99 s70 inner tie rods. Smi vs trw?

c70_lindsay · Post by **c70_lindsay** » 08 May 2020, 00:13

So I have been trying to source inner tie rods ends for my 99 S70t5, I checked the the plate on my fender and deducted my car has the #5 Smi rack.

Here's where things get ugly. I ordered 2 from uap napa, one of them came in in a timely matter. The second was a no show. So after two weeks I ordered the second one from bumper to bumper. It came in.

So now I have two inner tie rods ends from different companies for a smi rack, apparently. Thing is they are different parts. The threads are different on the end that threads into the steering box.

Can anyone tell me how to tell the tie rods for an smi vs trw steering box by looking at them? I double checked the part numbers and both parts have smi numbers. But they are different effin parts!!!

Post by **abscate** » 08 May 2020, 04:44

Pretty good pictures at FCP, maybe email someone at FCP to measure

Post by **scot850** » 08 May 2020, 10:37

I would also check the rack is what the Vin plate claims it is. Are you 100% it is the original? If the rack has been changed it could be anything in there. If I recall the SMI rack has a cast name on it underneath and to the rear of the steering column.

Neil.

Post by **erikv11** » 08 May 2020, 11:15

Unfortunately the hex cap (SMI) images are gone but see this thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=75524&start=10

c70_lindsay · Post by **c70_lindsay** » 12 May 2020, 01:15

Thank erikv11. Um it would seem the parts I have are for an smi rack, as per the number on my fender, but the parts a wrong. Maybe the rack was changed out? I don't know. I searched the rack for markings and couldn't find anything. But my rack does have the rounded bit, not the hex part you say is an smi

Also my car is twenty years old and has 300,000km on it, I think all the parts are original, and rusted like crazy. So I have had to resort to cutting them off. It's not been a good day.....