How in the world do you get the nuts to tighten on a tie rod?? The ball just keeps spinning and it won't tighten at all.

If you look closely at the bolt part of the tie rod end, you should see that it has a socket where you can insert a hex wrench. You hold the bolt with a hex wrench while turning the nut tight.

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

I've always used an impact and the force/speed of that makes it lock into the metal pretty well...then just tighten the nut

apply some pressure that is in the direction of the tie rod ...to force it into the taperd hole (adding friction to resist it turning)...in conjuntion with an air wrench its usually all you need to do.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

the best way i have found, is to insert the tie rod in its area start the nut and put an open end wrench between the nut and the nut mating surface, the nut will tighten sooner since the wrench has taken up the excess space. as it is tightened it will wedge the conical shape of the tie rod in the conical mating surface on the other side.
tighten it as tight as you would when you were attaching it normally, then back off the nut remove the wrench then continue tightening the nut until it finally seats, if it still spins try it again. once is usually enough for me. flat washers will also work well.

Jmana,

Try tapping the tapered tie rod bolt into the tapered hole with a hammer.

If that doesn't work and the tie rod bolt is vertical up, put a jack under the tie rod and and jack up enough until the tie rod bolt doesn't turn.

P E H