New Tie Rod ends too tight?

rcannon · Post by **rcannon** » 10 Nov 2013, 15:03

I replaced the rack and pinion and tie rod ends, made in Germany. They were very hard to pivot. After about a month the rack started leaking again (from Rack Doctor). It's 6mo + and the tie rods are still very stiff= need vice grips to rotate. I'm wondering if this caused the rack to wear out because it is such a load on the rack. I've never replaced the tie rods before but I can't imagine them being so stiff. Maybe they forgot the grease? Ever heard of this before?

Bob

Post by **Matty Moo** » 10 Nov 2013, 16:48

Mine are still relatively tight from when I first installed them last year. It's highly unlikely they had anything to do with the rack leaking.

Post by **oragex** » 10 Nov 2013, 17:02

The tie rod has two joints: one at the wheel and one at the steering rack. If they don't rotate, it might be the joint at the steering rack (inside the steering boots).

I would remove the boots on both sides of the rack - they are kept with plastic ties - and have a look at the exposed rack rods. They must be shiny and exempt of rust. Move wheels from side to side. If they are rusted, this eats the seals when you turn the steering wheel. Also, check the joint in the tie rods, I suspect is also rusted and seized, disconnect the tie rods (on the wheel side) and spray the joint with Liquid Wrench Lube (blue bottle).

rcannon · Post by **rcannon** » 10 Nov 2013, 18:22

The rack was just rebuilt and I put it in- the inner joints were good. The outer ends were very stiff.
I should add that I put an in-line filter in the return line. I'm starting to wonder if that got plugged causing a rack leak, which appears to be leaking out of the pinion shaft cover at the bottom. This could be coming from the left rack seal too I guess.

Post by **oragex** » 10 Nov 2013, 20:23

The tie rods show be quite easy to turn with a key.. Sometimes also the rack rubber could be quite tight but nothing to have it turned with a wise grip. Which end do you think it's stiff, the one to the wheel or the inner tie rod?

rcannon · Post by **rcannon** » 15 Nov 2013, 08:25

The one near the wheel is stiff. The inner ones were fine when I installed the rack. The outers were new and very stiff and still are. No roughness, just very tight.

Post by **oragex** » 15 Nov 2013, 09:43

When you say it's stiff you mean you have to force on the key to turn it? It shouldn't be hard to turn with a key. Maybe that particular after market parts are build that way. I guess it forces more on the steering pump, less on the seals because the lever is not so long.