Hi All sorry in advance for Tolstoy novel. I’m in kind of a pickle, I diagnosed a bad tie rod end going on my truck (2017 Nissan Frontier) while doing an oil change a week and a half ago (10 and 2 test is among the few suspension tests I do while the sump is draining). It wasn’t particularly bad, but I figured why not? I needed to get some filters anyways and ordered a set of Moog Problem Solvers tie rod ends from rock auto (part #s ES800108 and ES800048 also confirmed these part numbers on the box) since I wanted grease zerks in my suspension components. Prior to this job the alignment was functionally perfect, I had it rechecked when I had tires mounted but everything was in MFG spec and the truck would track straight and true (I’m very picky about alignments).
I removed and installed the new tie rod ends on Saturday and tried to do everything by the book, the only thing outside of by the book was that I did was hit the lock nuts with a propane torch for a few seconds very carefully and then spray in some PB blaster since they were completely seized. I removed the tie rod end socket with a tie rod puller tool from HF, marked the lock nut and counted the turns, used all the correct torque specs from Nissan and even matched up the old and new parts which were identical in measurements, the job went largely smoothly. Unsurprisingly I messed up on counting the turns and my alignment was off. No big deal, my tires only have a couple of thousand miles on them so I wasn’t going to play around with not getting an alignment (or at least a check) after doing the job. Of course I did this the day before a busy Sunday so the only shop open that would take me for alignment on a Sunday was a Firestone service center. I don’t really like these shops but figured an alignment shouldn’t be that big of a deal.
I get the vehicle back (report attached) of course I got the $3,000 sales pitch for stuff I didn’t need including new tie rod ends . Despite everything being in green it’s still veers to the right when the wheel is dead center. I take it back and they precede to argue with me then agree they didn’t test drive it and put it in the rack, the guy said the only thing out of spec is the caster angle but only slightly. I had to leave the truck overnight but grabbed it this morning and it still has the same issue despite being aligned 3 times. Oddly enough as long as the wheel is cocked a couple of inches to the left it seems to track perfectly in the 5 or so miles back to my house. At this juncture is there anything that you’d wager is mechanically wrong? Or is this a case of just a poor job three times in mounting the wheel centering jig? I want to call my mechanic to schedule a diagnostic but I’d hate to pay for that for him to just tell me that the alignment is off. Would you just get a re-alignment at a local shop and if the problem persists going in for a diagnostic. Since I do a lot of my own work and the indy guy I use is fantastic about using my own parts and is good at diagnostics I always insist on paying him a diagnostic fee.
What I’ve done so far is confirm tire pressure, I also put the vehicle in the air and used a thermometer to confirm no stuck brake caliper. Truck has never been in an accident and I lifted it onto the jackstands via each side’s frame rails and the axle tube. Jack stands where placed in the areas that Nissan specs in their manual.
I removed and installed the new tie rod ends on Saturday and tried to do everything by the book, the only thing outside of by the book was that I did was hit the lock nuts with a propane torch for a few seconds very carefully and then spray in some PB blaster since they were completely seized. I removed the tie rod end socket with a tie rod puller tool from HF, marked the lock nut and counted the turns, used all the correct torque specs from Nissan and even matched up the old and new parts which were identical in measurements, the job went largely smoothly. Unsurprisingly I messed up on counting the turns and my alignment was off. No big deal, my tires only have a couple of thousand miles on them so I wasn’t going to play around with not getting an alignment (or at least a check) after doing the job. Of course I did this the day before a busy Sunday so the only shop open that would take me for alignment on a Sunday was a Firestone service center. I don’t really like these shops but figured an alignment shouldn’t be that big of a deal.
I get the vehicle back (report attached) of course I got the $3,000 sales pitch for stuff I didn’t need including new tie rod ends . Despite everything being in green it’s still veers to the right when the wheel is dead center. I take it back and they precede to argue with me then agree they didn’t test drive it and put it in the rack, the guy said the only thing out of spec is the caster angle but only slightly. I had to leave the truck overnight but grabbed it this morning and it still has the same issue despite being aligned 3 times. Oddly enough as long as the wheel is cocked a couple of inches to the left it seems to track perfectly in the 5 or so miles back to my house. At this juncture is there anything that you’d wager is mechanically wrong? Or is this a case of just a poor job three times in mounting the wheel centering jig? I want to call my mechanic to schedule a diagnostic but I’d hate to pay for that for him to just tell me that the alignment is off. Would you just get a re-alignment at a local shop and if the problem persists going in for a diagnostic. Since I do a lot of my own work and the indy guy I use is fantastic about using my own parts and is good at diagnostics I always insist on paying him a diagnostic fee.
What I’ve done so far is confirm tire pressure, I also put the vehicle in the air and used a thermometer to confirm no stuck brake caliper. Truck has never been in an accident and I lifted it onto the jackstands via each side’s frame rails and the axle tube. Jack stands where placed in the areas that Nissan specs in their manual.