I just replaced the driver side tie rod on my 97 f150 4x4. I finished it up, took the truck for a test drive, and it slightly pulled to the right. No big deal, but what I noticed once I parked it that the steering wheel was turned about 25-30 degrees to the left (the wheels where straight). Can this be fixed by a realignment, or do I have to take off the left front wheel and readjust the tie rod that I replaced?

 

the tie rod will need to be readjusted and an alignment will be good. better safe than sorry.

go ahead and take it to an alignment shop. everything up front should be checked during the alignment anyway so save yourself the hassle.

 

Ok, so when I replaced the tie rod I took a measurement from the beginning of the thread on the rod (when I say beginning I mean from smooth surface to thread) to the top of the nut. Is this the right measurement to be taken, I checked it with the right side, and they are identical. And if this is not it, how do I need to readjust it.

 

How is the wheel when your driving down the street is it that same 25-35 degrees off to the left? The tie-rod you installed isnt exact like the other one so it will be slightly off. I just did two tie-rod ends on a friends car and i put them on the same amount of threads and they were still off. So I had to do a visual alignment. How does the alignment look visually? All I did was raise the tire slightly so it wouldn’t have all the weight of the car on it. Loosen the tie-rod end adjust it. If you leave the tire on you can make a better judgement of how straight the tire is. I had to do it a couple times to get the steering wheel and car to drive perfectly straight.

Its always a good thing to have an alignment done after any suspension work just to make sure its in spec. They will also check the rest of your suspension.

 

Cool thanks, sometimes the best way to fix something is to eyeball it. Thanks for the input

 

when i did mine, as i took off the old ones, i marked it, and measured it, and counted the number of turns. When i took it to get an alignment, they gave me paper showing how far i was off, and it was only like 1/4 of an inch off. But i suggest that you change the other tie rod as well. If you changed one, mine as well change the other side, because like me, my driver side broke, and if that side broke, the other side can't be far off from breaking or something.