When I went to get tires put on my car, they told me they thought I needed a tie rod end or ball joint. I had some slack in the front tires. I knew they were replaced right before I got the car, so I held off on it. I figured it was the wheel bearing, so today I go out to tighten them and discover my bolts on my tie rod sleave had loosened up. The sleeve let the tie rod ends move back and forth. Not like stripping threads or anything, just not tight. I tightned them up, and now no more movement. My question is, Where can I get some more clamps to put on here. I would like to get more clamps to add to the two already on there. Or do you guys think it will just be fine since I tightned them up. I really would like to just add some more for security. The sleeve is not damaged or anything. I know they are only like 8 bucks new, but I really dont want to take the old one off and take a chance on getting it out of line. Here is a pic. Thanks in advance. Jason

 

I would just tighten them real good with lock washers. I've never had a problem with these sleeves becoming loose. And since that is where you do one of the adjustments for an alignment, if it was loose for a while more than likely the angle went off.

 

If you have $50 to spend, get yourself a set of Hotchkis tie rod sleeves. The factory steel pressed pieces are very weak and don't hold adjustment very well IMO. I used the Hotchkis pieces on my rebuild and I am happy with them.

Summit has them. They're tubular with lock nuts and are very strong.

Pics at the link in my sig.

HTH...Ed

 

Probably left loose during the last alignment or work on the car. The nuts are a crimped lock nut, they don't come loose.

Even more important is the position of the U clamp on the sleeve. Notice how the bolt is at the rear, almost straight up & down? This allows it to hit the frame and bend the tie rod. The bending throws the toe off.

Not many of the folks that do alignments know the proper U clamp bolt position.

That is the number one reason to get the tubular sleeve style tie-rod connectors. I plain flat out got tired of having to tell someone how to do their job, so they go on all of my vehicles.

RBob.