Inner Tie Rod 2006 Aveo Hatchback with Automatic Transmission

[gingerdyde]

I took the boots off and I'm still getting the bubbles. This is with the vehicle turned off and the wheels off the ground though, so I'm honestly thinking it's just churning in the return container and creating bubbles there and I have never noticed it before.

I noticed the inside of that rod was hollow, but you might be right that it actually doesn't go anywhere. Hmm. I wonder how that boot vents then?

[gingerdyde]

I ended up just hacking an external breather between the two boots. I posted about it in the inner tie rod replacement forum.

As far as the struts, I pushed down on each corner of the car and it returned without much bouncing. I also reached my fingers into where the piston is and didn't feel any grease. I am deeming them good for now. I believe the front struts are a "floating" design in the sense that they aren't actually bolted on at the top. They just push up against the top of the frame and sit in there. Both of the front struts rotated as you were talking when the car was up in the air and I turned the wheel, but they do not when it's on the ground. It's squeaky for sure, so I am sure those mounts have some wear to them, but I don't know how they could stay quiet for long given their design anyways.

I figured this rotation was probably somewhat normal because it's not actually bolted in at the top. In my Grand Prix there is the center bolt that holds the shock onto the strut and then there are three bolts that hold the assembly into the car itself. In the Aveo it's just the single bolt for the strut/shock.