I replaced the passenger side transmission output seal a few days ago. I pulled the passenger rear tie rod at the cradle to give enough wiggle room to pull the axle out of the knuckle as per another post. Replaced the seal and filled the transaxle up with 3 quarts of synchromesh. All good, or so I thought... two days later the drivers side axle seal gives up the ghost. My question is, can I remove the drivers rear tie rod at the cradle or do I need to pull the tie rod end loose with a pickle fork? I don’t feel a nut at the cradle side of the rod end, I know there has to be one there though. Haven’t removed the wheel to take a look yet. Thanks for any advice in advance.
Probably the easiest would be to separate the tie rod end at the knuckle. If you damage the boot, they are available at most parts stores. Also by doing that, there's no chance of changing alignment.
The driver side toe link is just like the passenger side. Dirt and grime likes to collect in those areas. So that's probably why you couldn't feel the nut.
No issue with alignment changes using either method as long as the jam nut/end isn't disturbed. The toe links are keyed to the cradle mount before tightening.
