replaced tie rods and shop cant align it...
 

so I bought and installed inner and outer tie rods from NAPA, the lifetime warranty ones, and took it to a shop to align it, the inner tie rods were exactly the same. the outer tie rods seemed to be OEM. I removed the steering rack to install them, is there any possible ways to mess up the steering rack when removing it?

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (msinsky14)
 

What do you mean they "can't align it"?

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (wiZCo)
 

the drivers side aligned perfectly. but they had to extend the outer tie rod almost all the way out. and the passenger side needed to have more thread in the outer tie rod, it stopped like the thread ended, it also seemed kinda weird that the left side needed to be extended all the way out and the right side all the way in.
know what I mean?

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (msinsky14)
 

did you make sure to line up each side even before you reconnected the steering column to the rack?

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (90civichbsi)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 90civichbsi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">did you make sure to line up each side even before you reconnected the steering column to the rack?</TD></TR></TABLE>

bingo.

you can recenter the steering wheel by taking it off.

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (wiZCo)
 

do u mean did I set both tie rods evenly on each side of the steering rack and then connect the column?

I dont think I did that, can it make a difference?

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (msinsky14)
 

if you didnt do that and the shop is trying to align it with the steering wheel straight its never gonna happen.

you need to either take off the steering wheel and re align it or you can undo the U joint for the steering column to re align it. (i prefer this way)

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (90civichbsi)
 

so undo the steering u-joint, move the steering column until it is even on both sides, line up the steering wheel straight, and put the u-joint back on?

damn it, I knew I did something stupid. yea the right wheel is pulling inward right now and the steering wheel is 14 turn to the right to keep it straight.

I just dont get how if the steering wheel moves freely while disconnected from the column, that it would cause the tie rods to be extended all the way on the left side and all the way in on the right side?

can someone explain this to me better?

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (msinsky14)
 

i dont see the difference in reseting the position at the ujoint or the steering wheel.

i didnt check, but i assume the number of splines are the same. it would be much easier to remove and reset the steering wheel than climbing into the footwell and undoing the ujoint. thats just my opinion at least.

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (Tyson)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i dont see the difference in reseting the position at the ujoint or the steering wheel.

i didnt check, but i assume the number of splines are the same. it would be much easier to remove and reset the steering wheel than climbing into the footwell and undoing the ujoint. thats just my opinion at least.</TD></TR></TABLE>I agree

I wonder why the shop wouldn't just figure this out on their own maybe tack on extra labor to fix it even. They aren't doing just a front end alignment are they? I wouldn't put it past them. You need to reset the thrust angle.

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (Tyson)
 

its funny how the alignment shop didnt have a clue on this tho...

youd think they would have automatically assumed something like the center was off and just redid it themselves based on the edge to edge difference of the rack, and not the wheel.

there was one time i messed with my tie rods and also ended up putting the steering wheel totally in the wrong position. i went to get an alignment, and when it was done, the alignment guy told me the steering wheel was off. after i took it off and reset it to center, the steering and the wheel were EXACTLY in line.

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (Tyson)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">its funny how the alignment shop didnt have a clue on this tho...

youd think they would have automatically assumed something like the center was off and just redid it themselves based on the edge to edge difference of the rack, and not the wheel.

there was one time i messed with my tie rods and also ended up putting the steering wheel totally in the wrong position. i went to get an alignment, and when it was done, the alignment guy told me the steering wheel was off. after i took it off and reset it to center, the steering and the wheel were EXACTLY in line. </TD></TR></TABLE>Bad shop, that's why I asked if they are just doing a front end alignment. Bad shops don't know the fundamentals they just adjust until the screen shows green instead of red.

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (ILcrxsi1)
 

they just said the tie rods werent the right ones for my car. then they tried to say to come back and pay them parts plus labor to redo it.

I think I get how I screwed it up now though. since they straighten the wheel at the shop to align it, the right side was pushed out because I connected it to the steering column with the wheel straight, but the rack pushed out to the right from when I installed the rack back on so the left inner tie rod would clear the subframe. and thats why it was going straight with the wheel almost 1/4 turned to the right

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (msinsky14)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by msinsky14 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">they just said the tie rods werent the right ones for my car. then they tried to say to come back and pay them parts plus labor to redo it.

</TD></TR></TABLE>your shop is stupid, find a new one

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (msinsky14)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by msinsky14 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I think I get how I screwed it up now though. since they straighten the wheel at the shop to align it, the right side was pushed out because I connected it to the steering column with the wheel straight, but the rack pushed out to the right from when I installed the rack back on so the left inner tie rod would clear the subframe. and thats why it was going straight with the wheel almost 1/4 turned to the right</TD></TR></TABLE>

glad you understand.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ILcrxsi1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Bad shop, that's why I asked if they are just doing a front end alignment. Bad shops don't know the fundamentals they just adjust until the screen shows green instead of red.</TD></TR></TABLE>

yep. my guy was a vet. used to own the shop and then sold it and just wanted to do alignments in his retirement. the shop was my sponsor when i raced. used to get free alignments before every event. or whenever i felt like it.

Re: replaced tie rods and shop cant align it... (Tyson)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

yep. my guy was a vet. used to own the shop and then sold it and just wanted to do alignments in his retirement. the shop was my sponsor when i raced. used to get free alignments before every event. or whenever i felt like it.</TD></TR></TABLE>Modern alignment machines are so easy to use they are almost idiot proof. That's the problem though, a lot of people never learn exactly what they are looking at they just do what the machine says.