Tie Rod Question

CRJ Driver

CRJ Driver

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I have a full, new set of '78 E12 tie rods, a carrier rod, and both control arms and I want to use them on my '72 E9. The control arms the same part #, so they'll work, but the L & R outer tie rods have different part #s but look close enough to work. My question is, since the E12 track(or carrier rod) is so much narrower than the E9 one, I'd like to remove just the ball joints from the E12 rod & put them on the E9 one....Is this possible? My only other options are to weld @ 3" of length to the E12 rod, or pony up for an expensive new E9 track rod.
 
If you use e12 components you need e12 torsion rods as well, all of the part numbers are unique to the e12 and the control arms are longer than e9 I have been told.
 
Tie Rod Question-To Clarify

BMW calls them a 'wishbone'....#9 in pic...these are the same E9/E12 part #..They should work fine...I'm wondering if #1 in the second pic-the drag link-can these have the ball joints removed from the E12 piece, and driven in to the longer E9 bar?
 

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The left wishbone in the e12 is 31121108388. It cross references to e24 but not the e3 or e9. Are you sure it fits an e9, where are you verifying the part number? Just trying to help as I have no direct experience with these.
 
Hmmm interesting. I was looking at Mesa Perf's site at their part #'s since that's where the E12 stuff is from....didn't bother looking at the BMW parts books for the official #'s. Odd especially since the wishbones are the only parts that look, feel, taste like the E9 parts. The outer tie rods have strange bends like E9 ones, they're just in slightly different directions and angles-although the ends line up perfectly. I've done nearly auto restoration process, just never tie rods for some reason as well. Would be nice to use the new joints from the E12 stuff, and put them in the E9 'steel' parts just so I'm sure its right. This must be possible with a press & pullers, but I've never done this...thoughts?
 
I find the different names for parts in different parts of the country to be somewhat interesting. Here in the northeast #1 would commonly be called a “strut rod” and #8 would be a “lower control arm”. I’m not saying other names are necessarily wrong, just different. ~ John Buchtenkirch
 
Trying to substitute E-12 parts--

for E-9 steering linkage--
Why complicate your coupe? It will serve you better short term and long term to use E-9 specific parts.
 
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