Steering/alignment is off after tie rod end bellow replacement

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Sep 16, 2020 | 12:37 PM

N8nasty

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Joined: Aug 2020

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From: PNW

Steering/alignment is off after tie rod end bellow replacement

So yesterday I replaced the boots on my tie rod end because the previous ones were torn.. I was considering changing the tie rod ends as well but they looked perfectly intact.. so after replacing just the boots/bellows I took it for a test drive and the steering wheel is all outta wack and pulling to the left and right randomly. My passenger front tire was also sounding like it was squeeling.. anyone know what the cause could be for that? The steering seems worse than it was before I replaced the boots.

Sep 17, 2020 | 05:53 AM

99stockcivic

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Re: Steering/alignment is off after tie rod end bellow replacement

I presume when you removed the tie rods you also took other items apart, whether that was control arms, ball joints, etc, it probably needs an alignment now that you did this. This is why to me I change the tie rods nowadays instead of the boots anymore, because I have to take it in anyway. Pulling left and right definitely sounds like an alignment is needed.

Fron tire squealing is probably also part of the alignment being so bad. When I did a suspension not long ago on a car, 2 of the tires were sqealing as well before the alignment.

I wouldn't drive it until you take it in, or you will easily mess up the tread on the tires, it doesn't take long for a misalignment of that degree to cause excessive wear on the tires.