well I needed to replace my tie rod end seals. the tie rods were good, after all a 93 year old woman bought my car used from a dealership in 1969, she was 93 when I bought it from her in 2003. Anyhow. I bought new "seals" from "energy suspension" and to me they dont appear to be right. THe new dust seals just slide in place, but have no real way of maintaining there position on the seal on the tie rod. The old ones had this metal ring that snapped over the bottom lip of the tie rod end, I actually had a hell of a time getting the old ones off. I should have inspected first, I am an idiot. I should have heeded advice when I was told to slow down.

Thanks.
Caesar

Yeah, those umbrella seals are the newer style. Like many parts the newer version doesn't seem quite as good. I think the design change mainly driven by lower production costs (sound familiar?) The new tie rods don't require any machine work and the seals are obviously lacking the steel ring. I don't know where you can score new seals like your old ones. In fact the last few sets of tie rods I have bought over the past several years were a mixed bag of old and new styles. Good luck.

-James

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will i have bad luck using the new style seals with the old tie rods? I might just use something that will secure the new seals in place, maybe adhesive or physically ensure it doesnt move around.

Caesar

Im using energy suspension seals to and am just gona use safety wire once arond the boots to help make them stay put. It does seem like they rely on the parts being assembled to hold the seal in place and thats it.
-Jesse

All the rubber seal is for is to keep out road dirt and water. Grease them often the first few months, and watch for moisture in the grease you are flushing out. After your first good ride in a rain storm grease them and that should give you a good indication of how often they will need attention. Remember the seal on most idler arms is only a foam washer! A good synthetic grease is a good idea too.

Good luck

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