Ask the Editors: Are My Tie Rods Toast?
It could but that’s more of an ending diagnosis than a starting one. There are many, much simpler potential culprits to rule out before replacing tie rods.
Begin by checking the air pressure in all four tires. Uneven pressure from one side of the machine to the other can certainly cause this condition. In fact, so can even a single low tire.
While you’re checking pressure, check the tread. Worn tires can also lead to odd handling characteristics when braking.
It sounds obvious but the next place to start investigating will be the brakes themselves. Are all of the pads worn pretty evenly? If a single brake’s pads are worn down more than the others, expect the machine to brake drift to the opposite side when decelerating. Look for any bent rotors. Check the hydraulic fluid levels in the master cylinders, perform a brake line bleed.
Also look for brake components that could be crusted up with mud and grit; these factors can contribute to weakened or no braking if left uncleaned.
Lastly we’d check the machine’s wheel bearings. The simplest way to do this is to wiggle the wheel from side-to-side to check for play.
If all of these factors check out, then we’d start to consider the possibility of replacing tie-rods.
