what are you using to tighten it? Air impact or doing it by hand? If the stud is spinning you won't get it any tighter. Sometimes using a floor jack to place some pressure on the tierod will allow you to tighten it more without the stud spinning.

 

I worked in aerospace for 25 years. During a 17 year stint in my last company, I worked with a mechanical engineer who ALWAYS blamed fitment problems on this.

No other ME had this issue. Only her stuff. So I HATE it when someone tries to blame stack-up.

Not saying you're wrong, just that it's pretty rare. Except in her case, haha

 

Please, don't do this.
No...no, it isn't. Avoid.

What Jeepin' said, if you are tightening it and it spins, that's no bueno.

When it comes to tapered joints, torque to spec, then see if the hole and castle line up and you can get the pin in. If the hole doesn't line up, tighten until it does, if it's close. If not, do what was suggested above, with a deeper cut on the castle nut, or lower profile castle...even a smaller diameter cotter pin...as mentioned...make sure it won't slip through, though.

The pins and castle nuts are there for a reason. Steering components see some major forces. Those captive fasteners are important.

Do it right, be safe about it.

 

Just throwing in my .02 here because I didn't see it mentioned or asked...

Did you make sure to clean out the hole of the knuckle with a wire brush real good before trying to put the new TRE in? Underside of the knuckle too. Rust or scale could prevent the stud from going all the way in.

As was said though. DO NOT use locktite in place of the cotter pin. That has bad idea written all over it. It can result in death wobble at the very least and in steering link separation (and a crash) on the other end of the scale.

Use a long breaker bar to get a little more torque if you need to. If you can't, grind a little away at the bottom of the knuckle until you have a clear view of the cotter pin hole and put the pin in... as was also said.

 

There's a reason they used cotter pins and NOT thread locker on those from the factory... EVERY factory. I would say "do what you like, it's your rig" but seeing as doing this has the potential to kill other people when you crash - just don't.

 

Why didn't they just do this at the factory then?

Honest question.

 

check your old part against the new part, and check against a 2nd new part as well.

I have also had issue lately where autozone and quadratec BOTH gave/sent me the wrong part for my steering.

Since they both gave me the same part wrong, I suspect they are using the same parts software.

 

Because the tie rod and TRE's are the only thing keeping the wheels straight. If one breaks, or loosens and falls out, you will loose all steering control. With a castle nut and cotter pin, the nut can't spin freely.
​​​​​

 

Either way, why doesnt the end fit into the knuckle in the first place?

 

As others have stated, either dirt/crud in the hole, or the wrong part.

 

Probably because it was quicker on the assembly line, and for the record some vehicles do have a thread locker or a lock nut on the tie rod end instead of a castle nut with a cotter pin, some Nissans are that way and the tie rod ends falling out isn't an issue. I agree that it is safer with the cotter pin in but there is more than one way to do something, and I have never had the issue that the OP is talking about I have always been able to get the pin in.

 

Yes there is always more then one way to do things but in this case there is only one way to do it right. USE A CASTLE NUT AND COTTER PIN!!! End of story.

And BTW - My current Nissan and the 2 before it had castle nuts with cotter pins in all steering related items.

 

Hold up man. You're assumption is that it's quicker to thread the needle with a cotter pin than it is to put a dab of thread locker on and tighten the nut on? Try again.

 

If you are still working on this, since it is the same part
that is on the drag link at the pitman, switch the two parts
and see if that will work for you.

If it doesn't, the problem is that one is oversize in the taper
and you can exchange it.