I've got the front suspension of my 300D in bits at the moment if you still want some measurments / photos made send me a PM.

0003300485 Tie rod and Drag link boot kit
0003300485 Tie rod and Drag link boot kit

I got the new boots and then remembered the difficulty I had getting the large retaining clip on from when I rebooted my balljoints.
I spent about a half a hour fighting with it then gave up and zip tied it like I did on the BJ.
Does anyone know the trick or is there a tool to help?

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1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily

considering how much of PIA taking a tie rod off can possibly be, it might be best to leave as is and let nature take its toll. Your going to have to take it off to put the new boot on right? or at least unscrew half of it, and then get an alignment right? Seems like a lot of work for a boot and a tie rod with 11k.

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1985 300TD Turbo Diesel Wagon
273,000 miles

I have already done the rebooting. I took off the tierods as a unit [I used the 2 hammers against the tierod mount trick to pop them off] so alignment was not affected. I am leaving the zip ties in place.
I just wondered if anyone had a good way to put on the factory clips.
for future reference

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1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily

tie rod assemblies are cheap and very easy to replace. get FEBI/Billstein or Lemforder. stay away from Meyle. MB has not used Meyle for OEM for years, or so I am told by my Indy.

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john
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'98 E300 TD "Lukas" 156K
'11 C300 "Mia" 10K, Gorgeous!, Wifey's Car

A shop told me that i needed to replace the outer tie rods and shocks before I can get a good alignment performed. SO I went andpurchased these parts thinking that if anything was on the brik of needing to be replaced then they would have quoted me the part. Well I took one outer tie rod off and the inner Tie rod feels very loose. I thought that if these were good that they would stand up by themselves horizontally that is. Is this correct? Now Im pissed because I needed the car this weekend and it will take a couple of days should I need to purchase two new inner tie rods.

Is there a definite way to test an inner Tie rod with the wheel/tire off the car?

little interesting note

current issue of popular mechanics has a nice article on how to add zerk fittings to tie rods and control arms.

check it out

The original tierod ends on my car had no boots left and were very sloppily loose. Obviously in need of replacement.
The new ones were quite tight and easily held out straight in a horizontal position.
When I removed the new ones to reboot them they still held straight and although the grease in the outer tierods was funky, they still would move smoothly, with some effort.
So, I figure, if they are tight and smoothly operating, they are still ok.

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1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily

It's a huge pain to put that "spring" clip on.

I wound it in. Start with one end and then wind clip around base of the cover. But there is a good chance of ruining the clip this way.
If there is a better way, I like to know also.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

I tried winding it but could not get it to "start" into the channel.
I was fumbling with pliers, visegrips and screwdrivers to no avail.
I was more concerned about tearing the boot.

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1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily