prerunner1982

I had planned on replacing all the tie rods on my 91 XJ this weekend. Friday night I got everything yanked out. Saturday I quickly had everything disassembled and reassembled, but with only one problem....the tie rod that connects to the pitman arm had a small shaft diameter ( Thats always the problem isnt it?) I took it back and they didnt have anything that fit. I have tried 2 other parts stores and they either try to give me a tie rod the same size as the other two (left front knuckle, or right inner that connects to the loooong tie rod) or they give me a tie rod that has a slighly smaller shaft diameter. It is bigger than the other two but smaller than what I need. I can tighten down the adjustment sleeve enough for it to work. One place found one that had the right shave diameter but the overall length of the tie rod was about 2" shorter. If I cant find the right one I may have to try the short one but I am not comfortable with so few threads holding it on. You would figure with as many Cherokees on the road that this would be a fairly easy part to get. My wife asked if it would have been modified, and I would have agreed except that the long tie rod was the same diameter as the one it replaced and the same as the one I am having problems finding. If it too would have been different then perhaps it was modified in the past. But unless the sleeve was originally stepped down from the long tie rod to the smaller pitman arm tie rod.... I dunno. Any help or ideas.. I cant be the only person who has ever changed the tie rods on an XJ, but non of the auto parts chains have what I am looking for.



In the pic I need # 18... in the part #s they split between 84-90 and 91-01.... What changed between 90 and 91? Could all the parts stores computers have 84-90 part #s for the 91? Thanks in advance.

BlueXJ

First off the terminology you are using is wrong. Part number 22 is the tie rod and part 19 is the draglink. part numbers 21 & 23 are tie rod ends (TRE) and part number 18 is the draglink end. This seems to be the part you need.
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPage...on=Tie+Rod+End

COSXJFAN

Beleive it or not I had the same problem. I did not know the terminology, just where it was and what it looked like. The parts store guys were no help, did not no thier a$$ from a hole in the ground!! I even at one point referred to it as a drag link end,...ARRRG!!I finally found a guy that knew what I needed and hooked me up!! I remember when you had to know about vehicles and understand varied terminology to work in a part store. I guess those days are fading fast. Later!!

greengiant0311

I remember that day. It was an older guy too, so he knew what you were looking for. But I applied at some of those same parts places and never got a call. Go figure with all the education and training and job experience I have they didnt call. Maybe the manager was worried I would take his job. Good service is hard to find these days.

prerunner1982

Hmm I guess not only am I wrong but Crown Automotive is wrong too..http://www.crownautomotive.net/catalog/steering/XJ.html they call 18, 19, 21, and 23 all tie rods. And # 22 is a tube.. and the link you gave me ALSO refers to the part as a Tie rod end just as all the other parts stores systems do. They still gave me the wrong part.... What was changed between 90 and 91?

muddeprived

They may be referring #19 as a tie rod because normally the only reason you replace the draglink is because of a bad "tie rod" so they call it that.

Checkout www.rockauto.com. I think they list sizes and measurements of the tie rods. I'm not 100% but i remember it listing some sort of measurement of the tie rods.

I had the same issue with my 01 xj at 4wd hardware. They were following crown automotive parts and i wanted all the tie rod ends and dranglink/tube but they couldn't get all the parts to match up. Something with crown's part number wasn't working out. They had to mix and match some TJ parts into it and i got it set up.

okcjeeper

I got mine off ebay and they are the proper size..I just referenced the moog part numbe and it was all good.

BlueXJ

Crown must have some errors in their parts nomenclature. The part I linked you to does have a measurement and it is listed for a 91. Not so sure what the changes were between 90 and 91 but there seems to be a change in part numbers at least.

okcjeeper

For the drag link rod end here's the part number I used..ES3094 for the short end and the long end part number is DS1238, those are the drag link ends.,.. tie rod ends part numbers are ES3095 and ES3096.. Those are the Moog part numbers and they fit my 91 just fine..I also replaced my drag link sleeve but kept the tie rod..Just an FYI Crowns parts are mislabeled as they call the drag link a tie rod when it isn't a tie rod...Most parts stores do the same thing, NAPA is usually good about labeling things properly..

biztyke

pre 90 xjs used a smaller diameter drag link, 91 and up used the same drag link assembly as the 93-98 v8 grand cherokee. i know because i just changed my whole steering assembly to the v8 zj setup on my 90. if all else fails, ask for a 93-98 v8 grand cherokee drag link end. okcjeeper has the correct part # info.

prerunner1982

Well I think the original part may have been miss boxed and I think that some of the stores had bad info in thier computer. I was finally able to get the correct part..

Per Autozone the part # should be ES3095 (Left hand Inner) I would assume left outter would be at the steering knuckle which they show to be ES3094.
Per Napa the part # should be ES3096 (At pitman arm with left hand threads)
Per O'Reillys the part # should be ES3096L (Pitman arm to right hand steering arm)

They all show ES3094 to be the left outter at the steering knuckle. I finally got the ES 3096L from O'reillys and it was the correct part. At anyrate I hope I dont have to do this again any time soon... Just hope replacing the tie rods on my wifes Blazer goes a bit smoother.

BlueXJ

If you have a log book or an owners manual write those numbers down so you will have them when new front end parts are needed in the future.

prerunner1982

Sounds like a damn good idea.

BlueXJ

Yeah that is what I have done with each vehicle I own and keep any record of anything in that log from lift installation to fluid checks. That way I don't have to rely on my memory.

okcjeeper

Excel spread sheet baby.. I have an ongoing one for parts I have replaced and had to search out part #'s on...That way if said part needs to be replaced I have the correct part # and can goto the parts store and ask for said part number.. Makes life much much easier..Plus I have officially spent way to much in fact more money then I could ever get back out of the jeep unless I just parted it out..lol