Discuss your 2000-2005 Bonneville SE, SLE, SSEi, Buick Le Sabre 00-05 and Buick Park Avenue 97-05. Please use General Chat for non-mechanical issues, and Performance and Brainstorming for improvements.
Got a nice nice issue. Either the inner tie rod broke and caused a slide off and or the slide off caused the break. It happened so quick can't tell. Lucky was only traveling about 5 mph, little damage, no injuries. Well the front bumper has a nice dent. Regardless, got to get it drivable.
From everything I can see it broke just behind the threads that screw into the outer tie rod, with a bend at the broken tip, but I have been told the only way to repair it is to replace the rack and pinion. The guys that helped get is home where in the mind it's only the tie rod, 200.00 fix.
If there was enough force to snap the tie rod, I'd be concerned about damage to other items, including the rack. Ball joint, strut, control arm and/or bushings, hub, etc.. Although not real easy, replacing the tie rods is within the capabilities of a decent DIYer. You'd need to buy or rent an inner tie rod tool, however.
If you feel more comfortable having a shop do it, explain what happened so they will do a careful inspection for other damage.
*Gone, but not forgotten* - Black 2000 SSEi, HIR Headlights, Angel Eyes fogs, 3rd brake light overlay, hi-flo cat, 180 degree thermostat, HS 1.9 rockers, LSx yellow springs, Intense FWI, PCM, shift kit, push rods, and 3.4 Pulley. ZZP Power Log.
