Tie rod ends

[Wes]

My rod ends are squeaking and groaning every time I move the wheel. Getting pretty annoying when I drive through parking lots etc. I noticed that grease has come out of both of them. Have only run it less than 1k miles at this point.

Anybody else have this problem? Did I put them in wrong or something? Sucks these don't have zirk fittings. Anybody got a part number for replacements?

 

[Waterdriver]

Are they new tie rod ends or reused from the donor?

 

[Wes]

Are they new tie rod ends or reused from the donor?

These are the new ones that go on front from the kit.

Side note to people that haven't gotten this far in build, old ones go on the back... Took me a while to figure that out

 

[Waterdriver]

Check to see if the tie rod end stud is rotating in the steering arm.

 

[ctuinstra]

My heim joints are making a lot of noise. Are you sure it's not the heim joint? I thought I knew what is was at first but the sound is hard to pin down for sure.

Actually I'm thinking the more I play with them, it's the powder coating rubbing against the rod ends where they are bolted down. I know I sound crazy, but I spent a lot of time with them the other day and I could feel the rod end move just a bit around the bolt at the same time it made the squeak. I tightened the crap out of the bolt (more than the recommended torque and it has settled it down a lot. I was thinking about taking them off and cleaning the powder coating off the end of the mounting surface (or even grease it just to see if it helps).

 

[ctuinstra]

I just checked mine to see if I could get a video of it, and they are no longer making any noise. I haven't really heard it much lately.

 

[Wes]

No it's definitely in the ball joint on the tie rod ends. Even the slightest movement on the steering makes them creak. Plus the fact that all the grease is on the outside now. There is no movement in the bolt and I didn't coat the nice billet steering links I thought that the tapered part went too deep from the beginning because of how much the rubber boot got squashed but didn't really see any other way it should go.

I really love the way the camera mounted to frame highlights the obnoxious noise that I hear all the damn time!

 

[Waterdriver]

My heim joints are making a lot of noise. Are you sure it's not the heim joint? I thought I knew what is was at first but the sound is hard to pin down for sure.

Actually I'm thinking the more I play with them, it's the powder coating rubbing against the rod ends where they are bolted down. I know I sound crazy, but I spent a lot of time with them the other day and I could feel the rod end move just a bit around the bolt at the same time it made the squeak. I tightened the crap out of the bolt (more than the recommended torque and it has settled it down a lot. I was thinking about taking them off and cleaning the powder coating off the end of the mounting surface (or even grease it just to see if it helps).

When I was assembling the front end I noticed a grease hole on the end of the threaded end. You'd have to take all the rod ends off to get to them except maybe for the kingpin rod ends.
Of course I noticed it, I didn't grease them then. Thinking I'll have to take it back apart again to grease 'em.

 

[TheNuker]

Hrm... On my kit the old ones stayed on the front steering rack.... (I replaced them with new moog parts) The new ones went on the back new support bar that bolts to the sub frame.

Nuker-

 

[Wes]

Hrm... On my kit the old ones stayed on the front steering rack.... (I replaced them with new moog parts) The new ones went on the back new support bar that bolts to the sub frame.

Nuker-

I really got hung up on this step but iirc new joints that came with the kit were shorter and only got a few threads on if installed in the rear with the right toe. I found a thread buried in the forum that said to swap them and it seemed to work much better. I wish there had been more info beyond the last video to be sure I was doing it right but once I got it that far...

 

[ctuinstra]

that sounds much like what mine was doing. But found that mine was the a-arms and the mounting of the heim joints. Try grabbing your a-arms and twist them up and down (rear up and front down and then reverse). Do it to upper and lower. Mine would creak and pop. It would also do it while turning the steering wheel because it was putting pressure on the arms also. Not trying to argue and your problem may be different. I was fooled in the beginning and then finally figured it out. Noises are a bitch to find the source. I just can't see how it could be something that has or had some grease on it.

 

[Waterdriver]

that sounds much like what mine was doing. But found that mine was the a-arms and the mounting of the heim joints. Try grabbing your a-arms and twist them up and down (rear up and front down and then reverse). Do it to upper and lower. Mine would creak and pop. It would also do it while turning the steering wheel because it was putting pressure on the arms also. Not trying to argue and your problem may be different. I was fooled in the beginning and then finally figured it out. Noises are a bitch to find the source. I just can't see how it could be something that has or had some grease on it.

In addition, you could you use something like DuraLube lubricant and squirt some on to the ball of a heim joint. Both sides of the heim and the same heim joint on the opposite side.
Then try and reproduce the squeak.
Repeat this to each heim joint until the squeak goes away to locate the offender.

I think either way they'll all need grease.

 

[Wes]

My lower arms do creak a little when I twist on them hard but still not sure if that's what I'm hearing. Going to have to do some more investigation tomorrow, will get it on jacks and see what I can find. I'd hate to mess up this great alignment I have right now tho :-(

 

[RichRich]

The rod ends included in the kit are supposed to be swapped out with the front, the original ones are supposed to be taken off and put in the rear. The reason is, the original ones are longer and allow more threads to engage to support the torque from the engine.

something there is definitely not right though, locked up ball? I would see if the ball is spinning within the end or if the castle nut it rotating because the ball end is locked up. If you loosen or remove the castle nut and break the tapered seal from the ball end you should be able to easily turn the ball with a wrench. If it does turn, I would try removing it all together and turn the steering wheel. Does it still make the noise? If no, turn wheel/tire manually. Can you hear the noise? Point of all this is just to pinpoint exactly what is doing it. Some noises can resonate through frames making them sound like they are coming from somewhere they aren't

 

[Wes]

Well, after messing with this the last couple of nights, I actually think it's the lower heim(outer) on both sides. I tried spraying lube on each piece and noise didn't go away. Last night, I jacked one side and pulled the wheel off to get a better look. There was no noise from that side when it was un-loaded so I put it back down and was still noise free(on that side). Today, was messing with other side and until I jacked it up and lowered it, the noise persisted. Seems like it needs to unload to get the lube all the way down in there..

Been doing some research and it looks like it is common for these to creak and groan. I've never had problems with heims on my atvs but those were apparently "self lubricating" as these are not. Didn't know it was necessary to spray these often with wd or chain lube.

Anybody else doing post-flight maintenance on theirs? I will see how it goes from here but just been too damn hot to drive it last couple of days. I will eventually have to change these out for the self lubricating ones, it sounds like adding lube just attracts more dirt.

I'm still worried about the grease coming out of my from tie rod ends, definitely going to be a long term issue. Anyone else experience this?

 

[Briann1177]

Leaking tie rod ends much like leaky CV joints probably indicates you have a ripped rubber dust boot. You'll need to replace them. Now, if you have tie rod ends with a grease zerk, its possible to put too much grease in there and cause it to leak out.

 

[ctuinstra]

Well, after messing with this the last couple of nights, I actually think it's the lower heim(outer) on both sides. I tried spraying lube on each piece and noise didn't go away. Last night, I jacked one side and pulled the wheel off to get a better look. There was no noise from that side when it was un-loaded so I put it back down and was still noise free(on that side). Today, was messing with other side and until I jacked it up and lowered it, the noise persisted. Seems like it needs to unload to get the lube all the way down in there..

Been doing some research and it looks like it is common for these to creak and groan. I've never had problems with heims on my atvs but those were apparently "self lubricating" as these are not. Didn't know it was necessary to spray these often with wd or chain lube.

Anybody else doing post-flight maintenance on theirs? I will see how it goes from here but just been too damn hot to drive it last couple of days. I will eventually have to change these out for the self lubricating ones, it sounds like adding lube just attracts more dirt.

I'm still worried about the grease coming out of my from tie rod ends, definitely going to be a long term issue. Anyone else experience this?

You are doing the exact same thing as I did. I too thought it was the lower outer heim joint. Even sprayed silicone spray lube in it, I didn't like the thought of lubing it either and still don't. It didn't help. Eventually I found it to be the mounting of the inner heim joints against the powder coating. Give it a try, loosen the inner heim joint bolts to where it doesn't touch to see if that is it.

 

[Wes]

You are doing the exact same thing as I did. I too thought it was the lower outer heim joint. Even sprayed silicone spray lube in it, I didn't like the thought of lubing it either and still don't. It didn't help. Eventually I found it to be the mounting of the inner heim joints against the powder coating. Give it a try, loosen the inner heim joint bolts to where it doesn't touch to see if that is it.

I'll give that a try first when it starts again. Right now it's not making any noise. I'll probably get it out again in then next day or two depending on weather.

 

[Bretter]

Does anyone have a picture of the box for the new tie rod ends? Or a part number? We seem to need a new one after some strong removal efforts...

 

[Briann1177]

Sorry I don't have an answer, but how is your build parts list coming along, Ron? Did you put in things like tie rod ends, radiator hoses, etc?