Installed a rancho dual stabilizer today and realized that my tie rods and that link that connects them pretty easily moves.. But it moves in a radial direction... Like it twists... I'm gonna check tomorrow and see if there is up and down or side to side play but just curious if the movement I have is normal. If its not does anybody know some good replacement tie rods? Auto zone wants 134, dealer wants almost 200... I haven't seen where I can buy only the joint, I'm guessing you can't ... Any info is appreciated.

-Josh

 

Hi Josh,

Just because you can twist the joint on the ball doesn't mean that it's bad. Any end play, either up and down or side to side would mean that you have a problem though. The whole point to the ball and socket tie rod end is to permit movement in several directions.

I like Moog suspension components, and they are reasonably priced on Rockauto. But it doesn't seem from your OP that yours are bad.

 

Well I'm going to get a crow bar and check tomorrow cause I do feel some slop, although the dual stabilizer helped a lot.. But it still shouldn't feel the way that it does, and I didn't mean that the ball joint its self twisting, I ment the linkage that connect to the 2 sides

 

the tie rods should twist but not go side to side. get a buddy to turn the steering wheel and look at the tie rod ends if one looks sloppy replace it. you should only need to turn the wheel a few inches in each direction. be sure to measure the length from center of tie rod end to center of the coresponding tie rod end. or just count the threads showing like most people.

 

did you install the stabilizer because the steering was loose? you might just have a bad tie rod end and with the stabilizer just patched the problem instead of fixing it. disconect the stabilizer and do the test i mentioned

 

No, I got the dual stabilizer because I was getting bump steer and some jitters when hitting a bump going down the road, plus I recently put on 37's, although I think I'm gonna down size to 35's cause it's too much tire for normal driving... anyway, no, the stabilizer helped keep things more solid, I don't see any play in the tie rods, but I was just checking to make sure the the adjust sleeve is allowed to rotate in a radial motion. the more I looked into it they seem fine, I do get kind of a mild popping noise when going over pot holes and stuff.. pisses me off every time is happens too... checked ball joints but they SEEM to be fine.. but I do have a heavy wheel, so I may just not have a big enough bar to properly check.

 

i havent spent much time under my new truck yet but if we have grease fittings try to grease them. 37's are a bit big and some steering dificulties will be associated but i have 35's and dont have any problems i dont expect out of them.

 

I don't believe there are any Zerk Fittings on factory joints, most aftermarket do though. Also, I don't have too many problems with the 37's, they rub at full lock on the radius arm, but I don't turn that far. I like the look, but they are just too frickin' heavy, more brake to slow and stop, and more throttle to go, and slower accel. I'm gonna replace with 35x12.5's and 20's, right now they are 37x13.5 on factory 18's.

also, is there an easy way to adjust the gear box, I have a little more play in the wheel then I'd like, and I know how to adjust it, but actually doing it is another story, is there any easy way, or am I just gonna have to feel around, or use a mirror or something to see what the heck I'm doing?

 

i dont know how to adjust the gear box but a gear box shouldnt go bad for a really long time. i have replaced engines, transmissions transfercases and never a steering gear box. i have seen a steering gear box rip a frame it was rusted but still

 

A gear box is easy to adjust, I'm not saying mine is going bad, I just wanna get rid of my steering wheel play, and adjusting the gear box will do just that... I was just wondering if anybody had an easy way of doing so

 

my gear box just blew a seal yesterday emptied the whole reservoir in seconds. looks like i am going to get to replace one after all

 

That stinks... Atleast its all right there and you anoint have to take about too much to get to it

 

they are looking into a recall on that

"NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 5 complaints alleging an internal failure of the steering gear box resulting in a complete loss of steering control"

 

has anyone replaced their steering pump? mine started whining after I put a 3 in' level on, I don't think it's starting to fail, but it just whines loudly, and I can't stand it, and I did try the flush procedure but that didn't help either. Just curious to if a reman or a new pump would be quiet since I've read ford's always tend to have steering pump whines