DIY steering rod repair

In detail: do-it-yourself steering rod repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

The steering linkage is one of the steering assemblies of a car. Its purpose is to transfer force from the rack or gearbox to the steering knuckle lever to change the position of the controlled wheel relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

A tie rod usually consists of a metal rod and two ball joints at the ends. Each hinge is protected from dirt with a rubber boot. Some tie rods may be adjustable in length. This is necessary to adjust the "toe-in" of the wheels. Sometimes there are designs that have only one ball joint. The second hinge is rubber-metal, which does not need to be protected by a boot.

The most popular in the design of front-wheel drive cars is a rack and pinion steering mechanism. Its tie rods are the same on both sides and most often consist of a rod and two ball joints. The inner hinge is attached coaxially to the rod and is located under the rack cover, and the outer hinge is perpendicular to its axis with its own boot. The knuckle arm has a tapered hole for attaching the pivot. The mating surface of the finger is also made in the form of a cone. Therefore, it is rather difficult to disassemble the lever-finger connection without a puller.

Some signs of steering malfunction can be identified visually. Their diagnosis begins with an external examination of the anthers and the barbell.

Anthers should not have breaks or cracks, grease should not protrude from underneath. Leaking covers need to be replaced if the wear of the hinge does not exceed the permissible limits. Before installing a new boot, remove any dirt from the hinge and place some Lithol between the ball and the liner.
If there are traces of impact deformation on the rod, the tie rod must be replaced.
When it was not possible to determine the malfunction by external inspection, it is necessary to check the degree of wear of the tips.

Video (click to play).

To check the hinges without removing the traction, place the machine on an inspection pit or on an overpass. Stand under the front of the vehicle. Grasp the rod with both hands closer to the outer pivot and swing it up and down. The body of the outer tip can have a free travel along the axis of the pin no more than 1.5 mm. This backlash is due to the movement of the plastic tapered liner along the axis of the pin. It should not be perpendicular to the centerline of the finger. Check the inner hinge of the rack and pinion with an assistant. He should often turn the steering wheel from side to side by 15–20 ◦. And in the meantime, you determine the presence of gaps by touch. If you can feel the play with your fingers, the hinge will not last long - change it.

Replacing the steering wheels will require you to have the following tools and accessories:

Jack.
Wheel key.
Tie rod puller.
A set of spanner keys.
Pliers.
Flat thin screwdriver.
Open-end wrench and a lever for unscrewing the hinge from the rail. The lever in this case is needed because of the strong tightening of the assembly.
Car stands.
Shoes.

It also does not hurt to have in stock a couple of nuts for securing the fingers and several cotter pins that are suitable for the size. Be sure to buy the right number of plastic clips of the appropriate length for attaching the steering rack boot. Such clamps can be used in any case, even if metal ones are used on your car.

Replacing the steering rod, even if one joint has been replaced, requires a mandatory adjustment of the steering wheel alignment angles (geometry). The collapse can also be set up with your own hands.

In the event that diagnostics have revealed signs of malfunction of both tie rods, you need a complete replacement of the steering link. When only one hinge has symptoms of malfunction, you can limit yourself to replacing it.

Loosen the wheel mount. Place shoes under the rear wheel on the side opposite to the one chosen for repair.
Jack up the car. Place it on the stand. Take off the wheel.
Using a screwdriver and pliers, remove the cotter pin securing the outer steering tip nut.
Unscrew it. If the cotter pin is corroded and cannot be removed, leave it alone and unscrew the nut with a socket wrench. She will cut off his protruding ends and remove. Remember to drill out the residue before reassembling.
Measure the length of the pull.
Press your finger out of the bipod with a puller.
To remove the rod assembly, remove the clamps from the half of the rack cover and slide it onto the rod. Unscrew the hinge from the rail and remove the rod.
Loosen the lock nut to remove the short tip.
When reassembling, make the length of the new rod as close as possible to the measured value. This will not save you the hassle of driving on geometry, but it will improve the handling of your car on the way to the garage.
When assembling, you do not need to use a puller. The finger is pressed into the bipod when tightening the nut of its fastening.
If you have removed the link completely, remember to put the half of the boot on the long tip bar before attaching the outer tip to it.
The rest of the assembly is done in the reverse order of disassembly.

It is imperative to split the nuts. Otherwise, they are unscrewed from vibration, and then from the same impact the fingers fall out of the bipod nests.

The large lever can only be used to loosen the threaded fastener. Because when tightening using a long lever, there is a risk of damaging the threads.

The longitudinal steering link must be positioned in such a way that it is subject to minimum axial movements during any wheel movement. This is the main rule for a comfortable ride, but what will these words say to a novice motorist, and not an experienced car mechanic? Let's try to figure it out.All tie rods have the following two functions. They transfer forces from the steering mechanism to the pivoting levers of the hubs, thanks to this, the wheels are turned, this is due to the hinges installed at the ends of the rods. Also, these elements of the car provide the required angle of rotation of the wheels, because during turns the radii along which the wheels move are not the same. And by adjusting the required length of the rod using a special thread, you can adjust the wheel alignment angle (toe angle).

Read also: DIY repair vaz 21074

Most often, the hinges become unusable, or more precisely, the rubber insert, which, by the way, renders the entire control unusable. This happens as a result of long-term operation. Dust and dirt can also damage the steering rod boot. The rods themselves become faulty, mainly, only after mechanical stress. This can be wheels hitting the edges of deep holes, or a direct impact on a stone, etc.

You can understand that it is necessary to replace the steering rod by the following signs:

extraneous sounds, knocking appear in the management;

there is a beating of the steering wheel;

increased steering play. If it occurs during vertical swing, then it is necessary to replace the ball joint or the hub bearing. In the case of horizontal wobble, the steering tip is faulty;

the drive wheel rotates rather tightly;

while driving, the car tends to the side (either to the right or to the left).

Of course, it is possible to replace this mechanism on your own, but before proceeding with the action, it is worth making a car diagnosis. You can determine if there is a backlash as follows. It is necessary for someone to turn the steering wheel of your car, and in the meantime you would determine the presence of a backlash by eye, or slowly rotating the steering wheel yourself, feel its trajectory by touch... If there is a runout, then it is worth changing the tie rod end with a hinge.

Also, a protective cover located on the ball joint is subject to diagnostics, if breaks and cracks are found, it must be replaced.

After a thorough diagnosis, if necessary, you should proceed directly to dismantling the old traction and installing a new one. Be sure to put your car on the hand brake before starting work, and install stop bars under the rear wheels.... If you need to dismantle the right link, then the front wheels are turned to the left, when dismantling the left, respectively, to the right. Image - DIY steering rod repair

Further, the front part of the car must be installed on the supports. The ball joint is attached to the pivot arm with a nut; it should be unscrewed after removing the retainer. For the next step, you will need a tie rod puller to press the ball joint pin out of the strut pivot arm.

Use a screwdriver to unscrew the ends of the lock plate, so you will loosen the bolts that secure the tie rods, then unscrew them altogether. It is necessary to turn the connecting plate so that the link can be disconnected from the steering gear. Now you can take it off. If it is necessary to replace the tip of the tie rod, then it must be clamped by the hexagon of the coupling in a vice and loosen the lock nut of the tip.

When unscrewing the tip itself, do not forget to count the number of perfect revolutions. It is best to record this number on paper, so as not to forget. When installing a new tip, screw it in exactly the same number of turns. If you need to replace the cover, you need to remove the old one, then grease the surface with sealant, and only then install a new one. Collect the steering rod in the reverse order, so do not be distracted when you disassemble your car.

You often have to repair your not new car yourself, because in a car service it is very expensive, and there they do not "get involved" with disassembling units and repairing parts, but only change the entire blocks.In this regard, I propose to amateur auto mechanics a method for repairing the ball joint of the trapezium steering rod of VAZ-2101 - VAZ-2107 cars with minimal financial and material costs, and so that it works easily and reliably.For the previous repair, it is necessary to make a retaining ring, a plug (Fig. 1) and a device for assembling the ball joint of the steering link rod (Fig. 2). Image - DIY steering rod repair

Rice. 1. Repaired steering rod joint

The fixture is made of two steel plates with the same dimensions 85x40x5 mm. The only difference is in the central through holes: at the bottom plate (5) it is 18 mm in diameter, and at the top (3) - M8 and a nut (5) with the same thread is welded on top.

The distance between the plates (3 and 5) is 75 mm and they are interconnected by a pair of M8 studs (4) with nuts.

The device also has a power screw M8x60 (2) with a handle welded to its hex head (1). It is necessary to press the plug into the steering rod joint housing.

Rice. 2. Tool for assembling the ball joint of the steering linkage rod:
1 - handle; 2 - bolt М8х60; 3 - top plate (steel, 85x35x5); 4 - hairpin М8 (2 pcs.); 5 - bottom plate; 6 - nut М8 (9 pcs.)

The retaining ring is made of spring wire with a diameter of 2 mm. I clamp its end in a vice together with the S = 30 wrench nut and tap the wire with a hammer around the entire nut. I bend the beginning of the first and last bends to 85 ° and cut off to a size of 8 mm.

I clean the repaired traction with a rag from oil, dirt and removing the dirt-protective rubber cap, remove the old grease. I drill nine holes 5 mm in diameter in the plug (Fig. 3).I clamp the traction in a vice and with a chisel made from the blade of a mechanical hacksaw for metal, I cut the jumpers between the holes, thereby obtaining four sectors. I bend each sector up from the center with a screwdriver and knock them out of the housing groove using a beard and a hammer.

Rice. 3. Drilling holes in the standard plug to remove it from the hinge body:
1 - thrust; 2 - hinge body; 3 - old plug

I take out the spring and the ball-pin insert from the body. I wash all the parts in gasoline, inspect and re-lubricate them with ShRB-4 grease. I place an insert in the hinge body (the slot on it should not converge) assembled with a ball pin and a spring. Next, I put a plug on the spring and with the help of a device I push it into the hole in the body until a groove appears. I clean the groove from the grease with a rag and put the sealant into it. I fix the plug with a retaining ring.

Installing a new plug into the hinge housing using the tool

Tool for installing a new plug in the steering rod joint housing

Blanking plate made of steel sheet 2 mm thick

Locking ring made of wire Ø3 mm

The ball pin play is eliminated by the fact that the new plug sinks into the housing 2 mm deeper than the old one. With this position of the plug, the spring is compressed more. But if the ball pin swings freely or with little effort, it is necessary to reduce the sphere on the plug to 0.5 mm or to make the plug flat, and if it is very tight, to increase the depth of the sphere to 1.5 mm.

V. AKSENTSEV, Arzamas, Nizhny Novgorod region

In the steering gear, the hinge of the ends of the steering rods most often fails. Some car owners rely on tie rod repairs (particularly tip replacement), but this is not a very reliable approach. Firstly, it is not known how long the thrust will last after the repair, and whether the repair will pay off. Secondly, whether the factory parameters will be saved - as a rule, during the repair process, they change. In this regard, it seems that it is much more practical and reliable to immediately replace the old steering rod with a new part. And you can do it yourself. Watch the video “Replacing steering rods and tips (for example, Chery Tiggo)” below.

Typical Symptoms of a Malfunction, indicating the need to replace the steering rod, are as follows:

In the steering mechanism, incomprehensible knocks regularly appear, which can be transmitted to the steering wheel, causing it to beat;
The play of the steering wheel increases significantly. Please note that if there is vertical play in the steering wheel, there is a suspicion of a broken ball bearing or hub bearing. A horizontal backlash indicates a broken steering tip;
Rudder turns became difficult;
Driving a car becomes uncomfortable, as it begins to spontaneously deviate from the straight-line movement.

Any of these symptoms indicates the need for an early examination and further repair of the steering.

Video: How to identify a knock on the steering rod

If the video does not show, please refresh the page or ”style =” color: # CC3333 ″> click here

In visual diagnostics, you need to pay attention on the following nuances:

The steering tips should not move along the axis by more than one and a half millimeters. This check is performed with an assistant who gently rotates the steering wheel, and the driver simply by touch, putting his hand to the ball tips, fixes the presence or absence of play;

The clamp on the adjusting sleeve leading to the side link must be tightened as tightly as possible.

All protective covers of the ball joint must not be damaged in any way.

The traction should be purchased with the tips, as it is advisable in every sense. To complete all the work, you will need the following tools:

A stable jack and a pair of "goat", which will ensure complete safety of work;

A device for removing steering rods (instead of it, a hammer or a pry bar is also often used);

Pliers or pliers;

Standard set of wrenches;

Screwdriver;

Impregnating oil liquid (for example, WD-40).

Steps for replacing tie rods

We raise the car on a jack, install, fix the “goat” car, and dismantle its front wheel;

Next, you need to unpin the finger nut, and then unscrew it;

We mount the puller, tightening its nut as much as possible, after which you need to apply a short and sharp blow with a hammer on the eyelet located on the pivot arm. It happens that the finger does not jump off the first time, then this manipulation is repeated;

If the thread on the steering tips is rusted, then it needs to be processed with a "vedashka", let it settle a little, and then unscrew it;

We remove the boot, after which we unscrew the rod itself, removing it from the steering rack;

The installation of a new thrust does not begin until they attach it to the old unit, and make a special mark on it, strictly corresponding to the previous track. Thus, the minimum necessary adjustment of the camber-convergence is done, which will allow you to get to the nearest car service, so that there is already camber - the convergence is thoroughly adjusted.

The process of installing a new rod is performed in the reverse order of the steps described above (however, where a hammer was previously used, it should no longer be used). In addition, it is advisable to treat all threaded connections with the same lithol, which will allow, with any further repairs, to avoid problems during the disassembly process. The ball joint should also be lubricated.Yes, and once again we remind you: after replacing the steering rod, do not forget to adjust the wheel alignment yourself or in a car service, since the wheel angles, after such a repair, in any case, got lost.Video: Replacing steering rods and tips (for example, Chery Tiggo)If the video does not show, please refresh the page or ”style =” color: # CC3333 ″> click here

Hello dear motorists! There is probably no point in explaining to the driver what the car's steering is intended for. We are confident that you are driving modern vehicles that have a steering wheel, not levers like in a tank.

If we build a logical-mechanical chain, then we will see: a steering wheel - a worm gear or a steering rack - and, finally, a steering gear (trapezoid). The steering gear consists of steering rods, and it is precisely the replacement of the steering rod that is the main issue of today's material.

It is not a fact that you will use the knowledge gained, and everyone, without exception, will begin to replace the steering rod and steering tips with your own hands. Not everyone wants or can. However, knowing how to replace the tie rods and when to replace the tie rods or tips is essential.

At least so that you do not "hang electrical wiring on your ears" very "conscientious craftsmen" of car services, who are sorely lacking in money. And they take advantage of the naivete of motorists. Let the real professional masters not take offense at us.

Food for thought: you should be aware that the most common and characteristic malfunction of the steering drive is failure (wear) of the ball joint of the steering rod ends.

And yet, some "kulibins", according to old memory, use such a repair method as restoration of steering rods. This is, of course, a personal matter for every driver, but it's worth counting your money: how long will the restored steering rod take, whether all factory parameters will be observed during restoration and how much money the restoration costs.

Wouldn't it be easier to buy a factory steering rod, since the time of scarcity for spare parts is long over. And replace the steering rod with your own hands.

How do we know if the steering is faulty? Elementary. The hands on the steering wheel and our hearing will tell us that it is time to diagnose the steering control.

Signs of a malfunctioning steering system in general:

various freelance knocks - steering knocks;
characteristic steering wheel beat;
increased backlash of the steering wheel: backlash during vertical swing of the steering wheel, indicates a malfunction of the hub bearing or ball joint, backlash during horizontal swing - a failure of the steering tip;
the steering wheel has become difficult to rotate;
the car starts to change the forward direction of movement while driving.

One of these signs is present, which means it's time to diagnose the steering.

When diagnosing on your own, or initial diagnosis, pay attention to the following characteristic points:

the movement of the steering tips along the axis of the fingers should be no more than 1.5 mm. The assistant turns the steering wheel, and with your fingers (by touch) you determine the presence of play on the ball ends. There is a backlash or knock - the tip with a hinge needs to be changed.
Check the tightness of the adjusting sleeve clamp on the side link.
Check the serviceability (absence of mechanical damage) of the protective covers of the ball joint of the tip. There are cracks and tears, the cover is changing.

To begin with, you must purchase a rod set complete with lugs. It's up to you, but it is advisable to change both tips so that after a while you will not return to replacing the old tip that you left behind. Questionable savings.

In order to remove and replace the steering rod, you will need a set of tools and accessories: a jack, "trestles" for safety, a steering rod puller (if a puller is a problem, then the craftsmen use a hammer and a small "pry bar"), pliers, wrenches, screwdriver and universal technical liquid WD-40.

So, let's start replacing the steering rod:

Jack up the car, put the "goat" on. Remove the front wheel.
Unpin the pin nut and unscrew it.
Install the puller and tightening its nut as far as it will go, hit it sharply with a hammer on the eye of the pivot arm. If the finger does not come off, repeat the procedure: tighten the puller nut - hit it with a hammer.
Unscrew the steering end piece completely from the clutch. WD-40 comes in handy if the threads are rusted.
Remove the boot and unscrew the tie rod from the steering rack.
Before installing a new link, attach it to the removed old one and mark the old mark on the new link. This is for that. To screw it up to the mark and drive normally to the flare.
We install the new thrust in the reverse order, preferably without a hammer.

It is advisable to lubricate the threaded joints with lithol in order not to use the hammer so actively the next time. And do not forget to lubricate the ball joint with the grease that comes with the rod.

After replacing the steering linkage, you have a straight road to wheel alignment. Some “craftsmen” say that they install new ones according to the marks on the rods and do not need the services of a razor. We would not recommend doing such experiments, especially given today's new rubber prices.

Steering rod is an integral element of the steering gear of a car. The main task of this drive is to prevent side slip of the wheels when making turns by the car. That is, with the correct operation of the mechanism, the steered wheels of a car must turn at different angles: at a large angle - the inner wheel, at a smaller angle - the outer wheel. This drive consists of various rods (middle, right and left) and right and left wheel arms. Depending on the design of the presented type and car model, there are a varied number of them, however, not all are suitable for your model. Therefore, due attention should be paid when choosing them and not to make mistakes, since the replacement of the steering rod is carried out strictly according to its type of car.

Even if we take into account the fact that for different car models there are a large number of design features of this component, the essence of the drive does not change. The connection between the lever of the corresponding mechanism and the longitudinal element is carried out by means of hinges. During the swing of the bipod, the middle link moves to the right or left. Turning the wheels in the desired direction is ensured by means of side rods.

Steering rod video

There is also a steering gear that is simpler in its organization - a rack-and-pinion mechanism. Its main difference is that it uses only two tie rods, which make the wheels of the car turn in the right direction and interact with the pivot levers through a little effort from the driver.The main element of the side rods is the steering rod joints, in other words, the tips. They are responsible for a solid and high-quality connection with threaded lugs. The hinges are made in the form of hemispherical pins. Because of their fragility, they are the most problematic place. Replacement of the steering rod joint is carried out only in a complete assembly, so they cannot be restored and repaired. The best option would be to replace the hinges on both sides and protect yourself from future problems.The main characteristic signs of a malfunction include:

rudder runout and unintentional vibration;

all kinds of unplanned knocks when the car is moving, usually coming from the right side;

an uncharacteristic increase in steering play, which is felt by the driver at high speeds;

difficulty in steering and steering stiffness when cornering;

spontaneous deviation of the car's movement during rectilinear movement: now to the right, then to the left.

A sign of a malfunctioning tie rod is a stiff steering wheel when cornering.If you find the presence of one or more of these characteristic signs, then it is necessary to diagnose this mechanism as soon as possible and replace the tie rod end.Before diagnostics at the service center, you can check this mechanism yourself. In this case, it is necessary to pay special attention to the following points:

The movement of the steering tips along the axis of the fingers should be no more than 1.5 mm, otherwise the tip with a hinge must be replaced.

Make sure of the required force with which the clamp of the coupling on the pull rod is tightened.

Check the strength of the covers protecting the handpiece hinge. If there are tears and cracks, a decision must be made to change the cover.

The most popular and typical breakdown of the steering drive is wear and damage to the hinge of the steering rod ends.We do not need any equipment or a visit to a service station to determine control problems. It is enough to place your hands freely on the steering wheel and rely on your own hearing.Usually, an experienced driver can immediately notice changes in his car, which lead to non-standard movements. Problem detection methods:

While the car is parked, you can turn the steering wheel and pay attention to the reciprocal movement of the wheels: if the wheels do not respond to the movement of the steering wheel, then this is a clear sign of a breakdown.

Assess the condition of the boot for scratches, cuts, concavities, cracks and, if successful, replace it.

An experienced driver can immediately notice changes in steeringInitially, to replace the steering rod with your own hands, you need to purchase rods that are suitable specifically for your car model, and, if possible, two tips at once, in order to avoid replacing the old tip in the future and save your money.Here is a list of popular and necessary tools for replacing this mechanism: