Is the tie rod suppose to have some movement as in up and down towards the knuckles at the end? I was just checking to see if anything was loose and grabbed the tie rod and was able to move it slightly up and down or more like a turning movement.

 

rotational movement ok
up and down not ok

basically you can twist it but shouldn't be able to move one end and not the other...hope that helps.

 

Thank you. Thats what I had meant is that its has slight rotational movement! Thanks for the reply!

 

Ours started making a clunking noise a couple weeks ago. Is that normal too or do we have a problem?

 

You need to make sure everything is tight on both ends. Also check your track bar because mine was loose and was making alot of clunking noise. Hope this helps

 

We've already checked everything and that was the only thing that moved.

 

I started a thread a while back about front end noise. I have checked everything for tightness and have come to the conclussion that the rotational movement of the tie rod is the cause. I can grab mine and rotate it up and down and hear the clanking. It only rotate's up and down like it's swiveling from the joints. No other play anywhere.

 

Bodo so that is normal I'm assuming? Right?

 

Mine does same thing. Tie rod can be moved up and down in an arc.

Is this normal? Anybody?

 

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...=tie+rod+loose

After more searching I found this thread on same subject. Apparently some rotational movement is normal for a stock JK.