Question about tie rod replacement without alignment

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I would like to know how close I can get to "good enough" if I replace an OEM tie-rod end with another OEM tie-rod end. Will I have as good of an alignment as I started with before the repair? I would put the new end on with the same # of turns as the old one comes off. My aligntment is very good currently so if I don't alter it I would be happy.

I can't really afford to do an alignment at this point so I'd like to skip it if possible. Unfortunately after 389,000 km of faithful service one of my balljoints ripped a boot and wore out.
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These are non-greaseable VW joints.

Thanks, Steve
 
You can count the turns to get it close but the new tie rod may be longer or shorter than the old one.

It's really easy to set the toe-in with a tape measure. Just measure between the 2 front tires and turn the sleeve untill it is within specs.

BTW: Nothing wears a tire out faster than the toe-in being off!
 
I agree with Chris142 or you can cut a piece of 1x2 wood and put between the tires. Take a measurement before you do any work. That will give you an idea where it was at before you did any thing. You want it to be maybe a 1/16" closer in front of the vehicle. If you take a measurement about 6" off the ground in front make sure you do the same in back because your wheels are just a little wider at the top than they are at the bottom.
If the place where you are working at is pretty level you can put a carpenters level beside your tire and check the camber. Its not perfect but I have had better luck sometimes than taking it someplace to have it done.
"BUT HEY WHAT DO I KNOW, I AM A KENTUCKY SHADETREE MECHANIC.
 
i think at 1 pont or another we all have done shade tree alighments. one thing i have learned is that you cant beat a computerized laser alighment rack and a compitent tech.

spend the 30 or 40 dollars and just get a 4 wheel alignment, you only need to do this every couple years so its not a big money pit.

i know autocrossers and their fancy mirrors and tape and strings might be able to beat laser alignments but they spend months working on this stuff versus a tech aligninng youre front end for 30 minutes.
 
Whenever you do an adjustment put weight on the car, roll it a few feet, then double check.

A little paint on the threaded portion of the tie rod before you undo anything will provide a "shadow" that approximates how much you should turn the new one in. But do count turns also. If you have a jam nut undo it then return it to where it was.

Even with all the advice I can give, my own alignment was toed-in 1/2 inch according to the guy I went to six months later when my tires were wearing funny.
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A shade tree toe alignment can be as good as any method available. It's up to the person doing it.
One big problem is that if you measure the toe with the worn joints [in order to copy it], you will get various measurements, depending on where the slop in the joint makes it rest at that moment.
Best is to install the new one, [get it close], then measure against specs [make a few measurements after rolling forward and checking again].
 
I guess I'll keep an eye on the tie-rod and fix it when I can afford to do it properly. I never would have noticed it was worn out because I don't have to grease them! My mechanic actually found it while working on my glow plugs. hehe, it was a flat rate of 1 hour but my car was in there for 3! It would have been rough paying that off at 81CDN per hour.

Steve
 
I AGREE WITH MOST OF THE OTHER GUYS ON HERE BUT I WOULD STILL ALIGN IT UP MYSELF BEFORE I TOOK IT TO SOMEPLACE TO HAVE IT DONE. THAT WAY YOU CAN AT LEAST TELL IF THEY DID SOMETHING. SOMETIMES AS LONG AS IT IS WITHIN FACTORY SPECS THAT IS ALL THEY CARE AND FACTORY SPECS ARE TO LENIANT SOMETIMES.
AS FOR THE GUY ABOVE WHO SAID HE DID IT HIS SELF AND IT WAS STILL OUT 1/2 INCH, I DONT KNOW.
BUT WHAT DO I KNOW. I'VE ONLY BEEN DOIND IT 26 YEARS. LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I'M JUST A "SHADETREE MECHANIC".
NO DOUGHT A REAL FANCY MACHINE IS BETTER BUT WHAT ABOUT THE GUY RUNNING THE MACHINE.
 
In any rack system, you should be able to tell by the feel if your toe is off beyond a certain amount. You'll either plow (too much toe in) or wander (too much toe out). This could be interpreted as oversteer or understeer. With the toe out situation, you will bias the direction of the car (like on the highway) with the slightest movement of the wheel ..while if it's toed in ..more input will be required.

On my Peugeot ..the dealer never could figure out how I knew the toe was off (I drove it 300 miles a night). They finally found a slightly loose ball joint (where the strut attaches to the control arm) when greasing it.

Like others have said ..count the turns/threads. You can also mark and measure two of the same points on the tires. This should get you into a reasonable toe setting until you can scrape up the bucks for an alignment.
 
Update:

I had to change the right hand side rod end today because of a shake I was getting in corners. The ball joint wasn't super loose but it did have rust in it. The job took about 20 minutes in -20 something weather so I was very motivated to get things done quickly.
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When putting on the new joint I counted turns and ended up being about 1/2 of a turn away from the lock nut so I have too much toe-in (rod ends are behind the wheels) I verified this by noting that my wheel is turned a touch to the right.

So, do I check toe-in with the wheels on the ground? My manual gives an angle with the wheels "not pressed" so it is of little help. I am running 155/80R13s and would like a conservative toe-in setting. What do you guys recommend?

Thanks again,
Steve
 
For a tie rod end, then you need only to set the toe.

A home made trammel bar will do the trick nicely. Check before and after.

I used to do toe and camber with my trammel.

Could never work out caster

in your case, bounce the front end, and only adjust the side that you worked on.
 
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