Adjusting tie rod ends
11-02-2014, 07:18 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Adjusting tie rod ends
Can you make minor (and I mean minor) adjustments to the tie rods to take a slight looseness in steering? I can move the steering wheel about 1" left-right when driving and I think the tie rods need a slight adjusting.
11-02-2014, 08:09 PM
#3
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Adjusting the tie rods won't have any effect on the looseness or tightness of the steering. Adjusting the tie rods will change your toe setting, and will have no effect on tightening anything up.
Lars
Lars
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Primoz (05-23-2022)
11-02-2014, 08:25 PM
#4
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
But it the tie rods are not "tight" (and I use that term advisedly), can't the steering be loose? Jim Shea has a write-up on adjusting the tie rod ends and keeping the settings. Just wondering.
11-02-2014, 08:38 PM
#5
Melting Slicks
If you have slop in the steering then you have either a steering box problem or worn suspension parts or both. Like Lars said, adjusting TR length adjusts toe. You keep the adjustment when you make a steering wheel centering adjustment.
Ps. Also check your Rag Joint.
Ps. Also check your Rag Joint.
11-02-2014, 09:20 PM
#6
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Like said adjusting the tie rods only adjust toe.
Toe is the direction the tires are pointed. Toe out means the left tire is "turning left" and the right "turning right" Toe in the front of the tires are pointed towards each other.
A tie rod if you will and ball joint are made something like this.
Think of a trailer hitch. The ball on the truck and the coupler on the trailer. The ball being the stud part of the tie rod, and the trailer coupler being the bigger portion.
Once the ball/coupler are worn out they get loose and have slop/play. You cannot repair that you have to replace the tie rod. That will cause a loose steering wheel.
Along with the center link/drag link, gear box, steering colum.
So the adjustment you have will only get the tires to go from pointing out or in to pointing straight. When the tie rods are loose you can adjust them so they are straight however the play will let them toe out and in as you drive down the road.
This is why shops do not do alignments on cars with loose parts. Aside of the safety aspect.
Toe is the direction the tires are pointed. Toe out means the left tire is "turning left" and the right "turning right" Toe in the front of the tires are pointed towards each other.
A tie rod if you will and ball joint are made something like this.
Think of a trailer hitch. The ball on the truck and the coupler on the trailer. The ball being the stud part of the tie rod, and the trailer coupler being the bigger portion.
Once the ball/coupler are worn out they get loose and have slop/play. You cannot repair that you have to replace the tie rod. That will cause a loose steering wheel.
Along with the center link/drag link, gear box, steering colum.
So the adjustment you have will only get the tires to go from pointing out or in to pointing straight. When the tie rods are loose you can adjust them so they are straight however the play will let them toe out and in as you drive down the road.
This is why shops do not do alignments on cars with loose parts. Aside of the safety aspect.
11-03-2014, 08:16 AM
#7
Le Mans Master
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It is interesting. You check for tie rod wear by pushing and pulling in the direction of the ball stud and feeling for looseness. NOT side to side movement.
Jim
Jim
11-03-2014, 09:51 AM
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Tie rod adjustment can be used to set/adjust the toe setting, and can also be used to center the steering wheel if the wheel is not straight. By adjusting both right and left tie rods evenly and opposite, the steering wheel can be centered without changing the alignment setting. This will not tighten the steering if the steering is loose due to tie rod wear - the tie rods must be replaced. Check for tie rod wear as Jim described above.
Lars
11-03-2014, 10:45 AM
#9
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
OK, think the ball studs need replacing. That is what someone told me, just wanted to make sure they were not trying to sell me something I did not need. Thanks for the info.
11-03-2014, 11:44 AM
#10
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You might want to get a second opinion, and have your car looked at by someone who knows what they're looking at....
First, there are no "ball studs" on a Vette. There are "ball joints," if that's what he was referring to, but loose ball joints will not cause slop in the steering wheel as you describe, so replacing them won't fix your problem.
Slop in the steering wheel as you describe can be caused by:
First, there are no "ball studs" on a Vette. There are "ball joints," if that's what he was referring to, but loose ball joints will not cause slop in the steering wheel as you describe, so replacing them won't fix your problem.
Slop in the steering wheel as you describe can be caused by:
- Worn/incorrectly adjusted steering box
- Worn tie rod ends (inner or outer)
- Worn idler arm
- Worn steering relay rod