Tie rod end: purpose, service and price

The steering ball joint is part of your steering system. This is what allows the wheels of your car to turn. Along with the suspension ball joints, the steering ball joint also helps to absorb the shock of the vehicle and therefore also contributes to a comfortable driving experience.

🚗 How does the steering ball joint work?

La ball joint steering mainly used for turning wheels. It is a kind of articulation that connects steering rack to the missile carrier. Steering ball joint associated with suspension ball joints also helps absorb shock.

When you want to turn the wheels of your car, you turn the steering wheel, which activatessteering shaft... It is in contact with the strut and thus powers the rods that rotate your wheels. The ball joint system drives the wheel hub symmetrically.

👨‍🔧 How to maintain the steering ball joints?

It is very important to properly maintain the steering ball joints, even if the ball joints last a very long time in new vehicles. Average 100 kilometer before replacing them, but always refer to your vehicle's service book to be sure.

Driving with damaged steering ball joints may be very dangerously : your car is less able to handle turns, you may also feel vibration in your steering system.

The causes of wear on the steering ball joints are varied: slots and maneuvers when stopping or at very low speeds, impacts on sidewalks or potholes damage the ball joints and the entire steering system.

To check and test your steering knuckles, you will need to raise the car so that there is no more pressure on the wheels and then turn the steering wheel. Then you can check the backlash of the ball joints, shaking the hub to identify abnormal movement. This operation is quite complicated and it is better to entrust it to a professional.

🔍 What are the symptoms of wear on the steering ball joint?

Generally, steering ball joints do not wear out quickly. They change approximately every 100 kilometers. However, some symptoms may indicate the condition of your kneecaps:

• You see a slight blur in direction when you are in a corner or in a straight line;
• Your vehicle is becoming less and less accurate in travel ;
• You notice wear bigger and faster than your tires.

🔧 How to change the steering ball joint?

Replacing steering ball joints is a complex procedure. If you are not an experienced mechanic, we recommend that you have your vehicle's ball joints replaced by a mechanic. For the more experienced, here are the various steps to replace the steering ball joint.

Required material:

• Toolbox
• Un jack
• Hammer
• Protective gloves

Step 1. Remove the wheel

The steering ball joint is located behind the steer wheels. You can read more about how to remove a wheel in our article. The operation should start on the ground so that the bolts can be removed easily. Then reassemble the vehicle to complete the removal of the wheel.

Step 2: disassemble the ball joint

To remove the steering ball, unscrew the nut located under the ball and slide the ball out of the housing. To do this, use a ball joint puller or hit the bolt with a hammer. Then unscrew the ball joint from the tie rod.

Step 3: Install a new ball joint

Reverse the steps you just performed to install the new steering ball joint.

Step 4: create new concurrency

After replacing the steering ball joint, it is imperative to adjust the wheel geometry. To achieve parallelism, take your vehicle to the garage to make sure your tires are well balanced over the long term.

🚘 Can you drive a car with damaged steering ball joints?

We strongly advise against driving if your steering ball joints are damaged. Indeed, your the wheels will be out of balance and this can cause your tires to wear out much faster.

Poorly maintained steering ball joints also pose a risk vibrations in the steering wheel because of which your car is pulled in one direction or another. Therefore, it is very important to maintain ball joints both for your own safety and in order not to pay much higher bills in the future.

💰 How much does it cost to replace the steering ball joints?

The part itself is very inexpensive: count on average from 5 to 10 euros for the steering ball joint. Then count between 50 € and 160 € at the cost of labor depending on the model of your vehicle and therefore the complexity of the intervention.

Now you know what your steering ball joints are for! As you may have seen in this article, they play an important role in driving. Are the ones in your car worn out? Use our online garage comparator to replace your steering ball joints at the best price!