Tie rod hole in steering knuckle is enlarged

[dhepper]

I recently replaced the steering gear (rack and pinion) in my 97 Avalon (66K). When I went to reinstall the outer tie-rod ends, the tie-rod end stud on the right side sat so deep in the hole in the steering knuckle that the castle nut was above the cotter pin hole and the rubber boot on the tie-rod end was compressed. I tried two new tie-rod ends with the same result. I then measured the hole in the steering knuckle and found it is about 1/16 inch larger in diameter than the hole on the other side. Both holes are round, smooth, and don't show any signs of wear.

I can't figure out how this could have happened. A mechanic suggested that perhaps someone torqued the tie-rod end really tight and that enlarged the hole. However, I didn't do that and I don't think anyone ever worked on this assembly since the car was built. Also, could that really enlarge the hole in the cast steering knuckle?

Any ideas and any suggestions on what to do? I think I need to find a tie-rod end that has a stud that has a slightly greater diameter. Any ideas on how to go about that?

[jakro1972]

Sounds Like You Might Need To Replace The Spindle. I Don't Think There's A Real Good Way To Shim Your Tie Rod Stud Since It's Tapered. Finding A Tie Rod End With A Larger Stud That Still Screws Onto Your Tie Rod Is Unlikely!