Tie Rod Ends...Stupid Question

[Patrick C]

I know this may sound dumb, but I really haven't had to work on these in a Delorean or any other car. Where exactly are the tie rod ends located on the steering rack, what do they do, and why would someone need to replace them? What would the symptoms be?

Just trying to expand my DeLorean knowledge.

[mark v]

There are actually 2 tie rod ends, a inner and outer tie rod end. I think a Delorean only has outter tie rod ends.



As you can see on this picture the Delorean steering rack. At the ends of each side of the rack there is a threadded rod where the tie rod ends screw on to. The tie rod ends attach to the spindle that holds the front wheels of the car. When the tie rod ends get wore out your steering gets sloppy.

The tie rod is actually a ball and socket joint that moves tightly and also freely. When this socket gets wore out you will feel the ball and socket joint get real loose and have lots of play in it. If the tie rod end ever gets so wore the ball can actually pop out of the socket and you will loose all steering on the wheel the tie rod end was attached to.

to check the wear of the tie rod ends you can jack up the car and grip the tire on each side and if it wiggles left and right freely with out moving the steering linkage your tie rod end is wore out. You can also check your tie rod end by gabbing the tie rod end where it attaches to the spindle and see if you can move it up and down or back and forth easy.

[Patrick C]

Its easier to visualize with a picture. Thanks Mark, makes sense now.

[Rich W]

Patrick,

As the name would indicate, tie rod ends are on either end of the steering
rack, threaded onto each end. I guess you could say the tie rods "tie" the
steering rack into the steering knuckle on each front spindle. Original
DeLorean tie rod ends didn't have grease fittings and were not greasable.

Some symptoms of bad or failing tie rod ends can include completely
opposite clues: sloppy steering if the tie rod ends are very worn and
very stiff or "clunky" steering if the boots are cut, deteriorated or missing
and there is no longer any grease in the joint on the tie rod end.

To try and diagnose bad tie rod ends, get the car up on a lift or securely
on jack stands and try to move each front wheel back and forth to check
for sloppy or clunky steering. Keep in mind a bad steering bushing may
trick you into thinking you have bad tie rod ends, so make sure its good
before you start testing. If you have a bad steering bushing or if your
steering wheel does not lock with the key out, you can have helper hold
the other wheel while you attempt to move the one one the other side.
Unfortunately, if this is your first time doing this, you may not have a good
frame of reference to know when you have a bad tie rod end, or a bad
steering bushing, or a bad "tooth" in the steering rack, or just no fluid left
in the steering rack. As always, its best to have another experienced
DeLorean owner/mechanic check these type of critical wear parts.

Later,
Rich W.

[Patrick C]

I was really just curious about them after just reading about them on the DML. I wanted to have a general idea about what was being discussed. Thanks for the explanation Rich.

[DMCH James]

There are probably very few NOS tie rod ends or lower balljoints in existence anymore, by the way. Anyone who runs across or who has purchased an old dealer inventory may come up with some, but by and large all that you will find anywhere are reproduction ones.

James