Outer Tie Rod Threads Not Equal

Hey all, I am starting front end work this weekend and I noticed that the number of exposed tie rod threads are not equal on both sides. Driver side has maybe 5 threads and passenger side 10ish exposed. What is the current thinking, making sure the thread count is equal on both sides or match marking to install newbies with same number of rotations as what is removed? I've read/watched videos with both...

Truck is still together. Alignment is really good right now except for I need more caster. Alignment has been terrible in the past but the current shop set it driving straight after I installed full OME kit last year. This weekend doing UCA's, cv reboot, and changing inner/outer tie rods and LBJ's because they are tired.

 

I had a similar issue. Even though I marked them and counted the turns, the new OEM tie rods I had ordered had more threads which screwed the pooch. Mark them, do whatever work you need to do, get them approximate and then take it for an alignment. A legit alignment shop will get them in sync and get you aligned. Just be sure to point that out. If they don't know what the hell you're talking about then find another shop.

Once you have a decent alignment shop, stick with them. They're tough to find.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wZoRP5ogrK0&t=1s&pp=ygUZVG95b3RhIHRpbWUgc3RlZXJpbmcgcmFjaw==

 

yeah I watched that video but then in a different one I think he talks about working on a truck where the threads were not even so they just evened them out

Edit - you posted the video I was referring to, thanks.

 

yes, sticking with this shop for now
thanks

 

Shop needs to adjust toe in relation to a straight steering wheel. What you could do if you wanted, with the steering wheel centered...adjust the tie rods equally on both sides until they have the same amount of threads showing. In with the passenger and out with the driver the same amount of rotations.

 

Called the shop I've been working with and they said if the truck is driving straight then to put it back together the way it came out and they'll adjust as needed. Came out to be 8 threads on driver side and 14 on passenger. Will see how many rotations it takes to get oldies off, hopefully the passenger isn't just barely seated.

 

The eccentric cams will affect toe. If the eccentrics aren't even side to side neither will the tie rods. Not to say they should be necessarily just that those affect toe as well.

 

Yep, caster and camber need to be set first, then disconnect rack from steering wheel, center steering wheel, lock it with a ratchet strap to the driver's seat, then center rack, disconnect tie rods, even them out, reconnect to spindles, and adjust toe.

 

The steering wheel isn't keyed instead of fighting the steering shaft at the rack just pop your steering wheel off.

 

There's more than one way to do it, but, 2 bolts at the rag joint is easy to remove the connection from the shaft. I suppose you could actually set your caster and camber, use the steering wheel to center the rack while noting which way you'll need to rotate your steering wheel back to center, and then remove the 2 bolts from the rag joint and recenter it and remove the tie rods and even them out and reinstall them and set toe. The pro on this is that most likely you'll be covered in grease / dirt and won't have to be working on the interior by removing the steering wheel. Done it a few times and it worked with no issues. I'm in Socal where there's no rust so idk if it would be easier to leave the rag joint intact in a place where there's corrosion on the bolts / steering shaft splines making it potentially harder to separate the rag joint.