What keeps the tie rod end that is screwed into the main rack from unscrewing off when you are driving. I never quite understood this..thanks Jeffrey

the lock nuts that hold the outer tie rod make the inner and outer one piece (for our puropses). Since the outer tie rod can't spin, neither can the inner.
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'73 142, '75 242, '75 245, '80 245, '83 244, '86 244, '87 745T, 92 244 (for sale)

That still confuses my..why cant it spin if the joint is a ball socket. Cant you hold one end of the tie rod and the other end and spin the end around the other part..the ball part that is in the inner part..thanks..Jeffrey

Sure. that end COULD spin.

but, just for a second, consider the tie rods (outer and inner) as one unit - which they are, because they are locked together.

Now, in order for one end (the ball/socket) to spin, the OTHER END also has to be free to spin.

The outer tie rod end can't spin because it's attached to the spindle at a right angle.
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'73 142, '75 242, '75 245, '80 245, '83 244, '86 244, '87 745T, 92 244 (for sale)

On mine, the rack end has a deep notch. A punch has been used on the tie-rod end that screws into the rack so that some material is punched into that notch and prevents it from unscrewing.

Noel