2001 Ford F250 Super Duty Tie Rod Replacement

The F-250 and F-350 Ford pickups always had a distinct advantage in towing and payload capacity over the light-duty F-150. In 1997, Ford changed the F-150, but left the heavy-duty F-250 and F-350 in the old body style. In 1999, however, Ford revamped the F-250 and F-350 pickups, giving them a rounder appearance but retaining the truck-like appearance. Along with this redesign came the Super Duty tag. The 2001 F-250 Super Duty came standard with two-wheel drive, and replacing the inner and outer tie rod ends on this model is a simple process.

Instructions

Outer Tie Rod Ends

1

Loosen the front lug nuts with a ratchet and socket. Raise the front of the F-250 with a floor jack and slide jack stands under the frame rails. Lower the truck onto the jack stands. Remove the front lug nuts and pull the wheels from the pickup.

2

Loosen the outermost adjuster sleeve clamp nut with a ratchet and socket.

3

Pull the cotter pin from the outer tie rod end stud with needle-nose pliers. Remove the outer tie rod ends castellated nut with a ratchet and socket.

4

Position a Pitman arm puller over the outer tie rod end, so its screw part touches the tie rod ends stud and its claws grasp the steering knuckle. Tighten the Pitman arm puller with a ratchet and socket until the tie rod end pops free from the steering knuckle.

5

Unscrew the outer tie rod end from the adjuster sleeve, counting the number of turns required to remove it.

6

Screw a new outer tie rod end into the adjuster sleeve the same number of turns performed to remove it. Guide the tie rod end stud through the hole on the bottom of the steering knuckle, with the tie rod ends stud facing upward. Hand-thread the new castellated nut onto the tie rod end stud.

7

Tighten the castellated nut to 67 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket. Check that a valley in the nut aligns with the hole through the tie rod end stud. If they do not line up, slightly tighten the nut until they do. Press a new cotter pin included with the new tie rod end through the hole in the center of the tie rod end stud. Bend the cotter pins legs in opposite directions with needle-nose pliers to lock it into place.

8

Tighten the adjuster sleeve clamps nut to 41 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

9

Repeat steps 2 through 8 to remove and replace the outer tie rod end on the other side of the truck, if needed.

10

Reinstall the front wheels on the F-250s front hubs and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Tighten the lug nuts, in a crisscross pattern, to 165 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

11

Drive the F-250 to an automotive repair facility for a wheel alignment.

Inner Tie Rod Ends

12

Loosen the front lug nuts with a ratchet and socket. Raise the front of the F-250 with a floor jack and slide jack stands under the frame rails. Lower the truck onto the jack stands. Remove the front lug nuts and pull the wheels from the pickup.

13

Crawl beneath the drivers side of the vehicle and loosen the inner clamp on the adjuster sleeve with a ratchet and socket.

14

Trace the inner tie rod inward until you find the spot it connects to the drag link. Remove the cotter pin on the inner tie rod ends stud with needle-nose pliers. Remove the castellated nut with a ratchet and socket.

15

Position a Pitman arm pullerso its screw part touches the inner tie rod ends stud and its claws wrap around the drag link. Tighten the Pitman arm puller with a ratchet and socket until the inner tie rod end pops free from the drag link.

16

Unscrew the inner tie rod end from the adjuster sleeve, counting the number of turns it takes to remove it.

17

Screw the new inner tie rod end into the adjuster sleeve the same number of turns it took to remove it. Insert the inner tie rod ends stud into the hole near the center of the drag link with the stud facing the front of the truck.

18

Hand-thread a new castellated nut onto the tie rod end stud. Tighten the castellated nut to 67 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket. Check that a valley in the castellated nut aligns with the hole in the tie rod ends stud. If there is not an alignment, slightly tighten the castellated nut until they line up.

19

Press a new cotter pin included with the inner tie rod through the hole in the tie rod end stud. Bend the cotter pins legs in opposite directions with needle-nose pliers to lock it into place.

20

Tighten the adjuster sleeve clamps nut to 41 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

21

Reinstall the front wheels on the F-250s front hubs and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern to 165 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

22

Drive the F-250 to an automotive repair facility to have an alignment performed.