Top Picks For Outer Tie Rod End Related Parts

Tie rods are important components of your steering system that turn the wheels and connect the wheel knuckle to the steering rack. As you turn the steering wheel, a rack and pinion gear system in the steering rack pushes or pulls the tie rods to turn the wheel. A tie rod is made of two components, inner and outer tie rod ends. The outer tie rod end is greased and consists of a rubber or plastic dust boot that covers the ball joint. Usually, this rubber boot cracks or breaks, exposing the ball joint to contaminants and moisture which wear it out causing corrosion and failure. A worn-out or loose tie rod end is a major safety concern as it can separate, leading to a complete loss of steering control.

The inner tie rod is connected to the steering rack assembly and has a straight body that is connected to a bearing housing. It is covered by a protective dust boot and the other end is screwed to the outer tie rod ends, which makes them a single unit. When we turn the steering wheels, the movement is transmitted through the steering shaft and the steering gear to the tie rods, which makes the wheels turn.

There is no time interval when the tie rod ends should be replaced, but they should be checked every time the vehicle is lifted or if you face any symptoms. The common symptoms of a failing tie rod include a shaking steering wheel, vibration in the vehicle, uneven and excess tire wear, and difficulty in steering the vehicle.

If you are changing the outer tie rod ends, it's recommended to get the inner ones replaced as well. While changing the inner tie rods, the outer tie rods are removed too and since both the tie rod ends have the same mileage, the damage is likely to be the same. Therefore, it is a good habit to replace both the tie rods to ensure a perfectly operating steering system that you can rely on. Changing both the inner and outer tie rod ends saves you a lot of money and the pain of getting your wheels aligned every time you change a tie rod end. This saves your money and time in the long run and helps to prevent further issues.

The steering rack assembly is also known as a rack and pinion assembly, which receives input from the steering wheel and accordingly turns the wheels of your vehicle. It comprises a rack (linear gear) and pinion (circular gear) and works by changing the rotatory motion to linear motion. This rack and pinion gear assembly is enclosed in a metal tube with the rack sticking out and connected to an axial rod. As the steering wheel is turned, the pinion gear attached to the steering shaft rotates, moving the rack. The rack is connected to the axial rods, which move the tie rod ends attached to the spindle. This linear movement of the rack allows you to turn the wheel. The gear reduction on the rack and pinion gear assembly allows easy turning of the wheels with minimal effort.

The steering rack assembly is also provided on vehicles with power steering and they have a slightly different design. In such a system, the steering rack comprises a cylinder with a piston. The cylinder consists of a power steering fluid on both sides of the piston and when pressure is applied on one side of the piston; it forces the piston to move, consequently moving the rack according to the steering input.

There are several signs which indicate that your steering rack assembly is faulty and needs to be replaced. Typical steering rack problems include a tight steering wheel, leaking power steering fluid, grinding noises while steering, loose steering, and steering wheel vibration. A bad steering rack assembly should be replaced immediately, as it can compromise your steering and can be extremely dangerous.

The ball joint is an important component of the front suspension system and offers pivoting movement between the steering knuckles and control arms for precise control of your vehicle. The ball joints comprise a metal housing and a stud that swings and rotates within the housing. The socket is filled with grease for lubrication and to keep the dirt, debris, and water out for a noise-free operation. The rubber boot on the ball joint keeps the grease contained and offers good sealing. These ball joints are found on the front suspension of the vehicle and are generally two in quantity in most vehicles, whereas four in SUVs or trucks.

Ball joints should be inspected and checked for damage periodically. However, they can wear out with time due to speed bumps, road salt, and other external conditions. The ball joints are replaced if they develop excess play or if the dust boot is broken or torn. A damaged dust boot can cause the grease to leak and water and salt to enter the joint. It is a good idea to change your ball joints as a precaution if they show early signs of damage like corrosion, leaking grease, squeaking, or creaking noise over bumps. Other major symptoms of a worn-out ball joint include sloppy or stiff steering and uneven tire wear. Some ball joints have built-in wear indicators that make it easy to diagnose a bad ball joint.

While taking a turn, the vehicle's body tends to move outward, to the outside of the turn. The vehicle tilts as you negotiate a corner and the parts of the vehicle on the outside of the turn are pushed down, whereas the vehicle lifts on the inside of the turn. If you take a turn too fast, this shift in force can cause the vehicle to flip over. This is also known as body roll. To avoid this, vehicles are incorporated with stabilizer arms, also known as sway bars, anti-roll bars, etc. These sway bars are designed to keep the vehicle's body flat by moving from one side of the body to the other while taking a turn. A sway bar is connected to the frame of the vehicle body via rubber bushings. The outer end of the sway bar is connected to the suspension component via a sway bar link, which has ball joints or bushings at each end depending on the sway bar link design.

The sway bars play an important role in the stable and smooth handling of the vehicle. A damaged sway bar link is essential to the proper functioning of the sway bar and a damaged link can cause the vehicle to handle poorly. A damaged sway bar link can wear out and lead to various symptoms, which if went unnoticed can cause catastrophic damage or an accident. If you are experiencing clunking, rattling, or metal-to-metal scratching noises around corners or bumps, maybe your sway bar links are bad. Poor handling is a common symptom of failing sway bar links. Always check your sway bar links while replacing your steering or suspension components and check for play and visual damage. If the sway bar link shows excessive play or movement then the ball joints or bushings are worn out. It is a good idea to have the sway bar links and bushings replaced when other steering work is carried out. This allows you to get an accurate front-end suspension alignment that offers a smooth drive, even tire wear, and the car doesn't pull to the left or right.