Tie Rod end play /ball joints - steering clunk?
 

Kind of a newb question here. I was under the Jeep last night checking things out and just happened to grab the tie rod and shake it. To my surprise, there was some play, which I didn't expect, at the tie rod ends and it made a rattle or clunking noise eerily similar to the steering wheel clunk. I haven't done the 5th wheel lube under the boot yet but had planned to. Is this play normal in the tie rod ends? I could see how this would be felt up through the steering column and in pedals. If I grab the splined steering shafts, there is very little play but not enough to make the rattle/clunk everyone on here is talking about, I don't think. Anything you guys can contribute would be great, thanks. :thinking:

the tie rod end is a ball joint and rotation around the ball is totally normal. however, side to side movement like there is a gap inside is not normal and would indicate that you have a worn out ball joint - but, i have a hard time thinking this would be the case so early in the game.

I did shake it up and down. Didn't try side to side though. My steering is fine, by the way. Could this be the cause, or one of the causes, of the steering rattle? I also realized that this thread should probably be in the stock JK forum.

if it shifts up and down like there is a gap inside, that could indicate a worn out ball joint as well. i suppose it's possible that the tapered stud has broken free of the knuckle. did you check to see if the nut on top is tight?

regarding your steering clunk, did you check to see if maybe your pitman arm is loose? it should be on rock solid but if for some reason it were shifting in the splines (try turning your steering wheels and checking this at different points along the way as a bad or broken tooth could result in shifting). how about your steering dampener - is it still in good working order and is it mounted securely to your tie-rod?

The nuts are tight, I'm pretty sure, at both ends.

Sorry, I'm dumb, where's the pitman arm?

I'll have to check the steering dampener also.

LOL!! no apology necessary and you'd only be dumb if you didn't ask questions. as far as the pitman arm goes, you can see it in the diagram i made below....

http://project-jk.com/gallery2/main....2_itemId=49336

O.k., just went and checked it out a little more. It's a twisting/rotational movement that I'm getting in the tie rod, between 1/8 and 1/4 turn of the rod, roughly 1/2". at the limits of this rotation there is a definite metal to metal contact clunk that i'm getting. I had someone move it while I was holding the steering wheel and it is most definitely the steering wheel clunk that I'm feeling. Everything else is tight. HELP!, starting to drive me crazy :banghead: Does anybody else have this?

Anybody?.......

Funny I ran into this post...

I just noticed the same thing two days ago… however I have not had an opportunity to have someone move the steering wheel while I am down there to see if it is what is causing my clunk.

I will probably still do the 5th wheel grease in the steering shaft boot but, I am nearly convinced that this (the tie rod movement) is the cause of the clunk, in my case anyway. I understand that rotational movement is normal and necessary but, this movement is loose enough to be clunked around while going over small roadway bumps (30-40 mph) which is where I notice it the most, Is there some mod I'm unaware of that reduces, or at least stabilizes this movement in the tie rod? The tie rod is easily moved and does not require a lot of muscle at all to move it. At each end is a definite CLUNK. When I rotate it, I can also see the rotation tranferred into the steering stabilizer shaft (the shock looking thingy).