i need to replace the tie rods on my escape hybrid but it seems the dealer is the only place to buy them...is that right? or where can i get them cheap?

 

O'Reilly has them listed for the 2005 FEH

Hopefully this link will work:
http://www.oreillyauto.com/EW3/Displ...ycleCount=2543

 

There are over a million 01-07 Escapes/Mariners/Tributes on the road, which means there are tons of online websites where you can buy chassis parts like these. These include Ford dealers that have online parts businesses, as well as auto parts warehouses. Sometimes when parts shopping, you have to look at early model years because parts databases aren't always consistent. For example, I've bought a few parts and accessories that were listed for 01-05 Escapes, but were not listed (even by Ford) for my 07.

 

i bought some from o'reilly's that said they would fit my hybrid...well got them in, scheduled the install, and the shop called and said they were the wrong ones...i haven't ordered anywhere else but i may try and see what happens...i thought i would ask on here just to see if anyone has ever replaced theirs and had this problem...hybrid escape tie rods are different than regular escapes

 

I'll stand corrected, then. The inner tie rods are different for hybrids but the outer tie rods are the same!

 

Is this going to be one of those stories that in the end, "it would have cost less in time and money to just have the dealer do it" ?

 

more than likely

 

Just so you know, the FEH's have an electric power steering rack that costs many times more than the regular Escapes.. I was quoted over $1100 and I was hoping it was the inner tie rod but my mechanic thinks it is in the rack..passenger side...My ford dealer tech. thinks it's the passenger side tie rods but I don't think he looked past the inner tie rod...it takes two people to duplicate the movement... They, the Ford dealer quoted me over $600 to replace just the pass. side inner and outer tie rods and align..and I could still have a bad rack... That Ford repair is over $1500 but this is in California where prices tend to be higher than other parts of the country.. After market parts places often claim they have Hybrid parts but they are regularly confusing regular Escape parts for FEH parts... i bought a FEH parts list just so I could check the parts I was quoted.. Good luck I hope your steering rack is OK and my mechanic is wrong..
Mike

 

The FE has EPS and my '09 shop manual covers the FE/FEH and lists only one steering gear. It lists one outer tie-rod under the steering gear section. Two pages later under steering linkage section, it lists one inner tie-rod and a different outer tie-rod. It doesn't note the difference. It also shows one part number one palce as a nut, another place it's shown as a bolt!

Steering gear, 3A500
Inner tie-rod, 3280
Outer tie-rod, 3289
Outer tie-rod, 3A130

Notice how the last outer tie-rod part number matches the steering gear!!

 

The 05-07 FEH is different from the 08-09.. Totally different steering rack, and wider track...I'll get back with 05-07 part #'s if needed..
M