Thread: Steering rack or tie rod ends?

I recently had my '99 Sentra aligned after my RM springs had settled. The passenger toe was way off causing premature wear. Now it rides straight. About a week ago I started hearing a clunk coming from the front. My first thought was that the nut holding the strut to the upper mount was loosing causing the sound since it was more pronounced when turning and over bumps. Last night I just found out where the sound was coming from as I backed into my driveway. I put the e-brake on with the car running and turned the wheel back and forth quickly and reproduced that clunk. I turned the car off and did the same thing to hear the clunk. I had my son turn the wheel back and forth while I grabbed the outer tie rod ends. I felt the vibration through both sides but it didn't feel loose. I felt the rack where the boots connect and both sides felt like they were clunking. I'm guessing it's one or both of the inner tie rod ends. I hope it's not the rack being I only have about 135K miles on the car. Has anyone ever had this problem? I really don't want to replace the whole rack since it's costs over $700. If it's the inner ends, I would replace both inner and outer on both sides with new boots which would be around $115 each side. I have a lifetime alignment so it won't cost anything for that. Does anyone have any idea on how to check if it's the rack and not just the ends?

So I'm contemplating getting the complete OEM tie rod ends and boot assembly for $115 each side since the boots have seen better days and the outer ends have cracks forming and in my opinion will be the next part to fail. It would also be easier to to everything at one time. However, $230 is kinda pricey. I could just get away doing both inner ends for $126. What's everyone's opinion? What do you think I should do? Do the entire assembly on both sides or just do the inners?

Its best to change them all. oem isnt really needed you can go with a different brand like moog. To me its better than oem, i paid 24 outters and 32 inners but thats at a shop discount

I would go with Moog too. I got my outters from Rock Auto. If you think it could be the rack you could take it out and try to rebuild it with a rebuild kit. From what I hear though you would have to drop your subframe to get the rack out.....

I have the same issue but mine is the rack.

You can find out if the rack is bad by taking the tie rod in out of the knuckle. If you pull on it with the wheel locked and it gives alot.... your rack is bad. If there is no play back in forth its your tie rod ends.

Let us know what you find out.

I think I've narrowed it down to the driver's side inner tie rod. With the car off, I can turn back and forth on the wheel to simulate the clunk. If you pull up or down on the driver's side tie rod the clunk quiets down. If I do the same on the passenger side, the noise is the same. I still think I'll replace inner and outer on both sides since I have almost 136K miles. It'll be pricey, but I know it'll last for another 100K miles. I went ahead and also purchase ES rack bushings to stiffen things up a bit. Once I replace the tie rod assemblies, I'll post my findings.

x3 on Moog brand tie rods being better than OEM.

I just was going to go with OEM because the greaseable MOOG ball joints I used leak grease out of the bottom of the joint instead of the top of the boot. I'm constantly wiping grease off my wheels. I may go with MOOG if they are cheaper than OEM and just get OEM bellows(boots).
It looks like it's about $30 cheaper using ACDELCO boots and MOOD ends.