Tie Rods Help

[flashman]

Hello all, i also have some clunking noise from the front end. I previously had the bushings changed and the tension struts changed a year ago. Now i again have a clunking noise, but this time it sounds different. Now i would like to check the tie rods myself which were never done before bringing it in. I would like to know what is the best way of checking if the tie rods are bad. I went under the car and took the tie rods in my hand and i was able to twist the tire rod (part nearest to the tire)back and forth about 1/4 way. is this normal?. know please bear in mind i m not the most mechanically inclined person. so any help would be greatly appriciated. Thanks

[DESIREE]

Being able to twist the tierod 1/4 turn is normal.
To check the tierod joints, raise one front wheel off the ground and support it on a safety stand.
Then squat or sit down facing the wheel and grab the tire with the lefthand at the 9 0'clock position, and with the right hand at the 3 o'clock position. Then slowly and carefully push with the left hand and pull with the right hand on the wheel, and then reverse the push/pull, and repeat. Pay attention to any free movement of the wheel. This indicates that a ball joint at either end of the tierod is worn allowing it to move in its joint. To figure out whether it's the outer tierod end fitting (the one just behind the wheel) have someone try to move the wheel as described while you watch and feel the joint by gripping it with one hand. If you see and/or feel a tiny bit of movement the joint is bad. If not the inner tierod joint is bad. It's housed inside the rubber boot about a foot further in along the tierod, at the end of the rack and pinion steering. Because of the boot surrounding the joint feeling any joint movement within may be difficult.
Then repeat the entire procedure on the other front wheel.
You may also notice while driving the car on a flat road that the car has a tendency to slightly wander around. This is due to the wheel on the effected side of the car changing its angle on the road as road forces are applied to it, thus changing the direction in which the car is steering without input from the steering wheel.
Worst case is that you can feel the slop in the tierod joint through the steering wheel. Even worse you can hear it while turning the wheel. If you ignore the sloppy joints, excessive tire wear (due to improper toe) will result, and/or the joint could fail allowing the wheel to flop around uncontrolled with it winding up turned fully outward or fully inward with tire screaming, and lose of directional control!

[flashman]

Wow DESIREE thanks so much for the detailed write up. I will go give it a try.Again thanks so much for your help, it s really appreciated.

[autofx]

Originally Posted by flashman

Wow DESIREE thanks so much for the detailed write up. I will go give it a try.Again thanks so much for your help, it s really appreciated.

Although DESIREE is right, there is also another cause to the wheel movement when the car is jacked up.

I took my car into my trusted mechanic and told him the tie rods were probably bad and to check them out for me, which he did. Come to find out, my tie rods were fine and it was MY HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY. Im not sure how these work, but I think the little ball-bearing inside were shot...i dunno.

The stock part was over $100, so I went to the junkyard and grabbed a used on with low miles for $15, had it installed for $45. total price=$60 Problem fixed!

[Cool_V_300C]

How lucky am I?

I had the hub bearings, tension strut, and outer tie rods.

The dealer did the hub bearings first. The noise started again
after 3 months, so after going back, they did the tension struts
and tie rods.

bought the warranty the day I took delivery back in '04, so all of
it cost $100 deductible.

car is quiet and well behaved again.