The tie rod end is located at each end of the steering rack. The tie rod end pivots and steers the vehicle by either pushing or pulling each front wheel.

Mechanics Corner: More Technical Detail

The tie rod end incorporates a ball joint to rotate or steer the front wheels via the tie rods. This ball joint is smaller than the ball joints found elsewhere in the suspension. These ball joints contain lubricant and must remain positively sealed via the flexible tie rod end boots.

The threaded design of the attachment to the tie rod allows for positioning the front wheels as part of the wheel alignment procedure. This part of the wheel alignment procedure is known as the toe-in/toe-out setting. Regular inspection of the tie rod end and their boots is highly recommended.

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