Tie Rod Buyer's Guide

Inspecting Tie Rods

Outer Tie Rod

With the vehicle safely lifted, grip the tire at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions and attempt to rock it side to side. Movement indicates a worn outer tie rod ball joint. Replacing an outer tie rod is fairly straightforward with common hand tools.

Inner Tie Rod

To inspect the inner tie rod, first check for a torn or cracked boot. A damaged boot allows debris into the joint and can significantly accelerate wear. Once again, with the vehicle safely lifted, try to push and pull the tie rod towards and away from the steering rack. Any movement or clunking indicates a worn inner tie rod. Replacing an inner tie rod is less common than an outer tie rod replacement and requires a specialized inner tie rod removal tool to unthread it from the rack.

Bump Steer Kits

For most vehicles, an OEM-equivalent replacement is all that is needed. For vehicles that have been significantly lowered, they may experience a phenomenon called bump steer. This is where the steering wheel twitches or pulls when going over bumps.

Bump steer occurs because lowering the vehicle changes the angle of the tie rod relative to the control arm. At stock ride height, the tie rod and control arm travel through the same arc over bumps, so suspension movement doesn't affect steering. When the vehicle is lowered, these arcs no longer match.

A bump steer kit corrects this by replacing the stock outer tie rod with a specialized, height-adjustable tie rod that moves in the same arc as the control arm. If your lowered vehicle exhibits steering twitchiness over bumps, a bump steer kit is the appropriate fix.

Confirming Compatibility

Tie rods are vehicle-specific. Confirm the year, make, model and trim to get the right tie rod. After replacing, make sure to get an alignment. Alignment shops use your tie rods to control the amount of toe in your front wheels. Driving on misaligned toe accelerates tire wear and affects straight-line stability.

Conclusion

Tie rods are steering components that connect your steering rack to your knuckle and gradually wear over time. Inspect your tie rods and replace them when play develops. For most vehicles, a quality OEM-equivalent replacement is the right choice. For lowered builds experiencing bump steer, a bump steer kit restores correct steering geometry. Either way, confirm fitment by year, make, model, and trim before purchasing. You can find all the parts you need and plan your build on RideBuilder.