[Mmercer]

I recently have been having trouble getting my front end aligned. I have been noticing that my tie rods are not threaded in a whole lot and i do not know why. I recently broke a tie rod and after that everything went down hill. After replacing it I noticed it was only threading in a little but u put it on and aligned it and went for a ride. While riding I ended up breaking ball joint on the other side and while trying to get it back to my truck I ended up bending a bottom a arm bolt but everything else looked fine. I also noticed that the ball joint holes in the a arm did not align up on one side but nothing else looks bent anyone got any suggestions or could point me to someone who could help?

[doug80638]

Year and model?

Pictures of front end components like the knuckles, steering rods, a-arms?

[NMKawierider]

Year and model?

Pictures of front end components like the knuckles, steering rods, a-arms?

X2..and when aligning, what specs are/were being used?

[Mmercer]

So I have a 2019 zforce 1000 I don’t have pictures right now but I will get some when I can. When I tried aligning the front end I put a rope around the tires and tried getting everything straight then toeing it in a 1/8 in on both sides.

[NMKawierider]

It's a bit tricky as getting an accurate reading is tough and one can be off far more then one thinks. The process starts by centering the rack and pinion then steering wheel...and on a CFM that may mean moving some splines then holding it centered with straps. The strings have to come from the axle center across the rear tire so it contacts the same plain front and back on the tire and just touches the front. They extent at least 4 feet in front of the front tires and cross the axle center. Fronts should be places on several layers of plastic so they move easily and measurements are taken from the very front and real the the tire, not the rim or any where else. I found that 2-3/32" per side or a maximum of adding both together of between 1/16- 1/8" toe-in is best for these chassis. If there is more then 5 threads of the tie rod showing, there is a problem and that leads to broken ends. If the toe in exceeds 1" there is extreme pressure on the not only the tie rod ends but ball joints..especially on pavement or hard pack and can break them...and Chinese metal is much softer then anyone else's so this can happen more often. Once broken and an a-arm is free, it and other parts can twist & bend or break very easily. Take lots of measurements. You will find the problem. 

[Mmercer]

Here is some pictures

[Mmercer]

Imma having trouble sending them all at once

[Mmercer]

Got 1 more

[Mmercer]

Last one let me know if you need more pictures or a different view

[NMKawierider]

Take a close look here: And yes, the tie rods are way-too far out to not break. Are they both like that?

[Mmercer]

It did not look bent to me but I can look at it a bit more and yes both of my tie rods are out that far.

[doug80638]

I could not tell if the arms on the knuckle were bent or not, but that is a common problem that results in extended tie rods and I would inspect closely.

These things don't come from the factory "aligned", so they may have been off from day one.

Still, from your description, I'm left wondering how severe the impact was ....

[NMKawierider]

I could not tell if the arms on the knuckle were bent or not, but that is a common problem that results in extended tie rods and I would inspect closely.

These things don't come from the factory "aligned", so they may have been off from day one.

Still, from your description, I'm left wondering how severe the impact was ....

Good point. A lot of those knuckle arms are getting bent or broken..

[doug80638]

Ya. I bent mine while attacking a rut to fast (ice bridge fell, and the stream underneath was really moving!).
Pushed the toe out quite a bit on both sides. Learned a lesson.

There was still enough length of thread on the tie rods to align it up, but I did eventually have to replace the steering rack because of too much play.

I've often thought I should heat the knuckles up and bend them back, but so far there has been no need.

[Mmercer]

So what’s a good way to tell if the knuckle did get bent I know it was bent up a little on one side but i bent it back down.