The tie rod or steering rod ensures that the wheels turn in the correct direction when a steering movement is made. This movement is initiated by the ball joint and steering box. The steering box is mounted on the front wheel and transmits the movement to the ball joint, which is attached to the end of the steering rod. The tie rod now makes a pulling or pushing movement on which the wheels turn in the right direction. In some cases the tie rod is also mounted on the rear wheels so that they move well with the steering direction. This depends on the type of wheel suspension of the car.
Tie rod worn
A worn tie rod can easily be recognized by a creaking sound during steering. A worn tie rod will also make steering heavier or that you will notice play in the steering wheel. With play in the steering wheel, you will have to steer much further to the left or right to make the wheels turn in the right direction. You will also notice that the car is less easy to keep upright while driving. The car is often steered slightly in one direction. As a result, the car tires on one side of the vehicle will also wear out faster. A tie rod mainly wears when it is steered at a standstill. It is then much more difficult for the steering rod to move back and forth because the full weight of the car is leaning on it. Therefore make sure that you steer while the wheels are still (slowly) rolling. If the steering rod breaks completely while driving, steering will no longer be possible. Therefore, make sure that you regularly check the tie rod for wear and make sure that it is replaced if necessary. This way you avoid unsafe situations.
Replace tie rod
You can replace the tie rod yourself with a little technical knowledge. The wheels will need to be realigned. So in addition to knowledge, quite a bit of professional equipment is also required. Would you rather outsource the job to the garage? Then make sure you save costs on the parts and order them from Winparts. You are often cheaper if you supply the parts yourself.
Buy tie rod
Buying a new tie rod for your car is done quickly and cheaply at Winparts. You can easily enter your car model on the site. The suitable car parts for your car will then be shown. In addition, you can choose from various quality brands such as ABS, Bugiad and Febi. Other steering parts such as power steering pumps, CV boots, clutch cables, mounting propshafts and clutch rods can be found in our wide range.