It’s never a good time when your steering or suspension begins showing signs of wear. These setups, especially on cars, are highly complex and made of several unique components that serve different roles. The majority of these parts have pronounced symptoms as they begin to wear. This includes displeasing sounds and driveability issues. If you have bad tie rod ends, you can expect that and more. Driving with bad tie rod ends isn’t just irksome, but dangerous as well.
The tie rod ends have an important purpose, especially when the steering is concerned. Despite being such integral components, they are fairly simple. As a result, tie rod ends are inexpensive, especially when compared to other parts of the steering and suspension. This leaves no reason for not replacing bad tie rod ends as soon as it happens. Before you get to that stage though, here’s how to tell if you have bad tie rod ends, and everything you need to know about them.
What Are Tie Rod Ends?
Tie rod ends are part of the steering system in a car. Every car with a rack and pinion steering setup has two tie rod ends — one on each side. The majority of times these tie rod ends are divided into two parts — inner and outer. Both these parts come together to transfer the input from the steering center link or rack gear to the knuckle. The knuckle, meanwhile, is connected to the wheel. This input or force being transmitted to the knuckle is what turns the wheels.
While tie rods might sound like a component that belongs only in the automotive field, they have been used in architecture for centuries. Both are vastly different, but share a similarity of tying things together. Interestingly, the iron tie rods used in architecture have been used as auxiliary and reinforcing options for vaulted structures. Their usage was prevalent in heritage buildings in Europe. Tie rods have also been used in airplanes to help support the wings.
Coming back to the tie rod ends, as mentioned earlier, they can be found on cars that use a rack and pinion steering setup. This is, by far, the most common type of steering system on cars today which makes the use of tie rod ends widespread.
How Do Tie Rod Ends Work?
Tie rod ends are installed on both ends of the steering rack and as the pinion rolls over the rack, they push and pull the wheels to help maneuver the vehicle. To better understand how tie rod ends work, it’s important to get a basic idea of how rack and pinion steering systems operate. As its name indicates, the two main components of this steering system are the rack and pinion.
This has become the most common type of steering due to several reasons. Among them is its simplicity. The fact that it is quite straightforward helps reduce costs among other things. While the rack and pinion are responsible for collecting the input provided by the steering and transferring it onward, it’s the role of the tie rod ends to complete the operation by moving the wheels. The tie rods are the final parts at both ends, and they have to make sure the wheels are pointing in the appropriate direction.
Tie rod ends are uncomplicated in their construction. They are divided into two parts — outer and inner. The former connects with a sleeve that allows for adjustment. This adjustment lets you increase or decrease the overall length of the tie rod. This is a crucial tweak to make sure the vehicle is correctly aligned.
How to Tell if You Have Bad Tie Rod Ends?
Bad tie rod ends can be easily diagnosed because of some noticeable symptoms. We have listed five symptoms of bad tie rod ends below.
Bad Alignment
When you factor in how important a role tie rod ends play when it comes to alignment, it shouldn’t be surprising that bad ones can affect a vehicle’s alignment. Given that it’s part of the steering mechanism, tie rod ends can only be found at the front of the vehicle.
As a result, when one has bad tie rod ends, it directly affects the alignment at the front. When this happens, the car won’t steer correctly. An easy way to tell is by checking if the car doesn’t drive straight with one’s hands off the steering wheel.
Clunking
Another indication that might have bad tie rod ends is a displeasing clunking sound from the front end. Bad tie rod ends are also known to produce a rattling sound. Whether it is a clunking or rattling noise, it will need to be inspected further before the cause can be ascertained.
There’s also the possibility of the vehicle producing a squealing sound when it’s in motion. This is caused by metal-on-metal contact which can occur due to bad tie rod ends.
Uneven Tire Wear
While tire wear is not out of the ordinary, signs of uneven wear are. If you notice an equal amount of wear on the tires or even slightly higher on the wheels that the engine is powering, it’s normal.
However, if there are inconsistencies with the wear like the inner or outer edges deteriorating quicker than other areas, it means there is a problem with the alignment. Uneven tire wear is a major symptom of bad tie rod ends. This problem is also easy to inspect. Upon noticing it, one should further diagnose the tie rods to make sure the vehicle has bad tie rod ends.
Steering Shudder
Tie rod ends are designed to work in conjunction with the steering and suspension of a vehicle. The way all the components, such as control arms and shocks, come together to deliver the ride and handling we’ve come to expect with modern vehicles is quite complex. What this means is that many of the components are interdependent.
As a result, if the vehicle were to have bad tie rod ends, it would reduce the efficiency of the other parts. This is why bad tie rod ends can end up affecting other related parts and lead to vibrations. Consequently, it could lead to a shuddering steering wheel.
Lack of Steering Feel
Another way to tell if you have bad tie rod ends is by a lack of steering feel. The tie rod ends may be one of the smaller components of the steering system, but it’s responsible for transferring the input to the knuckles which turn the wheels.
When either the inner or outer tie rod ends go bad, it won’t perform to spec. When this occurs the steering system won’t work as it should. This can cause the steering wheel to have too much play and lack the responsiveness and feel necessary from the steering.
Check our selection of inner and outer tie rods for quality replacement options.
Causes of Bad Tie Rod Ends
Bad tie rod ends can be caused due to many factors. The most common reason for bad tie rod ends is regular wear and tear. These parts are designed to have a service life which means they do not last forever. They have components made of rubber which as you may already know can only last so long. The majority of tie rod ends have two rubber boots that protect and maintain the bearings.
Over time, these boots can rip and this ends up causing dirt to build up on the bearing. Tie rod ends are situated in one of the most exposed areas of a car which is why even the smallest tear in the boot can end up damaging the all-important bearings in the tie rod ends. While regular wear and tear are one of the biggest reasons for bad tie rod ends, it’s also accelerated by bad road conditions. Bumpy pothole-ridden can damage tie rod ends.
What Happens When Bad Tie Rod Ends are Not Replaced?
When bad tie rod ends are not replaced, it can prove to be dangerous as it’s a crucial part of the steering system. When tie rod ends go bad, they can be repaired or replaced. That said, not every tie rod ends offers the ability to be repaired which makes replacing it the only option.
Bad tie rod ends directly affect the alignment of a vehicle and things can get even worse as the condition of the tie rod ends deteriorate. It will be difficult to control the car as the steering will be underperforming. There’s also a chance of bad tie rod ends breaking which can lead to a complete loss of control.
How to Prevent Tie Rod Ends From Failing?
Many tie rod ends feature a grease nozzle. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend inspecting, cleaning, and greasing this nozzle frequently. A good rule of thumb is to grease the nozzle every time the engine oil is changed.
This will prolong the life of the tie rod ends and prevent them from failing prematurely. Along with the nozzle, it’s also a good idea to inspect the rubber boots as spotting the smallest cracks can prevent tie rod ends from failing.
Fix Bad Tie Rod Ends Easily!
If one already has bad tie rod ends, there’s no reason to be worried as they can be easily replaced. Most tie rod ends are inexpensive, especially in the grand scheme of things.
Considering its low cost and importance, it’s a no-brainer to get the best quality replacements in the market. Our Shop, which is only a couple of clicks away, offers high-quality tie rod ends for all kinds of BMWs. We recommend giving the Bimmers.com Shop a look before you head off this website.
