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Autopapyrus · Lada Iskra (Generation I)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/lada/iskra/steering-rack-inner-tie-rod-replacement/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Lada Iskra (Generation I): Steering Rack Inner Tie Rod Replacement

The inner tie rod threads into the end of the rack and is covered by a corrugated boot. Signs of wear: knocking or play when turning the steering wheel while stationary, knocking over bumps, and a crunching noise when turning. The exact factory procedure for the Iskra is not described in publicly available materials. Below is the general principle for racks of this type. If your version has a hex or flats on the tie rod for a wrench, use them. If the tie rod is covered by a shield or locked in a different way, work according to what you find.

Difficulty: Hard Time: 2-3 hours (per side, plus wheel alignment) Steps: 14

Parts

5
№PartAlternatives
01 Steering rack inner tie rod for Lada Iskraleft or right side TRW, Lemforder, SS20
02 Tie rod bootreplace together with the tie rod
03 Tie rod boot clampsreplace together with the tie rod
04 Tie rod lock washer or ringnew; replace together with the tie rod
05 Outer tie rod endusually replaced at the same time

Tools

13
  • lift or inspection pit
  • socket and wrench set
  • torque wrench
  • special tie rod tool or open-end wrenches for the tie rod
  • ball joint separator
  • pliers or hose clamp pliers
  • chisel and hammer
  • soft support for the subframe
  • jack
  • lug wrench
  • thread lubricant
  • medium-strength thread locker
  • marker

Step by step

14 steps
  1. Park the car on level ground and loosen the front wheel nuts half a turn. Raise the front, set it on stands and remove the wheel on the side you are working on. Lock the steering wheel in the straight-ahead position.
  2. Measure and mark the position of the tie rod end on the tie rod thread, either with a marker or by counting the turns as you loosen the locknut. This preserves the toe setting until you can adjust it.
  3. Loosen the tie rod end locknut and remove the nut of the tie rod end stud in the steering knuckle. Press the stud out with a separator; do not hit the stud with a hammer. Unscrew the tie rod end from the tie rod, counting the turns.
  4. Remove the clamp and the boot from the rack. Inspect it beforehand: if it is torn, the joint may already be contaminated and worn.
  5. Prepare access to the rack. On many cars on this platform you need to loosen or lower the subframe and remove the engine undershield. The Iskra rack has electric power steering, so do not pull on the sensor connector and do not tear any wiring. If a heat shield or bracket gets in the way at the rack, remove it.
  6. Hold the rack against rotation: hold the other tie rod or the rack housing. Do not clamp the rack shaft in a vise or with a pipe wrench. It is a working surface, and scoring will lead to a seal leak and play.
  7. Bend back or remove the tie rod locking element (if there is one). Then unscrew the tie rod with a wrench on the flats or with a special tool. If the tie rod is seized, heat it with a heat gun and use penetrating oil. Do not heat the boots or electronics.
  8. Clean the threads on the rack shaft and check them for damage. Apply medium-strength thread locker to the threads (if specified), thread on the new tie rod and tighten it with a torque wrench to the manufacturer's specification. As a rough guide, tie rods of this class take 70-100 N·m (52-74 lb-ft), but check the exact value for your rack.
  9. Lock the tie rod: bend the tab of the lock washer onto the flat or install a new locking ring. Do not reuse the old locking ring.
  10. Fit the new boot and secure it with the clamps. The boot must sit evenly, without being skewed. The tie rod must not bind when it is rotated.
  11. Thread on the tie rod end by the same number of turns, insert the stud into the knuckle, tighten the stud nut to specification (a guide for tie rod ends: 30-50 N·m (22-37 lb-ft)) and install a cotter pin if the design calls for one. Tighten the tie rod end locknut (a guide of 40-60 N·m (30-44 lb-ft); check the exact value against the specification).
  12. Reinstall the undershield, the subframe and the wheel. Tighten the wheel nuts in a crisscross pattern after lowering the car onto its wheels (a guide for the Lada Iskra: 85-100 N·m (63-74 lb-ft); check the manual).
  13. Be sure to have the wheel alignment adjusted on an alignment rack. After a tie rod replacement, the toe setting is certain to be thrown off. Without alignment, the tires wear out within a few thousand kilometers.
  14. Check the steering with the car stationary: there should be no knocking, the effort should be even when turning left and right, and there should be no electric power steering errors on the instrument cluster.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • Steering is a safety system
  • If you have no experience working on suspension and steering, have the replacement done by a repair shop
  • A loose or poorly locked tie rod can lead to loss of control
  • After the replacement, recheck the tightening torque of all connections after 100-200 km of driving