[SteveO]

I was getting a bad vibration up front so I dropped it off to have the tires balanced and I know I need an alignment. They called and said the tierod was worn and needed replacing before the alignment could be done. Could the shake have been caused by the tierod? I hit really hard on that side a few weeks ago sliding into a rut. ....Steve

 

[Yeti]

I check tierods by using a large channel lock pliers and I squeeze the top to the bottom, if there is any play then the joint it loose and should be replaced. does that make sense how i explained it?

 

[Ted]

Steve you taking about the inner tie rod, were it goes it the steering rack? I was told the same thing last Firday.

 

[SAStoy]

Or you can just jack the truck up and shake the tire. If you feel an odd wobble chances are you have a bad tie rod. They are quite easy to replace which I can attest after pulling out my rack and pinion three times this week Backyard mechanics don't always work out the best for me but the truck is back on the road and running good again (sorry about the sidestory).

 

[hytenor]

I was getting a bad vibration up front so I dropped it off to have the tires balanced and I know I need an alignment. They called and said the tierod was worn and needed replacing before the alignment could be done. Could the shake have been caused by the tierod? I hit really hard on that side a few weeks ago sliding into a rut. ....Steve

Ah, the life and times of a lifted Taco owner, LOL outer TRs are cheap, around $50 from any auto parts store (half the price as the dealer) and install is pretty simple. Inner TRs are about the same price but take a little longer to replace. How about your rack bushings?

 

[98 Taco]

Steve, I replaced my Inner and outer together, just wanted it all to be replaced at the same time.
I did it last summer and I was told the same thing and bought the parts from my friend's foriegn auto parts store and MEXICOMA helped me do the install, it took us like 1-2 hours and then I took it back and had it aligned, no problem by a trusted alignment shop that has aligned my truck a few times before-I paid $70 for the alignment.
That was with 33" tires, I just upgraded to 35" MTRs
Good luck!!

 

[SteveO]

I check tierods by using a large channel lock pliers and I squeeze the top to the bottom, if there is any play then the joint it loose and should be replaced. does that make sense how i explained it?

Sounds good thanks.

 

[SteveO]

Steve you taking about the inner tie rod, were it goes it the steering rack? I was told the same thing last Firday.

I'm not sure which one, he just said tierod and I was on my way into a funeral so I just said replace it and had to get off the phone. I'll get the details today though.

 

[SteveO]

Ah, the life and times of a lifted Taco owner, LOL outer TRs are cheap, around $50 from any auto parts store (half the price as the dealer) and install is pretty simple. Inner TRs are about the same price but take a little longer to replace. How about your rack bushings?

Chris, I replaced the rack bushings a couple of months ago so they should be good. Like I said I took a hard hit a few weeks ago from the side, hard enough to put the truck sliding on one wheel and the snorkel and when a Jeep behind me did the same thing he bent a tierod and cracked his windshield so it was a good impact. I just hope when I get it back today the loose feeling is gone. They are charging me a lot I thought, about $230 for the part and 130 for labour. I'll have to get the details after though. ....Steve

 

[SteveO]

Steve, I replaced my Inner and outer together, just wanted it all to be replaced at the same time.
I did it last summer and I was told the same thing and bought the parts from my friend's foriegn auto parts store and MEXICOMA helped me do the install, it took us like 1-2 hours and then I took it back and had it aligned, no problem by a trusted alignment shop that has aligned my truck a few times before-I paid $70 for the alignment.
That was with 33" tires, I just upgraded to 35" MTRs
Good luck!!

Hey Bob, I don't doubt it's an easy job but the timing wasn't good and they already had the truck so I figured they may as well do it. First time I've had someone else work on my truck in about 2 years though other than my locker install so I guess I can suck this one up. .....Steve

 

[SteveO]

Turns out it was an inner tie rod and the part was 222.50 and labour was 106.00 plus an alignment and balance 4 wheels. Total was almost 500 including tax for what I hoped would just be an alignment. :xcrybaby: :xcrybaby:

 

[Ted]

Turns out it was an inner tie rod and the part was 222.50 and labour was 106.00 plus an alignment and balance 4 wheels. Total was almost 500 including tax for what I hoped would just be an alignment. :xcrybaby: :xcrybaby:

Is that in your dollars, or US dollars?

 

[SteveO]

Is that in your dollars, or US dollars?

Canadian funds.

 

[hytenor]

Turns out it was an inner tie rod and the part was 222.50 and labour was 106.00 plus an alignment and balance 4 wheels. Total was almost 500 including tax for what I hoped would just be an alignment. :xcrybaby: :xcrybaby:

damn dude, you got robbed on that TR price, sheesh. We get them down here for $50 from any parts house. Only the dealer prices are over $100 for the inners.

 

[SteveO]

damn dude, you got robbed on that TR price, sheesh. We get them down here for $50 from any parts house. Only the dealer prices are over $100 for the inners.

Yeah, I know. I'm going to call around and if I find it cheaper I'm going to go back to the shop Monday and see where they came up with that price. ....Steve

 

[mudferret]

Yeah, I know. I'm going to call around and if I find it cheaper I'm going to go back to the shop Monday and see where they came up with that price. ....Steve

Has the work been done? Your garage is nice and warm for January wrenching...

 

[ShowStop]

I was getting a bad vibration up front so I dropped it off to have the tires balanced and I know I need an alignment. They called and said the tierod was worn and needed replacing before the alignment could be done. Could the shake have been caused by the tierod? I hit really hard on that side a few weeks ago sliding into a rut. ....Steve

The vibrations in my front suspension are what tell me I need to replace my ball joints and/or tie rod ends. Lately I need to replace my lower ball joints about every 60k miles. When I get close to 60k, I start to get more shimmying and shaking in the front suspension. When I finally get sick of it, I replace the lower ball joints and check the tie-rods. After that, life is good again.
I replaced all my tie-rods and ball joints at the same time when the truck hit 150k miles and the truck drove like it was brand new. My wallet thought I bought a brand new truck also...

 

[SteveO]

Has the work been done? Your garage is nice and warm for January wrenching...

It's done already. I would have done it myself but they already had the truck and I just wanted it finished. ....Steve

 

[mudferret]

It's done already. I would have done it myself but they already had the truck and I just wanted it finished. ....Steve

Bummer, I was hoping to learn a little bit about our steering racks. Hopefully you can get a few bucks knocked off the price. In my experience, alignment shops (if that's where you went) tend to be pricier for stuff like that than other places. It's definitely tougher when they already have the truck and you want it to be back to normal too.

 

[SteveO]

Bummer, I was hoping to learn a little bit about our steering racks. Hopefully you can get a few bucks knocked off the price. In my experience, alignment shops (if that's where you went) tend to be pricier for stuff like that than other places. It's definitely tougher when they already have the truck and you want it to be back to normal too.

It was Kal tire on 42nd. I've gone there a bunch of times and they'va always been great to me but I was shocked to see the price. They do have a really good rep with the 4x4 community though so maybe that's a decent price. I'm going to call around tomorrow though, I hate thinking I might have been screwed.

Still coming wheeling Sunday? Waiporous apparently got about 30-40cm of snow this week.