Front Tie Rod Issues

[rossman945]

So I went to get my car aligned at firestone the otherday while I was getting a oil change, and I pick it up and they tell me that my tie rods are worn out, and it would be pointless for them to align the car because they are worn out and the settings wouldnt hold. The said if I hit a bump, the new alignment will be knocked out of place. I haven't had time to get it checked out by my trusted mechanic down the street just yet, but have any of you guys experienced this? My car is just under 100,000. Think firestone is just to lazy the align the car since I have lifetime alignment and they couldn't be bothered?

Ross

[corlon]

i have a 99 with just over 100,00 and my left front outer tierod is on its way out. i wouldn't get it aligned until after you replace it.

[Ivanhoe]

91k - both my inner tie rods had play. I had my mechanic change the outers as well since they get taken off in the process. Then I had an alignment done.....good as new!

[rossman945]

how much did you guys pay for the work to be done?

[AllShowNoGo]

^^^^Parts dont cost that much, labour should only be 1 hour.

Look into moog tire rods. They are a lot stonger then oem, plus the dealer we get them from offers life time warrenty.

[rossman945]

fire stone wanted around 400 bucks, that seems like alot to me.

[AllShowNoGo]

^^^My moog tie rods cost about 200 cdn, so maybe getting the labour down a bit.

But price can very on warrenty

[EMBSikorsky]

I would definitely get it checked out by a mechanic that you trust before doing anything with Firestone - I was in your situation a year ago with my '95 Chrysler New Yorker. I was having an alignment done at Tire Kingdom and they said my tie rods were all kinds of worn out, that my front wheels could detach from my car at any moment and all of that.

Pretty much scared me into having the work done (after driving a couple weeks with my life in my hands) and I paid $630 for everything - inner and outer tie rod ends + labor. I'm told that that car was particularly difficult to work on, and that was the year that the suspension parts came from Mercedes, but even so I think I was overcharged. Just be careful and have your personal mechanic take care of it if possible.

Best of luck.

[rossman945]

yeah i only go to firestone for tires and oil changes, I wouldnt trust them doin anything else