How to Check Tie Rod Ends
If you often do car checkups, then you must be familiar with the tie rod ends. Part of a steering rack’s extension, they connect to the front wheels’ knuckles. It’s very important to ensure that your tie-rod ends are tightly on the vehicles, because if they separate from the control arm or knuckle, you can’t steer the car. Here are some steps on checking your tie rod ends.
What You’ll Need:
Jack stand
Wheel chock
Floor jack or car lift
Procedure:
Put your car in neutral gear and the ignition key in an accessory position, ensuring the steering column is unlocked. This is the best way to check your tie ends’ looseness, because it allows free mobility of the wheel. If you have an automatic car, this is already give, if it’s in neutral. For standard transmission cars, though, you can still turn the key to the off position, so the steering column will be locked.
When the car’s set, use a lift, to hoist it up. Many vehicles can be checked by lifting one side at a time, but some trucks and SUVs have many front end components, making checking more difficult if the front end is not completely suspended. If you don’t have a car lift, then just position your vehicle so that there will be a visual slant in its packing surface, and the rear wheels are facing it. Chock both or just one of the rear wheels.
Find the pinch panel or side rocker behind your car’s front tire, and use it as a lifting point. Get a floor jack, put it beneath the “A” arm of the side that you want to raise. Lift the vehicle high enough so you can put the jack stand securely beneath it. After securing one floor jack at one side, go to the other, then repeat the procedure, allowing both front tires to be elevated. Make sure you’re in a flat area. The flatter it is, the safer your inspection will be.
Move your front wheels, putting your hands at either side of it. Move in a back and forth rocking motion. If the front end is properly tightened, there will be no signs of excess movement. If there’s movement though, ask another person to look where the movements come from. There are many causes for this, but the tire rod ends are the easiest to check
If there’s movement at the outer tie rod end, you will spot it near the ball area. This is where it sits down in the control arm’s knuckle. If there is excessive movement, then the outer tie rod will need replacing.
To check on the movement on the inner tie rod, put your hand on it as your helper moves the tire back and forth again. See how much movement there is. Some cars only give off a little movement in the pinion and rack, while others might have excess movement, but only have idler arms and pitman arms that also needs checking.
Make sure the lower ball joint doesn’t move. Put one hand at the top of the tire and the other at the bottom, then try moving it up and down. Most automobiles today have whee-bearing hub assemblies, and there won’t be any free movements at all. If you see that there is, and the lower joint doesn’t move in the knuckle, it’s likely that there will be movement in the bearing. There are rear wheel drive vehicles that might have a bearing seated rotor, which can then be adjusted so the looseness in a bearing will be tightened. Don’t worry if there’s a bit of movement in that kind of application.
Don’t underestimate the tie rod ends of a car. Making sure they’re working properly will assure you of safe driving all the time.