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Maybe. The inner tie-rods aren't adjustable. They screw all the way in until they contact the shaft shoulder. IF the new rod is a little different in length from the old one; then, yes. Usually, the lengths, of old and new, match very closely. If you screw the outer tie-rod, from the inner tie-rod, the exact amount as you unscrewed the old outer tie-rod end, it should be very close to accurate.
@@artsnow8872 Or count the turns or measure precisely before taking off the old if it drove straight. It will be fairly close. A drive will let you know. I have paid for alignments that required no adjustment. In that case its a small charge just for the set-up. Its a legal requirement to verify whenever suspension or steering is worked on in a commercial shop. Belgium likes rules.
Replace inner and outer at the same time. Remove as one solid piece. Assemble new piece and lay next to old rod. Match lengths. Reinstall. Possibly won't need alignment. May still need. But you'll be a lot closer this way. Other option requires two people. Remove outer tie rod ball joints. Have second person hold steering straight. Hold wheel straight. Insert tie rod. Done.
Wow! You just saved me a bucket of money. I have a Ford Flex that had been in a fender bender before we bought it. Over time the car has developed a vibration type noise that the local Les Schwab has had difficulty diagnosing. After re balancing all wheels 3 times, buying new tires, 2 alignments, they said it was a bad ball joint. I do not agree. So, I used two hydraulic jacks to lift the front end off the ground. I found DS front tire 1/8 inch out of round. Then wiggling the tires I found the PS wheel made a small clunk. It appears that in the fender bender, one front wheel hit a curb and damaged the rack and pinion. Les Schwab should have caught that. I now believe it is the inner tie rod. I did not know it was replaceable. Thanks for making this valuable video. I subscribed since you are a Real mechanic.
@@keithbroh5730 usually if u feel a vibration at motorway speed in ur steering wheel its either unbalanced tires or worn track rod end. if u can feel it in ur seat its probably a wheel bearing
This video answered my burning question lol. I have a vibration in the steering wheel under moderate to heavy braking. I will be doing the inner and outer tire rods.
It's worth mentioning that a trolley jack (or any kind of hydraulic jack) is designed to lift the vehicle only - not hold it for any significant amount of time.
to be honest, as long as you dont get yourself under the car, having just a hydraulic jack is ok. I left my car overnight on the jack and it hasn't lowered a bit.
I have a 2014 Hyundai Elantra and the light of the electronic power steering is on also the one for skidding , brakes , the car has not reached 100,000 miles yet so it was never changed the car you can drive it but I want to know if it could be the inner & outer tie rod, it is not the steering coupler.
its probably something with the steering column since the power steering motor is there and not on the rack and pinion. You're going to have to scan it or take it to a trustworthy mechanic that can diagnose the exact problem.
@@OneTrickTech They wanted to try and sell me the steering coupler which is ok cause you can still drive the car and if it was the steering coupler you would feel it inside the cabin.
My 95 Civic has quite a bit of play on the steering wheel while driving. At speed beyond 85, the wheel shakes. Car has recently replaced tries so it should be balanced. The rack was replaced 5 years ago with a reman. your thoughts on what I should check to find the culprit? thank you!
Thanks, Hey bud take an extra 2 minutes and install a jack stand when climbing under the car - although it could have made for an interesting video if the jack ever rolled or failed. Thanks for all of the great information. Be safe.
So if you pull down on the tie rod and the person shaking the wheel left and right stops feeling or hearing a clunk, does that mean the inner tie rod is bad?
Yes exactly, we're trying to put weight on the joint to mimic a good joint. This will work for the ball joint, inner tie rod and outer tie rod. Sometimes the person shaking the wheel will feel a reduced movement, that means there is multiple joints loose.
Should the inner tie rod be replaced if it does flop about but has no wheel play when the wheel is on with no knocking noises other than just flop that i saw when replacing brakes. I do have outter tie rod boot tear at the top of the balljoint boot. Was thinking either just replace both sides inner and outer as preventative work instead of just replacing the outer tie rod. May as well right since in there
when I shake my right front wheel at 9 and 3, I get about 3/4" of play, and when I was shaking it I noticed the lower control arm boot moving, so I would need to replace the lower control arm? Also, when I shake my left front wheel I get no play at all. Thanks
Yes! If its just the ball joint loose then if you can change just the ball joint. If you noticed the bushing having excessive movement then go ahead and replace the control arm which will come with a new ball joint. Hope that helps!
yes it can confirm bad inner/outer tie rods, upper/lower ball joints, wheel bearing and rack and pinion. It's important to check which joint is loose when doing the wobble test, its always easier with someone else.
no tire movement and no noise I can rotate my tie rods to the front and the back a little bit, is that an issue since my other car's tie rod doesn't have this movement?
Did you ever figure what was causing your knocking sound cuz I'm struggling to find and located the culprit but it's getting worse and worse especially on a coast to stop applying brakes
So shaking in front without applying brakes is due to worn inner tiered ends? I assume the shake is felt in the road test thru the steering wheel.? Shaking felt in the brake pedal during hard braking is a warped rotor?
I've taken off tie rods off my Audi was an absolute nightmare getting inner off was afraid I'd bust the rack, it had red lock tite should I apply red lock tite to the new tie rod. Red seems a tad excessive. What ya think?
you can put blue loctite as well, you only need a small amount. a tip for next time if you're having trouble taking them off. If you can, apply some heat with a small propane torch to melt the loctite, then it should be easier to take off. Heat is your friend in repairs like these!
Just don't over do it on the heat lol.. I've heard of ball joints (similar idea) blowing out from pressure build up. But I think more often then not the nylon inside should just melt and drip out.. just be careful.
Just curious if the adjustability of the tie rod alone means it is bad? Many suspension components I’ve pulled after about a year of use that still appear and drive fine tend to have a lot of play like this. Would an inner tie rod develoo this sort of play shortly after driving them a couple hundred miles?
if the joint is moving up and down, then that means its bad. You can rotate any joint by hand but that doesn't mean its a bad joint because all joints need to move freely , they just can't move up and down, that's where the knocking noise comes from. Some cheaper aftermarket ball joints, tie rods etc. can go bad very quickly. Its becoming more common, the quality is just not on par with OEM suspension parts. New doesn't always mean its good nor it will last long.
@@OneTrickTech I’ve pulled my oem away bar links after only a few months because I was changing suspension setups and the Mercedes ones had a good amount of free play. I think they may have even come out the dealer like this. They were t as firm as the aftermarket or even the eBay stuff but they drive fine.
Looks like I need a new rack and pinion. When I shake my wheel at 9-3 oclock, both wheels move a solid 1/4 inch. Last hope is there's a bad bushing holding the rack, but i doubt it.
I’ve been trying to solve my intermittent steering wheel vibration at 90 k + with my 2005 Pontiac Vibe This might b the problem .. has anyobe experienced this and discovered it to b the drive axle or inner tie rod.
what if your outer tie rod is still connected to the inner and it just drops once disconnected from the wheel knuckle ? (can’t hold the weight of the outer tie rod) is this normal ? or do you have to remove the outer tie rod to really see how much play the inner tie rod has…. i see some confusing videos on youtube
yea the normal. If its separated from the inner tie rod, then the inner tie rod should hold its own weight and the joint should be stiff. On rare occasions, it barely holds its on weight and will slowly drop down. That's a sign that its almost finished and should be replaced soon when its loose and knocking.
a bad inner can cause some steering wheel vibrations at highway speeds. A bad outer tie rod will make a knocking noise when going over bumps. As for pulling when hard braking, I would suspect one of the front brake caliper is not providing enough stopping power therefore causing the other one to do all the work. Hope that helps! lmk !
@@OneTrickTech Thanks, next weekends project. Replaced front rotors ,pads ,and slide pins ( which were stuck on the left side) now I'm thinking brake hoses
@@OneTrickTech well like lumpy road coming to a stop my steering wheel follows the road!! It’s a 2015 probably time. Plus I think a tow truck got a hold of it!!
@@OneTrickTech I know it’s not the brakes I’m stoping str8 for the most part. I’ll be busy on my time off work thou. I’ve bought struts, bearings and inner and outer!! Getting er done man!!!
Instead of looking for joint free-play, while applying side to side pressure at the tire, set the tires on ramps and observe the joints while someone rocks the steering wheel.
i could see the end bush in the rack was quite worn, it will give you a knock on stop and start. and the same with small cracks on a road surface. you can do it in position. with the inner Tyrod out back the rack into the bush about 1/2 inch pop the two lugs with a small driver and pull it out with a pick
Where can you buy an end busing for a rack, seems very specialized only available to rebuilders or it is not a big deaL? Finding part numbers too. Thanks for the tip, very helpful, saves buying a whole rack, just change end bushing if it is the culprit
Hello thank you for video i have a focus mk2 with same problem i checked at my mechanic but he says its the steering rack not tie roads but the noise its the same but much louder Should I change the tie roads ??
If there's play in the wheel (like I showed in the video), and if the joints on the tie rods are good, then your steering rack could be loose. If there's no play in the wheel your suspension noise could be coming from the stabilizer links. Hope that helps!
@@OneTrickTech well i have changed front shocks and strouts . Its okay when i go over a bump on straight line the problem is only when i hit a bump in a curve than when it makes noise and a have a bit of shake at steering wheel
When my car slow down, full stop and then start moving again or when turning slowly, I have knocking /clanking noise. I think it is the inner tie rod because I saw cracked in my outer tie rod and grease leak out. I changed the outer (easier) but still has same noise. Does inner tie rod cause knocking / Clunking noise ? Thanks in advance.
It could be your control arm bushing that are completely loose. If you checked for loose joints in the wheel like I showed in the video and found nothing, I would check the bushings.
@@OneTrickTech Agreed. I also think it may be related to the shock or strut because I noticed that the rubber boot on strut is badly torn. I moved the wheels 3-9 and 12-6, no "play" or noise. Thanks for your information.
Hello sir I have an 05 S80 Volvo. It's vibrates when accelerate especially starting from 25-30mph. I changed both CV joints, yet its reduces on the right side but continue on the left side. In fact, unlike before, the steering even shakes. The tie rods seem ok though especially when the Mech did your first test. However, he didn't check to the level of long tie rod you fixed. Now, what else need to do to fix the shaking. Its so disturbing and annoying. Thanks in anticipation
Curious, when I go over a bump, like a speed bump, my steering wheels feels like it disconnected or floating. It's has been annoying me for a while. I had a friend move the steering wheel rapidly left to right repeatedly while I stand outside to listen to the noise. There is noise coming out from both sides when I put my ear close to the front wheels.
if you have no loose joint when checking for tie rods, ball joints, inner tie rod, then I'm thinking it could be your intermediate shaft that's worn (also called the steering shaft).
@@OneTrickTech Yea I would need to check for that too. I saw a video that the steering rack itself was bad. The shaft inside the steering rack that connect to the inner tie rod. He had a clunking noise when he move the steering wheel left to right rapidly. He founded out the shaft was actually moving up and down when he moved it by hand. Hopefully my problem isn't a steering rack issue.
I have this problem too with my 230k mile civic and ive concluded that its the intermediate shaft. A good way to diagnose this is by turning the steering wheel left to right quickly, and if you hear a clunking noise then its most likely the u joints on your shaft
When i drive my car, it has a thumping noise. So its my outer tie rod but my inner tie rod boot is all messed up and when i put pressure to the inner tie rod the wheel shaking kind of stops also.
When I moderately accelerate, for a split second it will jerk to the left enough to move the car a foot in my lane. Is this most likely the control arm bushing?
Great video. My need replacing soon. I get a fine vibration in the steering wheel at low speed, but it disappears when pressing the clutch. I've had my car in bits last summer and the inner tie rods are loose like in this video, but never thought that this indicates that they are worn. Thanks for sharing your video.
It's not hard... if it moves ONLY side to side its a tie rod, if it moves ONLY up and down its a ball joint, if it moves up and down and all around its a wheel bearing
could inner tie rod wear also have symptom of loose steering? when i turn left, it's like my steering wheel loses resistance. when i turn right, it's normal resistance.
So my wheel is spinning apparently my inner tie rod is bent can’t that make my steering wheel spin it’s not spinning but I can spin it and my wheels it’s self won’t move
@@OneTrickTech so it was my rack it snapped but basically my two front wheels would not move but my steering wheel did 360s cause it wasn’t connected to anything
Right but what if both are bad? then going to the other side if it is loose to doesn't necessarily mean that the rack is bad. Could be just both inner tie rods are bad.
Depending on the scenario, if both are bad, then you would feel the loose when shaking the wheels individually. Some racks are bad only on one side, but you would need to fix all the obvious loose joints before condemning the rack.
@@OneTrickTech Thanks for the quick response. A bit tricky. I suppose when pulling on a loose tie rod it isolates it somewhat in that your pulling the inner tie rod tighter if it's worn but not enough pull to pull tighter on a loose rack. Conversely if one side is a bad inner tie rod and I go to the other side and the pull at 3 and 9 oclock does not show any looseness then like you said it could still be one side of rack is bad and replacing inner tie rod is one way for certain to know for sure if you have resolved issue. Thank you again for any advice!
@@OneTrickTech lol I was like... Have you seen speedkarr99? Where he takes apart an engine and says 'I'll just clean this up with my brother's shirt'? Check out one of his 'why engines fail' you'll see why I laughed.
@@jimlee7317 yea I've seen his videos, he wipes oil spills with old boxer and explains stuff with a toothbrush haha. I see where u got the reference from lol
When I turn my steering wheel even if I am parked I hear clunking sound...I don't know if it is in the steering shaft (bad u joint) or if it is in the rack and/or tie rods...could a bad inner tie rod cause clunking while steering?
If you don't have any loose joints like I showed in the video, then check the intermediate shaft, top plate bearings and it could also be your rack and pinion. I've seen rack and pinion that make a clunking noise but are not loose when shaking the tire.
@@OneTrickTech yeah I just shaked tire from 9 to 3 and it is clunking and moving....I'm going to try and pinpoint the sound....with my phone by recording it close up to all the joints (inner tie rod, outer tie rod, rack)....but you're saying if it is clunking when moving tire it shouldn't be the rack?
@@OneTrickTech I had someone shake the tire and I checked and I felt the clunking near the inner tie rod area same side as the tire being shook...then I went to other side inner tie rod and I felt the clunking over there too....so does this mean rack and pinion is bad and no reason to check any of the steering shaft components?
Hello so I Installed coilovers and now I’m getting a bad rattling sound at 1500rpm, I took my coil over off and took off the outer tie rod and I can feel the tie rod rattling, clearly this means the tie rod is bad and not the rack and pinion. Am I right or is it the rack and pinion?
Suspension joints are not speed or rpm sensitive. If you check the suspension and you find no loose joints, then I would suspect components that are speed or rpm sensitive ( meaning any rotating component that would cause a rattle at different speeds). Check cv axle, rotors and wheel bearing. I'm leaning toward cv axle here. Since you're changing the ride height of your car, other components may not behave the same. Though one...Hope the help!
Actually I took the whole coilover off and took the tie rod off and i put my hand on the rack and pinion and I could feel it rattling almost like a clicking feeling, my rubber boot has a hole and when I took the rubber boot off there was fluid in it snd a little leaking out from the rack and pinion. So I don’t think a new tie rod would help right ?
I get a loud creaking noise when turning my steering wheel slowly and also hear it when going over bumps. Noise is somewhat intermittent but when it gets warm out it is constant and very loud. Changed outer tie rod and sway bar link ends already. Any ideas? Driving me crazy
I'm thinking its the ball joint. It could be loose, but the grease inside can dry out and cause a screech noise as soon as you turn the steering wheel. It could also be top plate bearings on your struts but I'm leaning more towards a bad ball joint. Hope that help good luck!
Gary Franta III hey you ever figure out what was wrong? i got this same thing going on. creaks when turning the wheel and/or over bumps (normal road bumps). it likes to do it when it's raining or there is high moisture. been driving me nuts.
for bad inner tie rods, you will need to check for loose joints like I did in the video. If you have vibrations when braking at high speeds, its possible that the new rotors are already warped but that's a very slim chance of that.
@@Kr0n3kLe i think u only can feel the free play if u remove the tie rod from the wheel. But i think it's best to change the inner and outer tie rod in a set. Let guru @onetricktech explain further.
Hi sir, my car steering wheel shakes when I pass by the humps or speed breakers also uneven roads the steering wheel will be shaking left and right. Is it because of the rack end has been worn. I hope you will reply me sir . Thank you
nope. bad inner tie rod don't make noise the majority of the time because of the way the joint is sitting. For your hissing/rubbing noise, i would check the brakes and backing plates if the noise is consistent with vehicle speed
@@OneTrickTech I’ll look into the plates, thanks. Sounds starts when accelerating from a stop and eventually disappears and starts again when accelerating from a stop. Breaks pads I had replaced a while back so can’t imagine that being it, although I had hoped the sound would have disappeared after I had them replaced, but no luck.
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Thanks for taking the time to record this. Clear, concise and straight to the point. very much appreciated. Now to go change my inner tie rods.
0:45 he almost said jack off the car🤣🤣🤣
He did say Jack off the side of the side of the car lmao 🤣
This was such a good video and your pictures were so clear. I wish all video's were this clear, Thank you.
An alignment must be performed after changing out inner tie rods.
Maybe. The inner tie-rods aren't adjustable. They screw all the way in until they contact the shaft shoulder. IF the new rod is a little different in length from the old one; then, yes. Usually, the lengths, of old and new, match very closely. If you screw the outer tie-rod, from the inner tie-rod, the exact amount as you unscrewed the old outer tie-rod end, it should be very close to accurate.
@@artsnow8872 Or count the turns or measure precisely before taking off the old if it drove straight. It will be fairly close. A drive will let you know. I have paid for alignments that required no adjustment. In that case its a small charge just for the set-up. Its a legal requirement to verify whenever suspension or steering is worked on in a commercial shop. Belgium likes rules.
Replace inner and outer at the same time. Remove as one solid piece. Assemble new piece and lay next to old rod. Match lengths. Reinstall. Possibly won't need alignment. May still need. But you'll be a lot closer this way. Other option requires two people. Remove outer tie rod ball joints. Have second person hold steering straight. Hold wheel straight. Insert tie rod. Done.
Yea if you take them apart without marking the old ones
Good. Short and too the point. The shorter it is the more likely I'll watch it.
Wow! You just saved me a bucket of money. I have a Ford Flex that had been in a fender bender before we bought it. Over time the car has developed a vibration type noise that the local Les Schwab has had difficulty diagnosing. After re balancing all wheels 3 times, buying new tires, 2 alignments, they said it was a bad ball joint. I do not agree. So, I used two hydraulic jacks to lift the front end off the ground. I found DS front tire 1/8 inch out of round. Then wiggling the tires I found the PS wheel made a small clunk. It appears that in the fender bender, one front wheel hit a curb and damaged the rack and pinion. Les Schwab should have caught that.
I now believe it is the inner tie rod. I did not know it was replaceable. Thanks for making this valuable video. I subscribed since you are a Real mechanic.
I’m interested to know how this went for you. Was it the inner tie rod or was it the steering rack?
@@keithbroh5730 usually if u feel a vibration at motorway speed in ur steering wheel its either unbalanced tires or worn track rod end. if u can feel it in ur seat its probably a wheel bearing
Can a bad inner tie rod cause tires to start peeling ??
That was a good video for me! My car also feels the similar way, I think time to change the tie rods of passenger side. Thanks!
I liked the white sweater at first lol wonder if jb weld would do the trick on old inner tie rods
This video answered my burning question lol. I have a vibration in the steering wheel under moderate to heavy braking. I will be doing the inner and outer tire rods.
Well, was it the tie rods? Most of the time I hear that complaint it’s warped rotors
@@GetTheFOsame usually warped router is the case
It's worth mentioning that a trolley jack (or any kind of hydraulic jack) is designed to lift the vehicle only - not hold it for any significant amount of time.
I was going to say the same thing.. hopefully they put a stand/tyre under the car.
to be honest, as long as you dont get yourself under the car, having just a hydraulic jack is ok. I left my car overnight on the jack and it hasn't lowered a bit.
Just wondering but could you have fixed by packing with fresh grease and re-booting?
Nope, the tolerances inside the joint are gone. Time to replace it. Thats the same thing we do with humans. Gotta just swap that joint out.
Very clear explanation. Thanks a lot!
Was the outer tie rod still attached to the inner tie rod around 4:10?
I have a 2014 Hyundai Elantra and the light of the electronic power steering is on also the one for skidding , brakes , the car has not reached 100,000 miles yet so it was never changed the car you can drive it but I want to know if it could be the inner & outer tie rod, it is not the steering coupler.
its probably something with the steering column since the power steering motor is there and not on the rack and pinion. You're going to have to scan it or take it to a trustworthy mechanic that can diagnose the exact problem.
@@OneTrickTech They wanted to try and sell me the steering coupler which is ok cause you can still drive the car and if it was the steering coupler you would feel it inside the cabin.
the steering coupler causes a banging noise right? What does the code say when they scanned it?
My 95 Civic has quite a bit of play on the steering wheel while driving. At speed beyond 85, the wheel shakes. Car has recently replaced tries so it should be balanced. The rack was replaced 5 years ago with a reman. your thoughts on what I should check to find the culprit? thank you!
check rotors and front axles. The components that rotate usually are the one to cause a steering wheel shake.
@@OneTrickTech thank you. I’ve replaced the rotors but not the axel.
Thanks, Hey bud take an extra 2 minutes and install a jack stand when climbing under the car - although it could have made for an interesting video if the jack ever rolled or failed. Thanks for all of the great information. Be safe.
So if you pull down on the tie rod and the person shaking the wheel left and right stops feeling or hearing a clunk, does that mean the inner tie rod is bad?
Yes exactly, we're trying to put weight on the joint to mimic a good joint. This will work for the ball joint, inner tie rod and outer tie rod. Sometimes the person shaking the wheel will feel a reduced movement, that means there is multiple joints loose.
Excellent presentation. Great clear video on the area of interest. Best wishes. And understandable with slow clear descriptions. Thanks.
How long can you drive on bent inner tie rod ?i ask because im getting mines repaired on monday
Very clear explanation ..good job brother ...i wish you go ahead like this fault diagnosis
THANKYOU for an informative video 👍👍
Should the inner tie rod be replaced if it does flop about but has no wheel play when the wheel is on with no knocking noises other than just flop that i saw when replacing brakes. I do have outter tie rod boot tear at the top of the balljoint boot. Was thinking either just replace both sides inner and outer as preventative work instead of just replacing the outer tie rod. May as well right since in there
can i just repack a limp inner tie rod with grease or did the metal on metal contact damage it already?
i have have a shaking steering when a drive above 40. does it mean my rack end is bad?
if you have no loose joints, it could be just your tires that are out of balance or your front tires have uneven wear.
when I shake my right front wheel at 9 and 3, I get about 3/4" of play, and when I was shaking it I noticed the lower control arm boot moving, so I would need to replace the lower control arm? Also, when I shake my left front wheel I get no play at all. Thanks
Yes! If its just the ball joint loose then if you can change just the ball joint. If you noticed the bushing having excessive movement then go ahead and replace the control arm which will come with a new ball joint. Hope that helps!
1:10 - honest question, doesn't the tire wobble test also confirm a bad upper or lower ball joint? (not just inner tie rod)
yes it can confirm bad inner/outer tie rods, upper/lower ball joints, wheel bearing and rack and pinion. It's important to check which joint is loose when doing the wobble test, its always easier with someone else.
This video is perfect for me. Thank you very much!!!!!!
When I lift the car I can move the wheel back and forth with no resistance. Can it also be bad inner tie rod?
no tire movement and no noise I can rotate my tie rods to the front and the back a little bit, is that an issue since my other car's tie rod doesn't have this movement?
Where did you get that Realtree floor jack?
Canadian tire
My rack has to be bad. I can’t feel the inners moving but there is some real awesome knocking sounds coming from inside the rack.
It could be due for replacement especially if it's leaking power steering fluid.
@@OneTrickTechould my rack and pinion be the reason its not returning my wheel to the center after a turn?
Did you ever figure what was causing your knocking sound cuz I'm struggling to find and located the culprit but it's getting worse and worse especially on a coast to stop applying brakes
@@braxtaxdaplug3245 My rack was bad. Your issue sounds like a bad motor mount or something else that is loose.
Very good share of knowledge and experience. Appreciate it.
How much is a inner tiered for a 2007 Dodge caravan
Presente a la clase desde Sonora México le envio mi poderosísimo *Like !!!* un Excelente Automóvil Nissan Sentra .
Is it necessary to change them as a pair (left & right) or just the one that has gone bad
just the bad ones
So shaking in front without applying brakes is due to worn inner tiered ends? I assume the shake is felt in the road test thru the steering wheel.? Shaking felt in the brake pedal during hard braking is a warped rotor?
That's correct !
I've taken off tie rods off my Audi was an absolute nightmare getting inner off was afraid I'd bust the rack, it had red lock tite should I apply red lock tite to the new tie rod. Red seems a tad excessive. What ya think?
you can put blue loctite as well, you only need a small amount. a tip for next time if you're having trouble taking them off. If you can, apply some heat with a small propane torch to melt the loctite, then it should be easier to take off. Heat is your friend in repairs like these!
Just don't over do it on the heat lol.. I've heard of ball joints (similar idea) blowing out from pressure build up. But I think more often then not the nylon inside should just melt and drip out.. just be careful.
I am going to check my inner tie rods today. 2005 Toyota prius 212k miles.
Just curious if the adjustability of the tie rod alone means it is bad? Many suspension components I’ve pulled after about a year of use that still appear and drive fine tend to have a lot of play like this. Would an inner tie rod develoo this sort of play shortly after driving them a couple hundred miles?
if the joint is moving up and down, then that means its bad. You can rotate any joint by hand but that doesn't mean its a bad joint because all joints need to move freely , they just can't move up and down, that's where the knocking noise comes from. Some cheaper aftermarket ball joints, tie rods etc. can go bad very quickly. Its becoming more common, the quality is just not on par with OEM suspension parts. New doesn't always mean its good nor it will last long.
@@OneTrickTech I’ve pulled my oem away bar links after only a few months because I was changing suspension setups and the Mercedes ones had a good amount of free play. I think they may have even come out the dealer like this. They were t as firm as the aftermarket or even the eBay stuff but they drive fine.
What would be the problem if you are at a still and move the steering wheel from left to right and it’s popping? Any help would be appreciated.
if the noise is coming from inside the car, it could be a worn out intermediate shaft.
@@OneTrickTech I can feel the popping in the steering wheel. I don’t know if that helps. I’ll check it out. Thanks.
@@llunaricardo78 curious on what car you have, could also be a steering coupler
I can get steering weel vibration a high speed too?
Looks like I need a new rack and pinion. When I shake my wheel at 9-3 oclock, both wheels move a solid 1/4 inch. Last hope is there's a bad bushing holding the rack, but i doubt it.
What is the torque on the inner tie rod - thanked😎
could also be the upper control arm moving a slightly ,,, was for mine had to replace both sides, upper control arms
I’ve been trying to solve my intermittent steering wheel vibration at 90 k + with my 2005 Pontiac Vibe
This might b the problem .. has anyobe experienced this and discovered it to b the drive axle or inner tie rod.
Nice video sir. If One of the inner or outer tie rods is bad need to replace both sides. ? And do I need to change the 4 pieces??
no need just replaced the one's that's bad
Thanks!
Very useful and informative video!
what if your outer tie rod is still connected to the inner and it just drops once disconnected from the wheel knuckle ? (can’t hold the weight of the outer tie rod) is this normal ? or do you have to remove the outer tie rod to really see how much play the inner tie rod has…. i see some confusing videos on youtube
yea the normal. If its separated from the inner tie rod, then the inner tie rod should hold its own weight and the joint should be stiff. On rare occasions, it barely holds its on weight and will slowly drop down. That's a sign that its almost finished and should be replaced soon when its loose and knocking.
I like the zip ties on the hubcaps. My toyota has the same. It works.
Would a bad inner or outer tiered cause vibration at highway speed ,and pulling the car right when breaking hard?
a bad inner can cause some steering wheel vibrations at highway speeds. A bad outer tie rod will make a knocking noise when going over bumps. As for pulling when hard braking, I would suspect one of the front brake caliper is not providing enough stopping power therefore causing the other one to do all the work. Hope that helps! lmk !
@@OneTrickTech Thanks, next weekends project. Replaced front rotors ,pads ,and slide pins ( which were stuck on the left side) now I'm thinking brake hoses
Would another issue clue be like your car tracks to or uneven road even worse when coming to a stop and the street is lumpy??
that would be an alignment issue or a tire issue.
@@OneTrickTech well like lumpy road coming to a stop my steering wheel follows the road!! It’s a 2015 probably time. Plus I think a tow truck got a hold of it!!
yes check inner and outer tie rod. also check for a front seized caliper. that could also cause the car to pull when stopping.
@@OneTrickTech I know it’s not the brakes I’m stoping str8 for the most part. I’ll be busy on my time off work thou. I’ve bought struts, bearings and inner and outer!! Getting er done man!!!
Thank you for this video. If either or both of the ends need to be replaced, is this a safety issue?
yes they should be replaced asap. you can potential lose a wheel if its really loose and the joint decides to pop out.
Instead of looking for joint free-play, while applying side to side pressure at the tire, set the tires on ramps and observe the joints while someone rocks the steering wheel.
When you said "rocks the steering wheel", I assume you meant keep turning left and right?
@@Btu555nah he means a quick jab and hook to the steering wheel until it’s rocked. Then come in with the lead uppercut to finish it off.
When you do the shaking and grab test do both wheels have to be off the floor?
yes
i could see the end bush in the rack was quite worn, it will give you a knock on stop and start. and the same with small cracks on a road surface. you can do it in position. with the inner Tyrod out back the rack into the bush about 1/2 inch pop the two lugs with a small driver and pull it out with a pick
Where can you buy an end busing for a rack, seems very specialized only available to rebuilders or it is not a big deaL? Finding part numbers too. Thanks for the tip, very helpful, saves buying a whole rack, just change end bushing if it is the culprit
Do you mean the rack and pinion will cause knock on start and stop or the tie rod ??
Seriously great video pal. Thank you. Very useful.
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing this precious information. 😊❤
Hello thank you for video i have a focus mk2 with same problem i checked at my mechanic but he says its the steering rack not tie roads but the noise its the same but much louder Should I change the tie roads ??
If there's play in the wheel (like I showed in the video), and if the joints on the tie rods are good, then your steering rack could be loose. If there's no play in the wheel your suspension noise could be coming from the stabilizer links. Hope that helps!
@@OneTrickTech well i have changed front shocks and strouts . Its okay when i go over a bump on straight line the problem is only when i hit a bump in a curve than when it makes noise and a have a bit of shake at steering wheel
Can bad tie rods cause the stability light to come on and off intermittently even if the roads are dry
No, that's an issue with the abs system
When my car slow down, full stop and then start moving again or when turning slowly, I have knocking /clanking noise. I think it is the inner tie rod because I saw cracked in my outer tie rod and grease leak out. I changed the outer (easier) but still has same noise. Does inner tie rod cause knocking / Clunking noise ? Thanks in advance.
It could be your control arm bushing that are completely loose. If you checked for loose joints in the wheel like I showed in the video and found nothing, I would check the bushings.
@@OneTrickTech Agreed. I also think it may be related to the shock or strut because I noticed that the rubber boot on strut is badly torn. I moved the wheels 3-9 and 12-6, no "play" or noise. Thanks for your information.
Hello sir
I have an 05 S80 Volvo. It's vibrates when accelerate especially starting from 25-30mph. I changed both CV joints, yet its reduces on the right side but continue on the left side. In fact, unlike before, the steering even shakes. The tie rods seem ok though especially when the Mech did your first test. However, he didn't check to the level of long tie rod you fixed. Now, what else need to do to fix the shaking. Its so disturbing and annoying.
Thanks in anticipation
Check your tire's condition. Vibration can come form the tires at that speed, especially the front tires
@@OneTrickTech that's done. I've done wheel balancing of front tyres, alignment, and check if the tyres have damaged or unequally worn
hard to tell. If the tie rod are good and not loose, then I suspect the front rotors
Curious, when I go over a bump, like a speed bump, my steering wheels feels like it disconnected or floating. It's has been annoying me for a while. I had a friend move the steering wheel rapidly left to right repeatedly while I stand outside to listen to the noise. There is noise coming out from both sides when I put my ear close to the front wheels.
if you have no loose joint when checking for tie rods, ball joints, inner tie rod, then I'm thinking it could be your intermediate shaft that's worn (also called the steering shaft).
@@OneTrickTech Yea I would need to check for that too. I saw a video that the steering rack itself was bad. The shaft inside the steering rack that connect to the inner tie rod. He had a clunking noise when he move the steering wheel left to right rapidly. He founded out the shaft was actually moving up and down when he moved it by hand. Hopefully my problem isn't a steering rack issue.
I have this problem too with my 230k mile civic and ive concluded that its the intermediate shaft. A good way to diagnose this is by turning the steering wheel left to right quickly, and if you hear a clunking noise then its most likely the u joints on your shaft
What if the boot on the axle is broken how bad is it to drive on that until its fixed?
you can drive a long time with it. Eventually the grease will all leak out and will cause the inside of the boot to start rusting and cause noise.
@@OneTrickTech oh ok so its not really dangerous then? But ima get it fixed anyways
Does bad Inner tie rod cause knocking or clunking noise on uneven road ?
No, knocking can come from links or outer tie rod. Usually inner tie rods don't knock
When i drive my car, it has a thumping noise. So its my outer tie rod but my inner tie rod boot is all messed up and when i put pressure to the inner tie rod the wheel shaking kind of stops also.
Question: Is it recommended to wear a WHITE SWEATER while working under the car?
haha thats my brother not me 😂
When I moderately accelerate, for a split second it will jerk to the left enough to move the car a foot in my lane. Is this most likely the control arm bushing?
Check tires for uneven wear and check your alignment. If the control arm bushing is torn it would cause more of a clunking noise
Great video. My need replacing soon. I get a fine vibration in the steering wheel at low speed, but it disappears when pressing the clutch.
I've had my car in bits last summer and the inner tie rods are loose like in this video, but never thought that this indicates that they are worn.
Thanks for sharing your video.
It's not hard... if it moves ONLY side to side its a tie rod, if it moves ONLY up and down its a ball joint, if it moves up and down and all around its a wheel bearing
What if it’s a rear wheel which doesn’t have a tie rod?
If it moves all around it could be a combo of ball joint and tie rod, not necessarily a wheel bearing
@@darinolson2936 yup very true. Always inspect obviously
could inner tie rod wear also have symptom of loose steering? when i turn left, it's like my steering wheel loses resistance. when i turn right, it's normal resistance.
No loose joints like inner or outer tie rod is more like a shaking or knocking. Sounds like a intermediate shaft problem or power steering rack.
So my wheel is spinning apparently my inner tie rod is bent can’t that make my steering wheel spin it’s not spinning but I can spin it and my wheels it’s self won’t move
the wheels are turning or spinning when u turn the steering wheel? I don't fully understand the question
@@OneTrickTech so it was my rack it snapped but basically my two front wheels would not move but my steering wheel did 360s cause it wasn’t connected to anything
How long do they last
Look 2015 n we are 2023 do u think there bad
if theres is no shake at all, then they are good. They can last over 100 000 km + and many years depending on the car.
Right but what if both are bad? then going to the other side if it is loose to doesn't necessarily mean that the rack is bad. Could be just both inner tie rods are bad.
Depending on the scenario, if both are bad, then you would feel the loose when shaking the wheels individually. Some racks are bad only on one side, but you would need to fix all the obvious loose joints before condemning the rack.
@@OneTrickTech Thanks for the quick response. A bit tricky. I suppose when pulling on a loose tie rod it isolates it somewhat in that your pulling the inner tie rod tighter if it's worn but not enough pull to pull tighter on a loose rack. Conversely if one side is a bad inner tie rod and I go to the other side and the pull at 3 and 9 oclock does not show any looseness then like you said it could still be one side of rack is bad and replacing inner tie rod is one way for certain to know for sure if you have resolved issue. Thank you again for any advice!
Exactly. Plus a loose rack has a loud knocking noise when going over bumps compared to a inner and outer tie rod.
How are you wearing that white knit shirt working on your car?
lmao thats my brother
@@OneTrickTech lol I was like... Have you seen speedkarr99? Where he takes apart an engine and says 'I'll just clean this up with my brother's shirt'? Check out one of his 'why engines fail' you'll see why I laughed.
@@jimlee7317 yea I've seen his videos, he wipes oil spills with old boxer and explains stuff with a toothbrush haha. I see where u got the reference from lol
How did u get the inner rod out?
you have to use an inner tie rod removal tool.
Thank you for very helpful..
When I turn my steering wheel even if I am parked I hear clunking sound...I don't know if it is in the steering shaft (bad u joint) or if it is in the rack and/or tie rods...could a bad inner tie rod cause clunking while steering?
What kind of of car you have?
@@OneTrickTech 2004 mustang
If you don't have any loose joints like I showed in the video, then check the intermediate shaft, top plate bearings and it could also be your rack and pinion. I've seen rack and pinion that make a clunking noise but are not loose when shaking the tire.
@@OneTrickTech yeah I just shaked tire from 9 to 3 and it is clunking and moving....I'm going to try and pinpoint the sound....with my phone by recording it close up to all the joints (inner tie rod, outer tie rod, rack)....but you're saying if it is clunking when moving tire it shouldn't be the rack?
@@OneTrickTech I had someone shake the tire and I checked and I felt the clunking near the inner tie rod area same side as the tire being shook...then I went to other side inner tie rod and I felt the clunking over there too....so does this mean rack and pinion is bad and no reason to check any of the steering shaft components?
Nice vid. FYI theres no need for the zip ties, those hubcaps are designed to be held on by the lug nuts.
would this issue cause a thump vibration feeling when u turn the steering wheel to a certain degree?
Could be a rack and pinion or power steering pump problem. Do you have any loose joints in the suspension?
Thanks for the video, what is the wrench size on that tool?
Which one?
@@OneTrickTech to inner tie rod,inside dust boot
@@marekbratos5313 to remove those you need an inner tie rod removal tool. but if you have space its llike a 30mm or 32mm wrench
Hello so I Installed coilovers and now I’m getting a bad rattling sound at 1500rpm, I took my coil over off and took off the outer tie rod and I can feel the tie rod rattling, clearly this means the tie rod is bad and not the rack and pinion. Am I right or is it the rack and pinion?
Suspension joints are not speed or rpm sensitive. If you check the suspension and you find no loose joints, then I would suspect components that are speed or rpm sensitive ( meaning any rotating component that would cause a rattle at different speeds). Check cv axle, rotors and wheel bearing. I'm leaning toward cv axle here. Since you're changing the ride height of your car, other components may not behave the same. Though one...Hope the help!
Actually I took the whole coilover off and took the tie rod off and i put my hand on the rack and pinion and I could feel it rattling almost like a clicking feeling, my rubber boot has a hole and when I took the rubber boot off there was fluid in it snd a little leaking out from the rack and pinion. So I don’t think a new tie rod would help right ?
okay I see, you're right. Most likely you will need a rack since you hear clicking and fluid leaks. The seals are probably finished.
Explained very nicely bro... Thanks alot👍🏻
I get a loud creaking noise when turning my steering wheel slowly and also hear it when going over bumps. Noise is somewhat intermittent but when it gets warm out it is constant and very loud. Changed outer tie rod and sway bar link ends already. Any ideas? Driving me crazy
I'm thinking its the ball joint. It could be loose, but the grease inside can dry out and cause a screech noise as soon as you turn the steering wheel. It could also be top plate bearings on your struts but I'm leaning more towards a bad ball joint. Hope that help good luck!
Gary Franta III
hey you ever figure out what was wrong?
i got this same thing going on.
creaks when turning the wheel and/or over bumps (normal road bumps). it likes to do it when it's raining or there is high moisture. been driving me nuts.
If anyone else has this issue it sounds like either a ball joint or a strut top mount
The besr way is to detach the tie rod and move the ball join. Same for rack end. Shake the wheel is for ball joins thats very badly damaged
Got new brake pads and rotors for my car and now my car is vibrating on braking at high speed. Can it be due to bad inner tie rod?
for bad inner tie rods, you will need to check for loose joints like I did in the video. If you have vibrations when braking at high speeds, its possible that the new rotors are already warped but that's a very slim chance of that.
Great job & tips!!
Hi there, what is the torque wrench settings for this ?
Or did u just tightened with a impact wrench ?
There is no torque setting for the inner tie rods. you have to tighten them using a inner tie rod tool. here's a picture of it. amzn.to/3hHrM3L
@@OneTrickTech oic... so just tightened to using a normal wrench as tight as possible. Ok, noted. Thanks for the info bro 👍🏽👍🏽
@@BJteBEAR yes put you need the tool because the inner tie rods are hard to get to with a normal wrench. Hope that helps!
I think my rack is bad. I can’t feel the inner moving but there is some knocking sounds coming from inside the rack.
@@Kr0n3kLe i think u only can feel the free play if u remove the tie rod from the wheel. But i think it's best to change the inner and outer tie rod in a set.
Let guru @onetricktech explain further.
Thank you but please use jack stands. I’d hate for a car to fall on you man
Hi sir, my car steering wheel shakes when I pass by the humps or speed breakers also uneven roads the steering wheel will be shaking left and right. Is it because of the rack end has been worn. I hope you will reply me sir . Thank you
yes check inner tie rod and outer tie rod first. If they are bad replaced them first before blaming the rack and pinion for the issue.
@@OneTrickTech thank you sir
That’s a nice jack, man
My boot is leaking fluid on my inner tie rod?
the seals inside the rack are done. You're going to need it rebuild or a new rack if the leak is getting excessive
Would a bad inner tie rod cause a hissing noise like 2 pieces of steel rubbing against each other while the car is moving?
nope. bad inner tie rod don't make noise the majority of the time because of the way the joint is sitting. For your hissing/rubbing noise, i would check the brakes and backing plates if the noise is consistent with vehicle speed
@@OneTrickTech I’ll look into the plates, thanks. Sounds starts when accelerating from a stop and eventually disappears and starts again when accelerating from a stop. Breaks pads I had replaced a while back so can’t imagine that being it, although I had hoped the sound would have disappeared after I had them replaced, but no luck.
Very good, thanks !
I wish it was this simple to change
Outstanding tutorial, thanks
Great job - glad you shared your knowledge. Thanks.
How much is inner tie rod.
depends on your car. Can vary between 20$-70$/each
Great video thank you
Hey greetings from Québec ;)