Tired rod ends.

[zeke80]

Today I decided to replace my tire rod ends. I counted the turns as I removed them. The left was 19 turns and the right was 24 turns. I put everything back together and it pulls to the left now. Should both tire rod ends equal the same amount of turns. I've read 24 turns are as close to factory as I can get it before I get it aligned. I had a clicking or rattling noise before I changed them and that seemed to correct the problem but now I'm thinking I should go back and set the left on to 24 turns. Right now ibglcant drive it in that condition. I'm turning the steering wheel way to much to turn now.

 

[clubairth]

You did it right but what you found out is that is NOT the correct way to align the front end. Now most of the time it's not too far out but at this point you will be better off to get a front end alignment done.

Now be aware that you could have additional worn out parts contributing to your problem too?
Without any car info you have severely limited what advice you can get??
Why did you replace just the tie rod ends?

Always post year, model, drive train, mileage otherwise be just can't help.
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[milehighmikey]

Just find the shortest alignment shop drive and get the car there asap. If it is not a short trip, have it towed, unless you want your tires to be toast in short order, because they will be! And to clubairth, he said it was clicking, so slop in the ball joints of the tie rod end. It may have been aligned with the bad tie rods, as has happened to me in the past. Once you set it up with solid, tight tie rod ends, that could throw the alignment off by quite a bit by closing the tolerances down. Chances are good that there is more that is broken under that front end, so an alignment may not be possible, and if that is the case, have them set toe to as close to zero as possible while you diagnose the other worn parts problems. If none, then an alignment will get you back to normal.

 

[oddball]

Tie rod ends are not precision machined parts. Counting turns only works if you're reassembling the same parts. The better method is to extremely carefully measure from end to end, using the appropriate reference points, and set the replacement to the same(ish) measurement. And then still take it to get an alignment.

 

[04_Sport_LS]

I use something like pipe clamps for furniture. Works as a giant caliper.