Tie Rod Buyer's Guide
Tie rods are a part of the steering system and connect your steering rack to your front wheels. They transfer the lateral movement of the steering rack to your steering knuckle, allowing you to turn the wheel left and right. Tie rods are composed of:
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Inner tie rod: Threads directly into the steering rack and contains a ball-and-socket joint that allows for steering rack movement and suspension travel. The inner tie rod is protected by a rubber boot that keeps grease in and debris out.
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Outer tie rod: Connects the inner tie rod to the steering knuckle using a ball joint. More commonly replaced of the two.
When replacing your tie rods, find one specifically compatible with your vehicle. This guide walks you through symptoms of a failing tie rod, how to inspect your tie rods, and what to look for when purchasing a replacement.
Why Replace Your Tie Rods?
Tie rods, like any component, wear out over time. Specifically, the ball joint can develop play, which translates to imprecise steering. Symptoms of a failing tie rod include:
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Steering wheel vibration: A worn outer tie rod can cause steering wheel vibrations, particularly at high speeds.
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Wandering or loose steering: The vehicle drifts or requires constant small corrections to hold a straight line. This is often the first sign of wear.
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Uneven tire wear: Play in the tie rod causes wheels to wobble while driving, causing uneven tire wear.
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Clunking when turning: Worn ball joints produce audible clunking noises when steering or going over bumps.
Inspecting Tie Rods
Outer Tie Rod
With the vehicle safely lifted, grip the tire at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions and attempt to rock it side to side. Movement indicates a worn outer tie rod ball joint. Replacing an outer tie rod is fairly straightforward with common hand tools.
Inner Tie Rod
To inspect the inner tie rod, first check for a torn or cracked boot. A damaged boot allows debris into the joint and can significantly accelerate wear. Once again, with the vehicle safely lifted, try to push and pull the tie rod towards and away from the steering rack. Any movement or clunking indicates a worn inner tie rod. Replacing an inner tie rod is less common than an outer tie rod replacement and requires a specialized inner tie rod removal tool to unthread it from the rack.
Bump Steer Kits
For most vehicles, an OEM-equivalent replacement is all that is needed. For vehicles that have been significantly lowered, they may experience a phenomenon called bump steer. This is where the steering wheel twitches or pulls when going over bumps.
Bump steer occurs because lowering the vehicle changes the angle of the tie rod relative to the control arm. At stock ride height, the tie rod and control arm travel through the same arc over bumps, so suspension movement doesn't affect steering. When the vehicle is lowered, these arcs no longer match.
A bump steer kit corrects this by replacing the stock outer tie rod with a specialized, height-adjustable tie rod that moves in the same arc as the control arm. If your lowered vehicle exhibits steering twitchiness over bumps, a bump steer kit is the appropriate fix.
Confirming Compatibility
Tie rods are vehicle-specific. Confirm the year, make, model and trim to get the right tie rod. After replacing, make sure to get an alignment. Alignment shops use your tie rods to control the amount of toe in your front wheels. Driving on misaligned toe accelerates tire wear and affects straight-line stability.
Conclusion
Tie rods are steering components that connect your steering rack to your knuckle and gradually wear over time. Inspect your tie rods and replace them when play develops. For most vehicles, a quality OEM-equivalent replacement is the right choice. For lowered builds experiencing bump steer, a bump steer kit restores correct steering geometry. Either way, confirm fitment by year, make, model, and trim before purchasing. You can find all the parts you need and plan your build on RideBuilder.
