I know that's a highly variable question, but I'm a bit annoyed. I took my car in for an alignment, as I usually like to go twice a year. However, i last replaced 2 inner tie rods that I personally ordered online. The first 2 alignments all was well, but this time they said it couldn't be aligned due to broken left inner and outer tie rod.

I've heard the whole "we can't align because of (insert expensive suspension problem) with this and other cars before. Last year, One guy was saying a control arm, but then another guy said it was fine. I've had 2 alignments done last year after my tie rods were replaced.

My steering wheel is straight, but I have a long road trip and it's winter and I've hit some major craters in the road. Otherwise, there's not much pull but the steering feels loose.

Is there a way I can check the rods myself and see if there's cause for alarm? Who thinks I should just take it to a different shop? (This place has done it twice already). Also, should I just not get so many alignments done? I hate getting them done because the toe is always slightly off due to an accident (not enough to wear tires unevenly though) but everytime I go to a different place, they want to start fixing stuff after 1 or 2 alignments. But at the same time, I have good tires that need to wear evenly.

 

Jack the front end up and grab the tires at 3:00 and 9:00. Shake it to see if there is and slop. You can't very well set toe if there is 9* of slop.

You state that the steering is loose. That would indicate a bad inner or outer tie rod.

Sent from my XT1060 using Maxima

 

A broken anything should be segmented in two pieces!!!!! I doubt that's the case here....I doubt if there's even a worn inner or outer tie rod end if you so call do this 2 times a year!!!! Inspect it yourself!!!

 

Do the tire shake test. Should not have any movement. Make sure the steering wheel is locked first.
I had two Oreileys store brand outer tied rods develop play within 6 months.
When I worked for Oreileys we had a decent amount of suspension parts returned within the year warranty due to excessive play. Both private customers and garages. ( I bought my tie rods before I found this out). My guess is that other big box auto stores have similar return rates on store brands.

Beck arnley is double the price of the store brand, so one would think the quality would also be higher.

 

Firestone pulls this crap all the time.

If they used the word broken time to pack up and head to a better shop because this one sounds like they are wanting to take you for a ride.

+1 to everyone saying check yourself and go from there.

 

Does it make sense to align your car on a schedule?

I only do it if:

Suspension work has been done.

Tires are wearing strangely


Or if I feel play or any other strangeness in the steering wheel.

 

I use to have my Hardbody's alignment checked 4-6 times a year cause I used to work in the swamps of Louisiana and the drive was through some substandard roads that would knock a cars alignment out slightly enough to cause premature tire wear...Plus i had a SEARs Lifetime Warranty Alignment and used the hell out of it!!!! The shop hated seeing me!!!! I had that warranty from 1988 to about 2002...the Manager refused to warranty my alignment cause he said it was no way I was still riding with the original suspension when the warranty was wrote!!!! He destroyed my warranty card and made me almost destroy him....But I must say I used the F88K out of that Warranty and Sears will never have a offer like that ever again....But Firestone does!!!!

 

Lol, I used to have Firestone lifetime alignment on my 96 Camry, but it got totaled.

Anyhow....I have some bad news going down. Maybe the alignment place was right. So I drove over 1,000 miles in the last 24 hours. The first 600 miles were fine, but then the last 500 miles were ****. I'm dealing with SEVERE shudder at highway speeds, and have to take it in tomorrow to find out what's wrong since I have another 700 miles to go before I can even put a jack under it.

I'm thinking it could be my tires out of balance, the roads have ridges, or my axles are seriously ****ed. I also almost thought it was my transmission too. But it's intermittent. The test was this: vibration gets worse when turning slightly at highway speeds. Vibration stopped when I pulled into neutral. Vibration does not occur at low speeds. Transmission and tachometer is shifting fine.

But why did it stop vibrating when I shifted in neutral? And why does the vibration get worse when I sped up or slowed down, but at one point it stopped shuddering completely after awhile. Is this a tie rod, tire balance, or CV joint issue?

 

Definitely could be balance. When tires are out of balance it happens at a particular speed, say 60 mph. as you get close to 60 it gets worse and worse. When you go past 60 the vibration goes away. It will come back at 120 mph, double 60.

Also,which direction are you turning when you notice the increase? If your are turning left, then the right tire is out of balance. Turning right and its the left.

When you shift to neutral while rolling, you dis-connect the tranny from the axle, so you are disconnecting the vibrating piece from the rest of the car. It will probably still vibrate, but much less of the shudder is transmitted to the steering/cabin.

 

Okay, that helps. Atleast I know where to go and ask to be done. The vibration is worse when turning right I think. Can't remember, but one particular direction did give off the worse shudder.

A mechanic friend of mine told me tie rods don't cause vibration. Anyone know? I know 1 thing...like I said earlier, this winter there's been potholes opening up all over the city, and I've hit like 100 of them.

As to the tire test, my floor jack doesn't go high enough to bring my 205, 16s off the ground. I'm thinking I'll be able to at my folks place..

 

Worn CV shafts can cause vibration. Under acceleration vibration has been my experience in the past with fwd cars. Check your cv shafts for any "up and down play"

 

I went today to have 2 front wheels balanced, at one of those pull up and stay in your car shops. Unfortunently it didn't completely solve the vibration. Was also told the rods need replacing again.

Hopefully this'll take care of it...this will be the 3rd tie rod end I drive in. I kinda wish the outer was changed out last time with the inner.