replaced? Looking to get a nationwide average for our mk4 tdis. Also what brands do you prefer and why? Febi, Lemforder, moog, meyle, etc?

I’m gonna get the car up in the air this afternoon and check for myself what’s up.

Avoid Joes Garage in Eugene, OR like the corona virus!!


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[csstevej]

I paid around $200-250 for one bad seized outer tie rod but that included wheel alignment which is what I originally went in for.
The WA was a fixed price around 150 give or take 10 bucks the rest was for the part and labor.....

 

[KrashDH]

If you're just talking about the TRE, I went with these for $11 ea and am very happy so far:


https://www.idparts.com/tie-rod-end-left-a4-p-594.html

I don't know where the heck $800 is coming from.

If it's stuck, hit it with some penetrating fluid for a few days in a row, then heat. If you can break the jam nut free, then just hold the rod with a wrench (should have flats), heat the TRE end assy, and try to spin it off the rod.

Make a mark or something so you get back close to what it was at.

Use a health coating of marine grease (I use Triple Guard by Evinrude) on install and the grease monkeys will never have an issue loosening things again.

I did all the work myself and got the steering close enough that I couldn't even tell anything had changed (by the seat of my pants feel). Then I took it to get an alignment.

My last visit to the alignment place went about as well as yours though. I think I'm done with those guys and am either going to buy the tools to align myself or take it to the only mechanic I trust to do alignments.

 

[sdominguez]

I paid around $200-250 for one bad seized outer tie rod but that included wheel alignment which is what I originally went in for.
The WA was a fixed price around 150 give or take 10 bucks the rest was for the part and labor.....

That seems reasonable.

If you're just talking about the TRE, I went with these for $11 ea and am very happy so far:





https://www.idparts.com/tie-rod-end-left-a4-p-594.html



I don't know where the heck $800 is coming from.



If it's stuck, hit it with some penetrating fluid for a few days in a row, then heat. If you can break the jam nut free, then just hold the rod with a wrench (should have flats), heat the TRE end assy, and try to spin it off the rod.



Make a mark or something so you get back close to what it was at.



Use a health coating of marine grease (I use Triple Guard by Evinrude) on install and the grease monkeys will never have an issue loosening things again.



I did all the work myself and got the steering close enough that I couldn't even tell anything had changed (by the seat of my pants feel). Then I took it to get an alignment.



My last visit to the alignment place went about as well as yours though. I think I'm done with those guys and am either going to buy the tools to align myself or take it to the only mechanic I trust to do alignments.

They didn’t tell me whether it was the the TRE or the inner tie rod. I’ll see tonight. They also didn’t say which side it was, way too fishy.

I looked into the idparts TRE, do you know what brand it is?



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[KrashDH]

That seems reasonable.




They didn’t tell me whether it was the the TRE or the inner tie rod. I’ll see tonight. They also didn’t say which side it was, way too fishy.

I looked into the idparts TRE, do you know what brand it is?

Makes sense, ya if it was the inner then if they couldn't use common sense to take the outer TRE out of the knuckle and adjust that way, then you're hosed. Which wouldn't surprise me.

Spidan-GKN is the company. They actually make OEM components for VW (I believe axles and such). As well they have an steering/suspension division that is exported by a company in Belgium called Sidem (they put the assemblies together).

I talked to a couple of their reps because I was trying to get some information about their LCA's whether the TT bushings were pressed in using grease or not...

Here's the link to their components for the mkiv:

https://catalogus.sidem.be/searchbycar.asp?pagina=107629

 

[ToxicDoc]

the boldness of this ripoff. I think it's a 33 mm open wrench and you can remove the entire tie rod from the rack (plus whatever regular size on the wheel end to remove it there). I did mine in 30 minutes (per side) with one arm (not kidding, had shoulder surgery the week before). Find a different shop or change it yourself and bring it somewhere else for the alignment. You can get close (enough to drive safely) by just setting the length of the new parts to match the old assembly.

 

[Mike_04GolfTDI]

I've replaced mine before and it was and easy job.

The $800 is because the mechanic is saving up for a new Porsche.

 

[BobnOH]

I'm with Doc on this. Get the car up high as you can, it's not too bad a job. If they're totally rusted out just cut them off with a sawzall. Both sides complete are around $70, you will want an alignment.

 

[ToxicDoc]

With the wheels off, front end jacked, you can easily reach in from the side. One trick that I was like "duh why didn't I do it that way the first time?" is turning the steering wheel all the way in one direction to move the rod closer to you, then the other way for the other side.

 

[Tdijarhead]

I took mine in for an alignment about a year ago and they wouldn’t/couldn’t do it because the outer tie rods were frozen on both sides. Northern PA salt. They know I do my own work and I really don’t think any of them wanted to fiddle with it.

I had to take one side completely off. Inner and outer so I could get a pipe wrench on it even then I had a had time breaking it loose. Finally I got both sides freed up and some never seize on them and took it back for the alignment.

Those ends can be real bears to break loose, I’ll bet the $800 reflects their really not wanting to deal with your tie rods. They were hoping you’d take it and go. If you didn’t they were going to be sure they got a decent amount of your walking around money.

 

[joep1234]

My son works on cars and taught me this. Once you remove the nut holding the TRE on, spray with Freeze Off or the like, let it work for a few minutes and then hit the side of the knuckle beside the mounting of the TRE with a sledge and it usually falls out. We rebuilt my front end on my '04 Beetle in one Saturday afternoon(struts, wheel bearings, TRE's, ball joints and lower control arms. Just take a measurement so you can get the TRE's close to what they were. The alignment shop will appreciate it.

 

[steve6]

They probably quoted both inner and outers. $800 is because they had a special.

Do the inners and outers at the same time if you can, trying to get the joint off the shaft can be a huge pain in the butt sometimes, but inners require special tools

 

[Silverwings]

Wow. $800 for tie rods?! I wonder what they would charge for a TB job, $8000? I did my tie-rods (inner and ends) a couple months ago. Was about $75 in parts. (Ends came from idparts, the inner's came from a local parts store). One side was hopelessly stuck. After soaking in oil and using an insane amount of heat, I said screw this- and just cut it off. Smooth sailing from then on out. $100 bucks for an alignment, and it was good to go. So all said-and-done, I imagine $200-$300 for someone else to do it sounds about right.

 

[gforce1108]

These were the worst I've run into (303k miles)... Would have been much easier to change the whole tie rod assembly, but I'm stubborn Both joints were actually good, but I knew I needed an alignment after rebuilding the suspension and neither side would budge. No amount of heat or penetrating oil was going to help! I had to cut off the outer tie rod joint and rethread the rod past where it'd need to move. Took quite a while.

 

[Curious Chris]

These were the worst I've run into (303k miles)... Would have been much easier to change the whole tie rod assembly, but I'm stubborn Both joints were actually good, but I knew I needed an alignment after rebuilding the suspension and neither side would budge. No amount of heat or penetrating oil was going to help! I had to cut off the outer tie rod joint and rethread the rod past where it'd need to move. Took quite a while.

Yes my worst case was slotting the tie rod end with my cut off wheel then soaking it in penetration oil. It came off. If it won't come out of the steering knuckle a pickle fork is the ticket.

 

[DivineChaos]

that is def way to expensive. Royal tire has always been good to me. It is a chain store... But each branch is owned by a local person and only has a corporate name. Unlike firestone or goodyear.

 

[leafs]

Yeah like others have said it's a pretty easy job and the moog routers are only like 20 bucks each I think. For the inner need a special tool but those are easy too. I also hit my threads with anti sieze and didn't go full gorilla on em. Dont know where they're coming up with the 800 from. Shop hours I'd say 1 hour each side max.

 

[Nero Morg]

I just use Firestone up here in the Beaverton, area, I have a lifetime alignment with them. They just billed about $90 to replace the inner/outer assembly. That was six months ago.

 

[BobnOH]

I just use Firestone up here in the Beaverton, area, I have a lifetime alignment with them. They just billed about $90 to replace the inner/outer assembly. That was six months ago.

When you find a shop like that, you're golden. Firestone around here are borderline criminal. I once had great references for a certain Midas shop, had my wife go there for something simple, she went to a different location. They drove a pin hole right on the top of the top radiator hose, sprung a leak the next day.

 

[mittzlepick]

Im replacing my steeri g rack with inners and outers i cluded 279 for the whole thing. That garage be crooked as snakes. Last rack i did took 3 hrs to do. +

 

[fatmobile]

Sometimes with a nut,
you can put some vice grips on the flats and smash it as hard as you can
on each of the flats.
Even smack it with a hammer while the pressure is on.
This helps break the rust inside the nut.
If I have it out, I'll set in on an anvil and smack the nut on the flats with the BFH.

 

[Dieselmonkey02]

Any shop that couldnt break that dainty little **** loose shouldnt be in business imho

 

[steve6]

Any shop that couldnt break that dainty little **** loose shouldnt be in business imho

When it looks like something as bad as the below picture? There is no threads to even turn the thing for adjustment at this point. Wouldn't waste my time on it either, cut the rod, pull off the boot and inner tie rod, new rod on both end and away you go, its actually must quicker as well. If at home you want to waste your time, that is your choice, but a shop has to charge time, and be liable.

 

[Curious Chris]

For $800 I will fly out to Oregon for vacation and do the tie rods in a morning. No that hard or expensive.

 

[Dieselmonkey02]

$34 for complete assemblys, so $70. The inner tie rod tool at harbor freight about $35.

 

[Dieselmonkey02]

In PA everything looks like that Steve6 so i guess im just used to it.

 

[turbovan+tdi]

If one is gone, I replace all 4. Labour is 210, parts are 95 a side, alignment is $100.

 

[ToxicDoc]

now that is much more reasonable. Half of that first estimate

 

[sdominguez]

Thanks for the input guys.

Other things got in the way, covid, my partners steering rack on her mk4 wagon needed replacement, etc. Good news is I found a decent alignment shop, they charge $90 for front end and seem straight up. Although they replaced the the 3 bolts and lock plate for the ball joint with flange bolts and locking nuts.

I’ve been soaking in PB blaster for 2 days now and tried heating it with a propane torch (all I got) and so far nothing. I haven’t tried grabbing it with a pipe wrench yet. I don’t want to replace the inner because it’s in good condition and I don’t have the special tools or the sideways clamp pliers for the boot clamps. On my partners steering rack, someone used zip ties instead of oetiker clamps and dirt and grime got in there destroying the seals.


EDIT:
I gave it one last f-you and broke the lock nut free. Now to get off the tie rod end. What size tap would I need if I wanted to re-chase the threads? Would you guy go ahead and replace both at this time? I'm leaning towards only replacing the frozen one, the other one moves and seems fine.

 

[TDI Greg]

I cant believe this price. No doubt since they were giving you a discount on the alignment they didn't try very hard to loosen the tie rods and then quoted you a ridiculous price to fix it. I run a small garage and I looked up labor time for this, it would be between 3 and 4 hrs. to replace inner and outer tie rods. At my shop that'd cost between $180-$240. I don't do alignments, but the shop I work with for alignments would knock it out for about $55-$60. Parts would probably run about $70. All told worst case scenario it would cost about $370 here.

By now I'm sure u get the idea that they are a little over priced. Like the other guys said, you can replace these your self. If you are doing inner and outer, forget about trying to loosen the frozen threads and cut the tie rod. Then rent the inner tie rod tool from a parts store and remove the inners. Be sure to measure them before you cut them and then just get the new ones close and make a bee line for an honest alignment shop.