Topic: Rubber Tie Rod End Boots

[bryancobb]

I have this set of 1966 tie rod ends for my c-code conv't w/ pwr steering.
They are like new so I hate to toss them. A new set of concours jobs is $500+.

Does anyone know if the rubber boots with the steel rings will fit on them?
The O.D. in that area is 1.425.

NPD has a concours set, and a near concours set that both caution they may not fit.
I know the grease zerks are wrong. I'm gonna fill them w/ grease, remove the zerks,
weld up the holes with .026 wire at very cool temp, and then put a steel plug on with
structural adhesive that looks like the 2nd picture.

Bryan

[Bob Gaines]

It doesn't look like the boots will fit. I have never had any luck with the boots fitting on any after market brand of tie rods I have tried. We used to stretch the 65/66  boots to fit on the slightly larger 67-70 tie rods if originals were not available and before the advent of Scott Fullers but I have not been successful with using them on aftermarket 65/66 units. Bob

[slk25]

I am having a similar problem.
My existing rod end boots were ovoid in shape and matched.
Now I have lost one and the replacement from Daniel Carpenter is more triangular.
Which is the correct unit?
Or do I just need to replace all to make them match again?

[bryancobb]

I wound up chucking the tie-rods in the mill and hand-rotating them in a rotator table to mill a 1.25" dia. shoulder that the concours covers will fit onto.  There was a lot of "meat" so I didn't have to worry about weakening them.

I made covers for the grease zerk side out of the bottoms of aluminum Coke cans, male and female wood plug hammered together to form the aluminum into the OEM shape. 

Hard to tell from factory assembly line tie-rods for $20.  A lot less than the $500 I was about to spend.

[Bob Gaines]

I wound up chucking the tie-rods in the mill and hand-rotating them in a rotator table to mill a 1.25" dia. shoulder that the concours covers will fit onto.  There was a lot of "meat" so I didn't have to worry about weakening them.

I made covers for the grease zerk side out of the bottoms of aluminum Coke cans, male and female wood plug hammered together to form the aluminum into the OEM shape. 

Hard to tell from factory assembly line tie-rods for $20.  A lot less than the $500 I was about to spend.

I would like for you please to post a side by side comparison between your before picture and a after modification picture of the tie rods . I would like to see if it is "hard to tell" like you say.  I have a suspicion your efforts would have been put to better use restoring a set of original tie rods from one of the multitudes of donor Mustangs out there. It seems to me with your ability (compliment) you would have no problem being clever enough to find some good cores. Bob   

[bryancobb]

Thanks Bob,
The tie-rods I modified came with an OEM Ford Power steering setup I bought off Ebay.  I got everything for $250.
The T/R ends were tight and just like brand new.  It was a case of taking the path of least resistance.

I had them.  I had a mill.  NPD had the boots for ?? $12.  It took me 1 hr. 

I downloaded pictures of the Concours repros that are being sold.  I can't remember the company that repops them.

I just made 'em look like the pics.