How do you adjust tie rods on a Ford Windstar?

Answer 1

Tie rod adjustment establishes toe-in / toe-out of the front wheels

Another way to describe it: getting the front of the tires to point straight and in perfect alignment with the direction the car is heading in.

If the front of the tire is pointing away, either inwards or outwards, that tire is always pulling or pushing against the rest of the vehicle. This puts a lot of stress on the tires and front suspension - not to mention is unsafe.

Common symptoms the toe-in is off:

* the car pulls to one side or other other * The front tire(s) have extreme wear patterns First, a bit of anatomy:

* Inner tie rod - one end has a ball type socket which allows the long shaft to rotate even after it's connected to the steering rack. The other end is threaded and screws into the outer tie rod

* Outer tie rod (aka tie rod end) - one end is hollow and threaded like a very long nut, which is where the inner tie rod screws into it. The other has a 90 degree angle joint which attaches to the back end of the steering knuckle.

* Lock nut - In order to keep the treaded parts from separating due to vibration, there is a lock nut on the inner tie rod threads that is tightened up against the outer tie rod.

* Total length - as the two parts are threaded together, they create a long 'shaft' between the rack and the steering knuckle / front wheel - so:

* ** the further the inner tie rod is screwed into the outer, the shorter the total length of the shaft

** The less number of threads that the inner is screwed into the outer will create a longer shaft This means:

* A longer tie rod assembly will point the frontof the tire inwards (adjusting toe-in) * A shortertie rod assembly will point the front of the tire outwards (toe-out)

* Put a wrench on the end of the outer tie rod and another on the lock nut - loosen the lock nut away from the inner tie rod

* Now, due to the inner tie rod's ability to rotate, you can it and thread it further into, or out from the outer tie rod.

Is this enough to avoid having to pay for a front-end alignment?

NO! There is much more to a effective alignment than just toe-in/toe-out.

When would you adjust toe-in/toe-out yourself?

Doing front suspension repairs like ball-joints, struts, wheel bearings, tie rod replacements, etc., can totally disrupt the toe-in/toe-out. It is possible to make adjustments yourself to get the toe-in "close" - close enough to possibly drive a few days until you can get the car to a professional for a real alignment.

See "Related Questions" below for more about changing tie rods