The pros at your local Les Schwab can perform a free visual inspection of your steering and suspension components. All to help you decide if your vehicle needs an alignment or if your tie rods, or other steering and suspension components are worn. Tie Rod Basics In many vehicles, tie rods connect your steering gear to the steering knuckle.
Steering wheel wandering. The mechanical system includes a gearbox. When you turn your wheel, your steering shaft will set several gears in motion that control the pitman arm. The pitman arm moves the steering rack according to how you steer. Again, like in the rack-and-pinion system, the steering rack is connected to the tie rods, which are connected to the steering arms. The tie rods are the connection from your steering system to your wheels.
These two systems, however complex, contain a very simple, yet important part, the tie rod. Tie rods play a crucial role in your steering system. Without tie rods, your steering system would fail. Tie rods connect the steering gear or rack and pinion gear to the wheel using a length of rod with a ball-in-socket on one end.
The ball-in-socket mechanism allows the wheels to move up and down and side to side in a controlled movement. This enables a smooth ride as the vehicle navigates different types of road surfaces, bumps, potholes, etc.
The most common steering designs use an inner tie rod attached to the steering gear and an outer tie rod that connects the inner tie rod to the wheel assembly. The length of thread that attaches the inner and outer tie rods is adjustable and is used to set a car's front wheel alignment. There are a few warning signs that your tie rod s may need to be replaced.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, it's a good idea to have your vehicle checked out. In many cases, the first sign that a tie rod is bad is simply a shaky steering wheel. This happens because the steering wheel is beginning to lose control of the wheels. The steering may have slack or is not responsive. This can be more noticeable when trying to turn the wheel.
Another sign that a tie rod is bad or failing is a vibrating vehicle. As the steering wheel loses control over the wheels, the tires will start to move randomly and cause excessive shaking.
You notice the vibrations more as you speed up, slow down or turn corners. If your tie rods have been loose or worn for an extended period of time, they can impact the wear patterns on your tires.
Worn, loose or failing tie-rods will cause your vehicle to go out of alignment by causing your tires to "toe out". Air filter: when to replace? Drive belt: should you change it? Timing belt FAQ Timing chain: when to replace? Does your car need a tune-up? The outer tie rod end is connected to the steering knuckle.
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