Defects in steering rods can include backlash in joints, mechanical damage and defects in rubber seals. Checking the tips involves analyzing the behavior of the car on the road, visual inspection and testing in the parking lot.
Steering lugs are some of the most important parts of the steering gear. At the heart of its design, the tip has a spherical hinge that provides free rotation of the steering rod relative to the pivot arm. Checking the steering tip in a timely manner ensures driving safety and extends the life of the vehicle's undercarriage.
Checking the steering tip can be performed either by the workshop specialists or independently, which saves on the cost of service. To check the tie rod end, the car owner must have minimal knowledge of the vehicle's design. A set of special tools is not required.
The ends of the steering rods of the right and left front wheels are checked. The resource of each tip can reach 40 thousand kilometers. The inspection frequency should be at least a week. It is also recommended that you check your steering tips before every long ride.
Checking while driving
Defective steering tips can be identified by the behavior of the vehicle while driving. When driving on a safe section of the road, make a few small turns with the steering wheel. If the wheels turn with some delay, this indicates the presence of backlash, which is caused by increased gaps between the hinge and the tip body. Also, a malfunction can be signaled by extraneous sounds that occur while driving a car.
Checking in a garage
If a check while driving has shown the likelihood of defective steering tips, they should be checked in the parking position. The car is installed above the inspection pit, and in its absence, the front of the car is lifted on jacks. For better visibility, the front wheels are temporarily removed.
There are 3 types of malfunction of the ends of the steering rods: mechanical damage and deformation, depressurization of rubber seals, the presence of backlash. Defects in rubber seals cause contamination to enter the lubricant, which can lead to mechanical damage to the spherical joint.
In all cases of failure detection, the steering tip is replaced. When purchasing a new handpiece, check that the serial number of the part, which is located on the body, is the same.
