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QUESTION: 1996 GT Front End Alignment

I have a 1996 GT with the 17-inch wheels. I absolutely HATE buying new tires for this car! They are SO expensive!

I just replaced the tires (again). I noticed that the outside edges of the old front tires were very worn down...they looked like I had been taking hard corners or something. (I don't do this...the car is strictly a commuter car) IS THIS NORMAL WEAR FOR Z-RATED TIRES?

But wait, there's more!

I decided to get my front end checked and aligned. The mechanic calls me into the service area to look at my car. (This is NEVER good news...don't you hate it when it happens?) He has the car jacked up on the alignment platform. He grabs the driver's side front wheel and is able to wiggle it around. There is approximately 3/8 of an inch of play. He tells me that the inner tie rod end is loose and will have to be replaced. I ask if the passenger side is just as bad and he says it can be wiggled too, but not as much as the driver's side wheel. I ask if the car can still be aligned and he says yes. I tell him to just do the alignment and I will save up for the additional repair.

I get the car home and get out the car's jack and I try to do the same thing with each front wheel. Sure enough, the driver's front wheel wiggles a bit and the passenger side wiggles too, but not as much.

MY QUESTION: Is this normal for the front wheels? Also, is the inner tie rod end at fault, or could this be another loose/worn part like say, a wheel bearing (I hear no noise)?

Any help will be MUCH appreciated! Thanks!

Reply to
EADGBE
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"EADGBE" wrote in news:1119370448.589731.188820 @g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

No. It's likely the cause of your tire wear. It can also become very dangerous as the tie rod ends wear, because it can separate.

Have the tie rod ends replaced, and then get a front end alignment.

Reply to
elaich

not in this case tie ends affect tow adjustment look how tire wear is described however i would pull your car off the road in canada ya foctard its DANGERIOUS for the rest of us to have u on the road FOCTARD

sounds like tire scrub and camber to me prolly soft focking cheap tires too with soft sidewall just because the alignment machine is green does not mean its aligned LMFAO

you CANNOT align your car without repair first

your struts prolly weak too that shit macpherison strut crap suspension causes tire scrub typical ford crap

h u r c a s t

Reply to
   dreadlockholiday10cc

No. They should not wiggle at all. The outside of the tires on my '97 wear slightly faster (as in, by the time it's an issue, the tire is practically on the wear bars across the width of it) than the rest, but it's always been this way, even after an alignment.

If it's not a tie rod end, it's a ball joint. The direction of the wiggle will be the difference I think.

Reply to
Brent P

Brent:

If you put your hands on the tire at the 3 o' clock and 9 o' clock positions, you can push and pull on the tire and it wiggles...in other words, it moves on the same axis as if it were making a right or left turn.

Reply to
EADGBE

One thing I don't understand...the guy at the alignment shop said that I needed "inner tie rod ends". But as far as I can tell, I just have ONE set of tie rod ends...the ones that connect with the wheel assembly. The place where "inner tie rod ends" would be is occupied by the power steering pump.

What could he be talking about?

Reply to
EADGBE

They aren't really much more expensive than a 15" wheel, and often cheaper than a 16". If it's a daily commuter, you're wasting money on the Z rated tires. They don't last nearly as long as a lower rated tire. Shop around a little, and you can find some excellent tires for less money.

This is a common problem with Ford products. Maybe others as well, but I don't own them. It's been my experiance that it's cheaper to replace the entire steering rack, rather than the two inner tie rod ends. You spend more in parts, but a lot less in labor. It's a simple enough job to do yourself, but you really should have a set of tubing wrenches. Besides, if the inner tie rod ends are that worn, the rack usually has a significant amount of wear also.

Reply to
.boB

He's probably telling you that you need a new rack and pinion assembly. The outer tie rods are cheap. The rack and pinion assembly is not. (At least not as cheap)

Reply to
Kruse

This guy kills me. Haha. It's "Dangerious"!!!

Reply to
Brian

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