99CivicSiBrian

I'm asking this question because it is one aspect of the car that I haven't had problems with ever so I've never touched it.
The ball joint in my pass side tie rod is going I believe. The boot is torn and the goo is coming out. What problems will this cause?
I'm wondering if it's causing 'wandering wheel' which is a phenomenon+ described by how it can kinda seem like I have to turn the wheel far one time but not so far another to make slight course corrections at cruising speed. Also, my tires wore out quite unevenly and now vibrate like a **** over 75mph.

I should mention that I had an alignment done after the drivers side tie rod was installed, then I lowered using H&R sport springs. I did not realign.

philosofy1

what will happen, huh, possible loose control of your car when it snaps off then crash. take care of it asap. as well as for the alignment, unless you like buying new tires every 3 months.

crxfornow

you will know when your tie rod end is goin bad because you'll feel it in your steering wheel if it vibrates at any speed then most likely its goin out also you could lift your car up and move your passenger side wheel left to right and feel for some play in it if its going out replace asap cause it can break and you will loose control

99CivicSiBrian

ok ok good call thanks for the info I'll change it out STAT. I'm'a also get a camber kit to put in and then get the alignment set to 'tire-save' instead of 'tire-shred'
WERD.
B

99CivicSiBrian

I almost forgot- anyone got a site to get camber correction kits? I've seen them on Ebay but I need to get it somewhere I can just call with a credit card and have that sombitch sent to my house. Ughhh I should get a bushing kit too.
B

h8ted ek

Im having the same problem bad outer tie-rod, im waitn for the part to come through..


I had it break on me before in my 91 accord, was not fun. and yes i do have extra play from the steering wheel and I HOPE its the tie rod thats busted is causing that extra play in the steering wheel.

sexyrex

you can do a front end check on your vehicle yourself with out guessing, jack up the front end, shake the wheel up and down, and side to side. feel for excessive play, and make sure you unlock your steering wheel and chock your wheels.

99CivicSiBrian

Word. That doesn't narrow it down to tie-rod, could still be wheel bearing, but word.
I'm going to order some stuff from a company I found. They'll sell me the Energy Suspension bushing kit plus both tie-rods for like 190 or something. I think thats fair.
B

sexyrex

??? front end check, checks for the following:

-worn wheel bearings
-worn outer and inner tie-rods
-worn lower ball joint
-worn lower control arm bushings
-worn upper control arm bushings

i wouldnt be ordering anything until i'd figure out the main problem, and it sounds to me your outer tie rod has broken.

99CivicSiBrian

nah nothing is broken, just seems to have more play. It could be because the alignment is off due to lowering the ride and not realigning the car. The boot is 'torn' and kinda leaking the grease out but it passed inspection in May so I don't know that it's that bad, but maybe.
The other tie rod was replaced at inspection.
B

sexyrex

you should just let a professional look at it and stop guessing

vladd

when i had bad tie rod balljoints on my 96 civic i had really bad wheel wander. it sucked driving on the freeway, especially in the grooved parts. the car was all over the place. i wasn't sure what the problem was, so i tried to get an alignment. the shop told me the balljoints were bad, and wouldn't do the alignment until i replaced them. i just replaced the tie rods with ones i got off a wrecked integra.

99CivicSiBrian

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sexyrex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you should just let a professional look at it and stop guessing</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah I don't let anyone do anything to the car except the alignment shop, and thats just because I don't have the means to do it myself. I'll be changing the tie-rod in a few weeks I just hope the bastard holds out.
B

h8ted ek

changed my tie rod today, i actually just got them from advance auto, they were going for 25 each side, outer tie rod "qaulity". but i got them to price match pep boys at 21 even though they were 18 each i had auto advance to meet me half way at that price wiht life time waranty. good quality parts man, i got the made in japan ones, 555 brand. im not sayin the whole jdm thang, but japan parts are good parts

anyways I used a white out and painted the thread where the bolt tightens up the outer tie rods, it gave me marking back to my original alignment. This is done at home not at a shop, so this is the way i did it. i rode around man feels good and new. No problem with alignment as i rode around car would have shaked up. Car feels like a new car.

goodluck

sexyrex

so it was a tie-rod?

h8ted ek

Yes it was an outer tie rod, that needed to be fixed. BOTH of them Right and Left side were BUSTED

I had other problems before this so my steering and drivin round town Sucked in a nice lookin hatch persay, it pissed me off alot.

First= axle was busted on left side, replaced both a few months back

traded rims my slips for the bbs moda sport 15x7's needed Serious wheel balancing, finally had it done last week along wiht rotation.

and yesterday replaced both outer tie rod

Feels Much Much better ofcourse but theres still something "there" i will have an alignment done after i do a full si front brake/knuckle swap wiht front lca forks and swaybar very soon

My car definitly needed the treatments so far soo good could not be any happier

sexyrex

make sure everything in the front end is fixed b4 u get an alignment done, other if theres another steering/suspension issue, you'd have to pay for another alignment

99CivicSiBrian

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sexyrex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">make sure everything in the front end is fixed b4 u get an alignment done, other if theres another steering/suspension issue, you'd have to pay for another alignment</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thats kinda why I'm waiting, because I'm getting a camber correction kit for xmas, and I might buy myself the bushing kit. I know the bushings don't throw off the alignment, but I'm sure they'll make some difference. So if I change the bushings, the camber correction kit, and the tie rods, I'm going to need an alignment. I don't think I can get away without it.
B

sexyrex

generally ALL suspension/steering work require an alignment afterward, but some work you can get away with