When parked, if you can wiggle the tires left/right while the engine is off, this is a sign of a loose/bad tie rod.
Another sign is if it takes minimal effort to turn one direction, but you have to turn the wheel roughly 4-5 inches more in the opposite to get it to turn well.
Looseness "Clunk" when steering
A bad Tie rod usuallydoesn't SOUND like anything, but some good indicators that you have a bad tie rod are incorrect alignment, and uneven tire wear on your front tires.
Yes, replace tie rod and have the car realigned.
no
Raise and properly support the vehicle so that your tires are off the ground. Push and pull the tire near the area of the tie rod. There should be no movement, or play, in the tie rod end. If there is, that tie rod is bad. Also, you may notice the rubber boot on the tie rod is torn and grease has leaked out. This is a sign that your tie rod is likely prematurely worn, or will be soon, and it needs replacing. if you discover that a tie rod ball joint connection is bad, as described above, you should change it immediately to avoid an accident. if tie rod end ball joint connection snaps , you will lose steering in that wheel.
The ball joint should be permanently in the tie rod end. If it is bad, you have to replace the entire tie rod end.
Yes
A bad inner tie rod knocks when a car makes a turn. Tie rods that become worn over time lose their stiffness and this makes turning very unstable.
Put the vehicle on a rack and inspect the tie rods.
The tie rod is a rod acting as a tie in a building or other structure. A tie rod is also referred to as a rod in the steering gear of a motor vehicle.
If there is any movement up/down, or side to side, they are bad. Any play in the tie rod indicates it needs replacing.
on a steering rack the inner tie rod is threaded and will be the mount for the outer tie rod.