Torque spec for inner and outer tie rod

I searched both online service manual companies a couple of hours ago. One had no torque specs, and the other was showing specs for the wrong type of steering system over many years and models.

I applaud your desire to properly torque fasteners, but given the situation, for now I am going to recommend common sense. I will look up the values later in a paper service manual when I get home. For the tapered stud on the outer tie rod end, use a combination wrench and pull on it with one hand. If you have a click-type torque wrench, a good guess would be thirty foot pounds, then turn it tighter as necessary to insert the cotter pin. The same is true for the inner tie rod end ball and socket. You do not want to turn it so hard that the rack twists, although I have never actually heard of anyone doing that.

The jam nut between the two tie rod ends is tightened with an open-end wrench, and again, common sense applies. Leaving it too loose can allow it to loosen more from road shock, then the threads will hammer against each other and wear them down. I have seen that once where they separated and no threads were left.

If you put some grease on the threads so the alignment specialist does not have to fight with them a year or two from now, use axle grease, or, I like Chrysler's "Spray White Lube". Do not use their "Rust Penetrant". That stuff is way more effective than WD-40 as a penetrating oil, but as a lubricant, it opens the way up for moisture to follow it in, then the parts rust even worse. I used that on every alignment I did at the dealership for about a year, and when those cars came back for maintenance alignments a year or two later, I needed a torch to get them freed up.

After some more searching, a 1990 Grand Caravan was the first vehicle I could find that was correctly shown with a rack and pinion steering system. Not to worry though; they use the same outer tie rod ends as your car uses, and a similar inner tie rod end. The outer tapered stud castle nut calls for forty foot pounds, and the jam nut calls for fifty five foot pounds. There was a special crow's foot wrench to use with a torque wrench, but no one uses those. Use common sense on the jam nut. There are no listing for the inner tie rod end. That could be because when these vehicles were under warranty and you needed to replace the steering gear, they came from Chrysler with the inners already installed. You should find a torque spec. Listed on the instruction sheet that comes with the part.

Dandy. Now please find me a rust-free '88 Grand Caravan with 3.0L engine and 15" wheels to replace mine. It is so rusty, the carpet is the only thing holding the front and rear together!