Tie Rod Problem

[badded3333]

Had Left I&O tie rod replaced last month then alignment with different shop. Right side was good so only had left side done.

While backing into parking spot Right side tie rod seemed to go completely with no warning. By completely I mean passengers side was turning left while I was steering driver side wheel to the right. Could not move van. Had to physically get out to turn tire and inch out of traffic. Took wheel off and seemed like a lot of play in tie rod and inner might not have been connected anymore. Cant tell with boot on. Guess I could have tried to feel under boot but I didn’t think of it at the time. Was able to take 10 sec video of the play and did not see fluid leaking. To cold to work outside so will have to have it towed for repair. In the mean time has anyone ever experience this or have any thoughts?

2001 windstar sel 170k

Video: http://youtu.be/P48AceYEP2I

Thanx,
Aj

[tempfixit]

Do you have the print out of what was all adjusted on the alignment, Did they adjust of the right side. Wondering if the right side was toed out at alignment

Seems odd that any looseness was not detected at the time of left inspection.

Curious to see a pic of tie rod once boot is removed.

[scubacat]

No way to know without removing boot, but it's definitely not connected. I'm interested to see if the ball/socket part failed or if it just unscrewed somehow.

[phil-l]

Hmmmm - Does the inner tie rod end have a locking pin? See 3:05 in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_BDKG-TDzo

The pin is supposed to keep the threaded inner tie rod end from unscrewing itself - which may be what happened in this case.

[badded3333]

UPDATE

First i want to thank the folks who replies.

Mechanic said the threads were stripped on the steering rack. Did not mention locking pin - probably sheered off. Said its possible alignment guy over tighted and stripped. He will try to rethread it tomorrow if he can if not I need a new rack.

I did not get a print out for the alignment so I don’t know what adjustment was made. I asked for one when they didn’t give me one. Made an excuse of printer issues. Another odd thing is they said it was not aligned there. They don’t have the alignment in their system but they have records of all the alignments on my 4 other windstars. Something is fishy…. Good thing I have the receipt.

[tomj76]

On my '96 (and any other rack & pinion vehicle that I've dealt with) alignment (toe in) is adjusted by turning the tie rod into/outof the OUTER tie rod end. The inner tie rod end is intended to fixed on the end of the steering rack. The tie rod has a ball that is captured by the inner tie rod end which allows it to turn (with some resistance) on the inner tie rod end which is threaded on to the end of the steering rack. If the rack is stripped then it is the fault of the installer, as he would have been the party setting the torque (and installing the locking pin).

Also, I would think very carefully before driving a vehicle that had steering rack threads repaired. Too much safety depends on the integrity of that connection, and if it failed while traveling at highway speeds, injury or death are very possible.

It is MUCH more likely that the installation mechanic did not properly secure the inner tie rod end to the steering rack, and it came loose. The first time I installed inner tie rod ends on my '96, I failed to properly secure them, and when I took it for alignment the mechanic said the the rod "fell off". It is very possible that the exact sequence of events is that it fell off while he was adjusting the alignment. If it was loose when he started and he needed to turn the rod into the outer end, then this would have caused the inner end to turn off the steering rack. Since the thread pitch on the end of the steering rack is very course relative to the outer end, he would have found it needed even more adjustment as he turned it until the end finally came completely loose.

He graciously put it back on and secured it properly on my behalf and I am very fortunate that this did not happen while the van was in use.

[badded3333]

Did not need a new rack! Only needed to start first two threads then inner TR went on easy after that.

The odd thing was that the threads on the inside of the old tie rod looked smooth to the eye but when you feel it,
it felt almost smooth on one half and you could slightly feel the ridges on the other side.

No one I showed it to has ever seen anything like it. So I guess its possible the tie rod was defective.

It was not the side I recently replaced. I bought van 2 years ago so I dont know if it was an original part or not.

[scubacat]

I wonder if someone tried to jam it on quickly with an impact and didn't really start the threads off by hand? (not saying I'd use an impact at all on an inner tie rod!..... just guessing what might have happened.)