Check Your Tierods!
02-12-2007, 04:29 PM
#1
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Check Your Tierods!
So I was driving up a cliffside curvy hill about 400ft elevation at the top. There's a sharp corner about 1/4 of the way up and I got on it around the corner which bends towards the cliff side and when I went to go back the other direction the car kept heading toward the cliff...tires started screaming and stoped just before going through the rail and off to what probably would be my death or great personal injury. I got out and noticed that both the wheels were pointing inward. So I layed down in the mud and felt around in the pitch black night, and the tie rod was just hanging down so after about 5 minutes of swearing I was able to get the end back into the knuckle and drive slowly back to my house. Pretty intense night, from now on I will be checking those more often. 
02-12-2007, 04:39 PM
#3
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no, no noise actually and it was steering fine. I think the nut must have come off sometime soon before that, but it didn't pop loose untill that corner. There's also a bit of a bump on that turn too and I think that was the nail in the coffin...
02-12-2007, 04:44 PM
#5
Originally Posted by Jon94SE
no, no noise actually and it was steering fine. I think the nut must have come off sometime soon before that, but it didn't pop loose untill that corner. There's also a bit of a bump on that turn too and I think that was the nail in the coffin...
02-13-2007, 02:59 AM
#7
Wow, thats gotta be scary as hell! I did my both outer tierod ends back in fall 06, but I definately will be checking them more often.
Do you guys know if the same would happen if the INNER tierods went loose? I've never changed them and they look like a PITA.
Do you guys know if the same would happen if the INNER tierods went loose? I've never changed them and they look like a PITA.
02-13-2007, 06:10 AM
#8
I've never seen an inner tie rod seperate like an outer tie rod on a car with a rack and pinion.
most people just replace the whole rack rather than just the inners.
only exclusion being accident cars or cheap plicks
most people just replace the whole rack rather than just the inners.
only exclusion being accident cars or cheap plicks
02-14-2007, 12:27 AM
#9
Originally Posted by Jon94SE
So I was driving up a cliffside curvy hill about 400ft elevation at the top. There's a sharp corner about 1/4 of the way up and I got on it around the corner which bends towards the cliff side and when I went to go back the other direction the car kept heading toward the cliff...tires started screaming and stoped just before going through the rail and off to what probably would be my death or great personal injury. I got out and noticed that both the wheels were pointing inward. So I layed down in the mud and felt around in the pitch black night, and the tie rod was just hanging down so after about 5 minutes of swearing I was able to get the end back into the knuckle and drive slowly back to my house. Pretty intense night, from now on I will be checking those more often.
sorry to hear that. So what happened, which part of the tie rod came loose? The castle nut joint or the ball joint popped? If it was castle nut, was your cotton pin on or did it felt off? Make sure the cotton pin stays on at all time.
Next time if that ever happened, immediately make sure you pull the emergency brake, O/D off, hit the brake and control the wheel. I found out my emergency brake saved my life when I had to drive home with 2 broken metal brake lines (rust ate them).
02-14-2007, 07:09 AM
#10
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Well what happened was I didn't have the castle nut on there. The castle nut was stripped the last time I had it off to do the wheel bearing so I bought a different nut as a temp. fix, just wasn't a castle. And since the nut was a bit thicker I couldn't put a pin in. I had it torqued down pretty good but I guess that nut couldn't get the job done. I finally went to the junkyard and got the right one after that incident, it was good motivation. So basicly a stupid move on my part. ( I was asked to clarify that this had nothing to do with who I bought the car from)
02-14-2007, 09:20 AM
#11
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Did you get a new tie rod from the parts store? why go to the junkyard for a wear item....My last new tie rod included a new castle nut but not a cotter pin but you can get a pack of those. A junkyard part has no business on your car in this case...
Glad it turned out ok, my power steering rack died last night (its been going out for a few days) thank god it was in the ally by my house. So I know a similar feeling. I'm very glad it happened here and not on the road...
~Alex
Glad it turned out ok, my power steering rack died last night (its been going out for a few days) thank god it was in the ally by my house. So I know a similar feeling. I'm very glad it happened here and not on the road...
~Alex
02-14-2007, 10:02 AM
#12
argh come on guys, whenever you use a castle nut your supposed to put on the cotton pin. they're dirt cheap. always use a castle nut for those ball joints related parts. even if you don't torque those castle nut to spec, the cotton pin would've prevented it from ever coming loose. as a matter of fact, I don't even think castle nuts are meant to be torque down anyway, it's really hard to torque down then expect the two holes to line up for the cotton pin to go thru.
02-14-2007, 10:04 AM
#13
Originally Posted by Alex_V
Did you get a new tie rod from the parts store? why go to the junkyard for a wear item....My last new tie rod included a new castle nut but not a cotter pin but you can get a pack of those. A junkyard part has no business on your car in this case...
Glad it turned out ok, my power steering rack died last night (its been going out for a few days) thank god it was in the ally by my house. So I know a similar feeling. I'm very glad it happened here and not on the road...
~Alex
Glad it turned out ok, my power steering rack died last night (its been going out for a few days) thank god it was in the ally by my house. So I know a similar feeling. I'm very glad it happened here and not on the road...
~Alex
stupid question here. Just wondering, what happened when the rack died? Push it home? My rack is acting funny recently but it still working, I don't have the time to work on it.... probably for another several weeks.
02-14-2007, 10:13 AM
#14
Originally Posted by bvtran
as a matter of fact, I don't even think castle nuts are meant to be torque down anyway, it's really hard to torque down then expect the two holes to line up for the cotton pin to go thru.
02-14-2007, 11:55 AM
#18
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I hit a pot hole a few days ago. Add in a summers worth of drifting at the track (much fun!) and that this rack was from a very lightly wrecked car I guess thats what caused it to die. I haven't heard of it much. But my steering wheel will spin and not do any thing. The gears are toast.
Basically what happened was the gear that turns the rack fractured and took the rest out. I'm assuming the wreck fractured the gears and drifting isn't the best thing for weak parts. Yesterday it went from a decent amount of slop in the steering wheel (1/5 of a turn) to a 1/4 of a turn to half a turn by the time i was home. And I tried to turn into the last ally and it gave way. I basically turned the wheels by hand then.
The first rack had torn boots. It just leaked alot and had hard steering. Then the one out of the wrecked car. Now Im getting a reman'd one from brian, as soon as colombianmax wakes up....
Basically what happened was the gear that turns the rack fractured and took the rest out. I'm assuming the wreck fractured the gears and drifting isn't the best thing for weak parts. Yesterday it went from a decent amount of slop in the steering wheel (1/5 of a turn) to a 1/4 of a turn to half a turn by the time i was home. And I tried to turn into the last ally and it gave way. I basically turned the wheels by hand then.
The first rack had torn boots. It just leaked alot and had hard steering. Then the one out of the wrecked car. Now Im getting a reman'd one from brian, as soon as colombianmax wakes up....
F u greeny F U. 
~Alex
02-14-2007, 04:29 PM
#21
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Originally Posted by bvtran
argh come on guys, whenever you use a castle nut your supposed to put on the cotton pin. they're dirt cheap. always use a castle nut for those ball joints related parts. even if you don't torque those castle nut to spec, the cotton pin would've prevented it from ever coming loose. as a matter of fact, I don't even think castle nuts are meant to be torque down anyway, it's really hard to torque down then expect the two holes to line up for the cotton pin to go thru.
03-01-2007, 07:14 PM
#23
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 179
The lesson you should learn from this is never rig a mission critical part. If you can't get the right replacement castle nut, buy a new tie rod, and it will come with a new nut. It might be a bit more expensive than just putting a new nut on the old tie rod end, but it will cost a heck of a lot less than then accident you're bound to have if you don't use the right parts.
03-02-2007, 08:43 AM
#25
Originally Posted by Jon94SE
As right as you are, you do what you have to do when you're broke and need to get around.
03-02-2007, 09:03 AM
#26
Originally Posted by Jon94SE
As right as you are, you do what you have to do when you're broke and need to get around.
even without a castle nut you can stick a cotter pin in there to prevent that nut from backing out all the way.
this thread should be titled "Why not to rig your work on an important suspension piece". it's funny that you're telling us to check the tie rods...because this wouldn't happen to anyone else unless they decide to rig up installing their tie rods like you did.
03-02-2007, 05:40 PM
#28
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When a 1/4 inch of the nut is covering up the hole I don't see how a pin is going to work? I obviously would have put one in there if it was possible. Once again this was intended as a temporary weekend fix untill the junk yard was open again. And are you saying it's a bad idea to check your tie rods anyway? 
03-03-2007, 05:36 PM
#31
Originally Posted by internetautomar
there is NEVER an excuse for endangering other peoples life with ones own recklessness. if your vehicle is unsafe to drive then WALK!!!
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