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Symptoms of Tie Rod needing replaced? Need advice

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15K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  Harriedtwo  
#1 ·
I've got a weird noise that I can hear every time I hit any sort of bump in the road. I'm wondering what the symptoms of a worn tie-rod-end are.

It's definitely a sort of metallic clank and happens when I hit any sort of variance in the road. It's also really annoying.

I'm also attaching pictures from about 6 months ago. Let me know what you think..if there is any way to diagnose a worn tie-rod-end solely based on a photo, which there may not be.

Thanks,
JT

 
#5 ·
That pic looks like a pretty funky angle I would say there are some issues there what I don't know.
How much lift is on it?
And freaking clunks suck just fixed my last clunk after a year well Im slow and broke so took a part every couple months ended up A-arm balljoint.

You could set your cell phone under there too doing video where you think the sound is coming from and drive back and forth a few feet moving steering around and see if you can spot anything that way.
 
#7 ·
jaxk up one side at a time and grab the wheel at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock and shake back and forth while having someone look at the tie rods. If you have a bad one then it will have noticable play in it and kinda move up and down at the bad joint. While you're at it5 grab the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and shake in and out to check wheel bearings. then get a big pry bar or a pipe/breaker bar or whatever and with the wheel a couple inches still off the groud stick the bar under the tire and see if you can lift the wheel up (again have someone looking or someone doing the wheel work while you look) look for up and down play in the ball joint. That's how you check a front end for wear.
 
#8 ·
Thank you for the replies everyone...I'll have to wait till the weekend to have another look.

I will say this though...when I was up under there I could take the horizontal bar that attaches to the pittman arm (maybe it's the tie rod sleeve?) and was able to twist it fairly easily, but only by like a 1/2 inch or so.
 
#10 ·
You will be able to "twist" a tie rod. That means normal function. The best way is to have a second person turning the steering wheel back and forth while you lay under the front end and watch each tie rod end. If you see ANY delay in the wheel moving when the tie rod assembly is moved, replace the end. Check all four ends closely. If you have no grease fittings (zerks) on the tie rod end and you are having any play, change the end. The end being original is probable. There is no grease fitting on that tie rod end in the picture and it is likely original and has not been greased. Remember all the ends have been on the vehicle likely for as long as the mileage says. Replace them all and be done with it. Get it the toe in set after you do it. Aligned if someone else will do it for you. It is a fairly simple DIY fix.
 
#11 ·
I recently had the front TRE and cross link replaced on my Dodge Ram, which only had 59,000 miles. Factory defect. I replaced with MOOG parts so I should not have any more problems. Since my truck has large 18" tires it is much harder to move them around and I had the vehicle aligned a month prior. The point is not to rely just on the mechanic shops to diagnose the problems. Once you fix the parts, ensure you align the tires to the best of your ability or you can wear out the tires just driving from home to an alignment shop. One tire dealer told me that on these new design radial tires once it starts to wear due to bad alignment it continues even after you get the front end aligned. Since my truck tires cost over $1200 I won't take the chance of having to replace them prematurely, so be careful on your work. :D :D