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I have been getting a lot of noise at a lower speed and when I push down in the car down and when I get in or out. Someone told me it’s coming from the tie rods.
Will spraying a lot of WD40 on them cause this to go away?If I have to replace them is it necessary to install the bellows boot? I ask because I live in Southern California and it obviously doesn’t rain or snow a lot to affect them. Thanks!
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I would say normally, just spraying WD40 on them won’t get rid of the noise. Tie rods are usually sealed with a rubber boot that may have a leak and the grease inside dried up. What I did as a temporary fix for mine was took a needle and poked a hole in the tie rod boot, then put the little straw that came with my lubricant into this hole. Then I sprayed just a little in there to get by for a little bit. Also look to see if they have a grease fitting on the tie rod end. They might just need a little added.
But yea, If they are making the noise, I would say you should look into getting them replaced as a more permanent solution.
if the tie rod is bad you will have play or movement at 3 and 9 o clock. With the wheel in the air and the car on jack stands check for play. the part is 20-40 dollars per side. good luck
If this noise is a creak or groan then the first suspect should be sway bar bushings. Next in line would be a dry ball joint or tie rod end.
I’ve never heard a tie rod make a creak or groan noise. Usually a tie rod will only make a light thunk or knock sound while the vehicle is moving and hitting bumps; and even then only if the tie rod is excessively worn.In order of likelyhood:
dry sway bar rubber bushings.
Bad shock or strut.
Bad other moving joint in the suspension.
I would put a bad tie rod end as a very low probability. Those usually wear out and get loose, they very rarely dry out and squeak.
[quote=”Bluesnut” post=77248]If this noise is a creak or groan then the first suspect should be sway bar bushings. Next in line would be a dry ball joint or tie rod end.
I’ve never heard a tie rod make a creak or groan noise. Usually a tie rod will only make a light thunk or knock sound while the vehicle is moving and hitting bumps; and even then only if the tie rod is excessively worn.[/quote]A sears auto center mechanic said the outer tie rods have play when I had my tires rotated.
Noise notes: it is squeaky at lower speeds (1, 2, 3) when the steering wheel is turning. And it is also squeaky when going over a speed bump.
I wanted to ask around because years back sears took advantage of me and I had them do unnecessary repairs.
Sears service managers will point out ANY little thing, they’re encouraged to give you a big bill.
Now a teensy bit of steering toe rod play is not so bad– like 1/8th of an inch or so is not going to kill you. My parent’s old ’64 Pontiac Tempest had like 1/2 inch of play on each tie rod and it was quite drivable, if a bit vague in the steering. You probably don’t want it to get to that level.
Tie rods themselves usually don’t creak, as they don’t have any real pressure on them. The rubber boots can crack and lose all their grease and the tie rod ball joints can even get a bit rusty, and they still won’t creak, they will just wear out and get loose. Creaking is usually from the ball joints that are under considerable pressure– the top and bottom ball joints and the rubber sway-arm bushings. And of course the main strut rod, if it gets rusty or if the water boot falls off.
Basically, anything that moves can groan and squeak. I have seen tie rod ends, sway bar links and bushings, control arm bushings, struts and strut mounts or shocks, make noise.
My own van drove me looney trying to find a horrible squeak that only made the noise on dry days. Wet days= no noise.The only way to find it (as I did on mine) is to get it on a ramp lift and turn the steering back and forth while someone with a mechanics stethoscope listens to everything that moves until they find the source of the noise.
My problem was sway bar bushings.
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