The importance of changing worn tie rods on your Porsche suspension
Maintaining your Porsche is very important since certain components like steering and suspension parts, play a critical role in ensuring safety and optimal performance. One such component is the tie rod, a crucial part of the steering system that connects the steering rack to the steering knuckle. Over time, tie rods wear out and develop excessive play. This leads to unprecise handling and potential safety hazards.
By replacing old and worn tie rods, Porsche owners can restore the vehicle’s responsiveness, minimizing the chances of potential accidents and ensuring the safety of passengers.
When it is time to change your Porsche tie rods?
Tie rods require careful inspection and attention to check certain signs of wear and damage.
How to recognize a worn-down or damaged tie rod?
- Check for excessive play or looseness
If you notice excessive play or looseness in your steering wheel, or if steering feels unresponsive while driving, this may be the sign of worn-out tie rods. Quick check for play is done by firmly gripping the tie rod and attempting to move it back and forth. Any noticeable movement indicates potential wear.
- Are you experiencing uneven tire wear?
Tire wear that is uneven or excessive on the inner or outer edges of the tires, can be a sign of your tie rod issues. Misaligned tie rods can cause the wheels to toe-in or toe-out, resulting in uneven tire contact with the road surface.
- Do you feel shaking or vibrations?
If you feel shaking and vibrations on your steering wheel, especially at higher speeds, most probably your tie rods are worn. If you notice these symptoms we recomend inspecting tie rods for any wear or damage.
- Clunking, knocking or clicking noises
When you are turning the steering wheel and you hear clunking, knocking or clicking, these noises could indicate worn-out tie rods. The cause of such noises may be worn-out ball joints or damaged tie rod ends.
- Visually inspect signs of wear
Visually checking tie rods for visible signs of wear, such as cracked or damaged rubber boots, bent or corroded rods, or excessive rust, can help determine their condition. Additionally, inspecting the tie rod ends for play or any signs of damage (bends, etc.) is essential.
If you find any of these signs, we recommended you to have your Porsche tie rods inspected by a professional mechanic. Mechanics can determine whether tie rods replacement is necessary.
How are tie rods designed?
Tie rods are consisting of an inner tie rod and an outer tie rod end and as such work together to give you optimum wheel control.
Inner tie rods connect the steering rack to the outer tie rods. They are adjustable and allow for alignment adjustments. Inner tie rods can wear out due to constant movement and exposure to road debris.
Outer tie rods: Positioned on each end of the steering rack, outer tie rods connect to the steering knuckle and control the wheels’ movement. They are transmitting steering inputs and maintaining alignment. Like inner tie rods, outer tie rods can wear out over time, leading to play and imprecise steering.
Prekom tie rods
At Prekom we offer complete tie rod assemblies as well as outer tie rods (tie rod ends) and inner tie rods (axial joints) for wide variety of classic Porsche models.
You can find Prekom inner and outer tie rods and complete tie rod assemblies for Porsche 356, 912 [PR01006P, PR01032P] and legendary Porsche 911 models ranging from model F, G, 964, 993, 996, 997. We also offer tie rods for mid-engined Porsches (904, 914, Boxster, and Cayman) and last but not least for transaxle Porsche models like 928, 944 and 968.
You can also choose modified – longer tie rod versions for specific Porsche models (924,944,968,911,914), which are more rigid and are developed for sport/racing applications
New tie rods give smoother driving experience with your Porsche
To maintain optimal steering control, stability and safety inspect, replace worn tie rods when necessary. By changing tie rods when needed, you will maintain your Porsche performance, improve tire wear, and minimize the risk of accidents. Replacing tie rods when they show signs of wear is a wise choice that pays off in terms of safety, efficiency, and a smoother driving experience with your Porsche. Well maintained Porsche suspension parts make your driving fun and carefree
