I am working on my 2004 G35 Sedan (base) to replace the driver side inner tie rod, and have two questions:

1) My rack/tie rod has the lock plate and spacer ring (looks like a simple round gasket) vs. the single "spacer" that newer models apparently have. A DIY from this forum (https://g35driver.com/forums/brakes-...placement.html) in step 16 says to CAULK the lockplate/spacer to the rack. My question is, what type of caulk product should i use?

2) All third party tie rod kits (that I found) for my car include a zip tie instead of a wire (with looped ends) to secure the boot to the rack. Anyone have any problems with using a zip tie instead of the wire?

TIA

 

I've swapped a good amount of inner/outer tie rods. I wouldn't use a zip tie, since it can become brittle overtime. Just go to Harbor Freight or your local auto store and buy some hose clamps to fit over the boot.

For the caulk, I would imagine you want something water proof/resistant, but not impossible to get off in the future. So, I would guess maybe a latex product would probably work well. Silicone would be hard to get off in the future and the fumes are not pleasant to be around.