Testing Inner tie rods..

[aero]

anyone know how you can tell if the inner tie rods are shot?

As you might have followed along on my other thread, I continue and continue to have an annoying vibration from my car.

EVERYTHING has been replaced but the drivers side wheel bearing now. But, I still have this problem which makes me think something in the steering is still not correct.

When i get into my car after work, I back out of my parking spot, and back up to the left a little.. without much steering. Then when I start to accelerate, or just turn the wheel to the left, I will get a slight "pop". It wont do it every time, but most noticably when it is my first time steering it.

I still have a vibration above 50mph most of the time. Since the tie rods are brand spankin new, and both of the lower ball joints, the only thing I can think of is internally on the rack or maybe the axle is binding up or something.

Another way I can get a very slight "pop" is if I dont have the keys in the car, and I lock the steering wheel. When the tires are off the ground, it will turn easily and then stop, but i can keep turning just a TINY TINY bit which will give a little pop. The movement is coming from somewhere other than the steering column, because I can hold the bottom of the steering column where it goes through the floorboard, and it will turn just fine.

Any guesses? Its getting REALLY old.

[trickedaccord92]

to check your inner tie rod ends get both wheels off the ground and try check for looseness in the wheels by shaking them from the top and bottom if there is play its prolly your inner tie rods ... but on a side note im going through the same thing i cant seem to figure out what is making my car vibrate betreem 60 and 80 ... below 60 its fine and above 80 its fine but inbetween in shakes if i figure it out ill let you know ...

[lucid]

You'll want to put your hands at nine and three and push/pull alternately left and right to check for play in the steering system. See if you can jiggle the wheel alone without moving the rack. Do you think maybe your swaybar endlinks are twisting or popping back and forth in those little "cups" in the LCA for the bushings? Oh yeah, maybe it's your spring popping, my 240 does that regularly. It gets tensioned a little when I first turn the wheel and then pops to where it's got less resistance. I don't know if you're lowered or not, but I think having the shorter spring means less tension...like how you don't have to use a spring compressor to change a lowered spring/strut assembly sometimes. Good luck, I hate these mystery problems.

[Chaos_CB7]

I'm in the same situation. vibration around 80 with just about everything new and some mysterious popping noise.

[JTEK24]

Well I'm not sure whats going on with my steering either. I dont have a vibration at high speeds or having the steering wheel shake nor power steering for about a year and half. but I replaced both my outter tie rods with an alignment and my steering wheel points to 2 or almost 3o'clock driving straight. So are my inner tie rods messed up or is the steering rack busted? (I took my power steering off due to the fact that it was easier to turn to one side then it was the other) but other than that the car turns fine!

[aero]

Well I'm not sure whats going on with my steering either. I dont have a vibration at high speeds or having the steering wheel shake nor power steering for about a year and half. but I replaced both my outter tie rods with an alignment and my steering wheel points to 2 or almost 3o'clock driving straight. So are my inner tie rods messed up or is the steering rack busted? (I took my power steering off due to the fact that it was easier to turn to one side then it was the other) but other than that the car turns fine!

If your car drives straight, and no vibration problems, you probably can just take off the steering wheel and turn it, and put it back on. Although I cant remember if you can do that with the stock one because of how the blinker canceller is in there.

Only other easy way is to loosen the coupler at the bottom of the steering column, loosen one side all the way, and then turn the wheel so its straight. It will grind or whatever, but the only other way is to drop the steering rack down a little bit because I am pretty sure that the coupler will not come out far enough to rotate the wheel freely.

[accordztech]

the way i test the inners is that i take the outer tie rod off and then position the rod up center....and if it drops then its bad, but if it stays or dropps really really slowly then its ok.

[aero]

the way i test the inners is that i take the outer tie rod off and then position the rod up center....and if it drops then its bad, but if it stays or dropps really really slowly then its ok.

have you replaced the inners before? If so, do you just cut the clamps that are holding the boots on, and put new ones on when you are done? I have a set of inners in the garage, but never felt like tearing the boots apart to get to them.

Although two other accords I drove w/in the last few weeks have the same play in the steering wheel when stopped, so I doubt the inners are bad. If its not my alignment then I am really stumped.

[acrophobia]

to check your inner tie rod ends get both wheels off the ground and try check for looseness in the wheels by shaking them from the top and bottom if there is play its prolly your inner tie rods ... but on a side note im going through the same thing i cant seem to figure out what is making my car vibrate betreem 60 and 80 ... below 60 its fine and above 80 its fine but inbetween in shakes if i figure it out ill let you know ...

shaking the tire from the up/down checks ur upper/lower ball joints....side to side checks your outer tie rods

[accordztech]

have you replaced the inners before? If so, do you just cut the clamps that are holding the boots on, and put new ones on when you are done? I have a set of inners in the garage, but never felt like tearing the boots apart to get to them.

Although two other accords I drove w/in the last few weeks have the same play in the steering wheel when stopped, so I doubt the inners are bad. If its not my alignment then I am really stumped.

i havent changed theones on the honda, only my 300zx

[uslspct]

the way i test the inners is that i take the outer tie rod off and then position the rod up center....and if it drops then its bad, but if it stays or dropps really really slowly then its ok.

Mine do that. I might need to replace them. It's the only susp. piece that hasn't been replaced. Maybe still stock pieces on there.
But my haynes manual nor any online place really mention these parts even though they do come with whole front susp sets like those on ebay.
So is it something that rarely needs attention? I haven't seen any talk about this except this thread.

[ThrakBarts]

I am going to bring this thread back to life, because I have a similar problem.

My cb7_5 is suffering from that knocking noise, and a new inner tie rod has been prescribed by a local Goodyear.

Not much is said about replacing this part in my chiltons, so I am assuming it is a piece of cake.

What do you guys think?

I have to complete the repair this weekend, so quick responses would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[lucid]

I haven't done this job yet but I looked up as much info as I could when I thought I might have to, so here's what I know: There are two flat areas at the base of the inner tie rod (at the steering rack) where you could get an open end or adjustable wrench on the part to unscrew it from the rack. I don't know if there is enough room to reach the flats with a wrench while the motor's in and the rack's in the car- probably not. There was a better tool recommended by my tech school friend. It is a sheath that slides over the entire inner tie rod (like a long socket after the outer one is removed, then the correct crow-foot (open end wrench type) insert is slid over the flats and locks into the sheath. The whole assembly can then be unscrewed from the end with a ratchet or the like. I went to http://sjdiscounttools.com/lis45750.html , and found this one from Lisle for about $55.00. Good luck, and let us know what works if you learn something.

[GreenMadness]

easiest test for bad inner tie rods:

Jack car up
-remove the castle nut on the tie-rod, then remove it from the steering kuckle.
1.) tie-rod hits the ground as soon as you let go (BAD INNER TIE ROD)
2.) tie-rod holds position and you can freely place it wherever you want in the wheel well with out it falling ( FUNCTIONAL INNER TIE ROD)

[GreenMadness]

Sorry thats already been coverd.

as to the job, its very simple and straight forward. But the problem area is gonna be the gear bellows.

do the passenger side first, as it has nothing in the way and it will be very straight forward, but if you ruin a gear bellow get OEM honda, because advanced/autozone dont uses retaining clips so they just make the boot 1 size to small = PIA to get on


EDIT: as for the "special tool" line up a skinny screwdriver and give it one good tap, that should be enough to bend the washer out of the way, and then just unscrew it with your hand (this was probably easier for me since i didn't reuse the tierods and left them and the gear bellows all attached)