Changed Tie Rod ends, got alignment, truck still steers to the right suggestions?

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Scottsdale, AZ
Hi All sorry in advance for Tolstoy novel. I’m in kind of a pickle, I diagnosed a bad tie rod end going on my truck (2017 Nissan Frontier) while doing an oil change a week and a half ago (10 and 2 test is among the few suspension tests I do while the sump is draining). It wasn’t particularly bad, but I figured why not? I needed to get some filters anyways and ordered a set of Moog Problem Solvers tie rod ends from rock auto (part #s ES800108 and ES800048 also confirmed these part numbers on the box) since I wanted grease zerks in my suspension components. Prior to this job the alignment was functionally perfect, I had it rechecked when I had tires mounted but everything was in MFG spec and the truck would track straight and true (I’m very picky about alignments).



I removed and installed the new tie rod ends on Saturday and tried to do everything by the book, the only thing outside of by the book was that I did was hit the lock nuts with a propane torch for a few seconds very carefully and then spray in some PB blaster since they were completely seized. I removed the tie rod end socket with a tie rod puller tool from HF, marked the lock nut and counted the turns, used all the correct torque specs from Nissan and even matched up the old and new parts which were identical in measurements, the job went largely smoothly. Unsurprisingly I messed up on counting the turns and my alignment was off. No big deal, my tires only have a couple of thousand miles on them so I wasn’t going to play around with not getting an alignment (or at least a check) after doing the job. Of course I did this the day before a busy Sunday so the only shop open that would take me for alignment on a Sunday was a Firestone service center. I don’t really like these shops but figured an alignment shouldn’t be that big of a deal.



I get the vehicle back (report attached) of course I got the $3,000 sales pitch for stuff I didn’t need including new tie rod ends :D . Despite everything being in green it’s still veers to the right when the wheel is dead center. I take it back and they precede to argue with me then agree they didn’t test drive it and put it in the rack, the guy said the only thing out of spec is the caster angle but only slightly. I had to leave the truck overnight but grabbed it this morning and it still has the same issue despite being aligned 3 times. Oddly enough as long as the wheel is cocked a couple of inches to the left it seems to track perfectly in the 5 or so miles back to my house. At this juncture is there anything that you’d wager is mechanically wrong? Or is this a case of just a poor job three times in mounting the wheel centering jig? I want to call my mechanic to schedule a diagnostic but I’d hate to pay for that for him to just tell me that the alignment is off. Would you just get a re-alignment at a local shop and if the problem persists going in for a diagnostic. Since I do a lot of my own work and the indy guy I use is fantastic about using my own parts and is good at diagnostics I always insist on paying him a diagnostic fee.


What I’ve done so far is confirm tire pressure, I also put the vehicle in the air and used a thermometer to confirm no stuck brake caliper. Truck has never been in an accident and I lifted it onto the jackstands via each side’s frame rails and the axle tube. Jack stands where placed in the areas that Nissan specs in their manual.
 

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If it tracks straight with the wheel off center (hands off the wheel), the toe is out and/or they didn’t center the steering wheel correctly before adjusting the tie rods. If the truck veers to the right with your hands off the wheel, cross rotate the front tires.
 
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Your tires could have been causing the pull this whole time, but with the worn tie rod it actually making it track straight. Now that the tie rod is replaced and it's aligned, the tires may be showing their true colors. I'd rotate and see what happens.

If that isn't the problem, get an alignment somewhere else, maybe the dealer.
 
Your tires could have been causing the pull this whole time, but with the worn tie rod it actually making it track straight. Now that the tie rod is replaced and it's aligned, the tires may be showing their true colors. I'd rotate and see what happens.

If that isn't the problem, get an alignment somewhere else, maybe the dealer.
Scheduled with the local alignment shop the my Indy guy recommended. Only thing with the tires is that they have maybe 2-3000 miles on them and were perfect up until I changed tie rod as where the previous tires that had 65,000 miles on them. I will swap them over thought and see if that makes a difference thanks for the suggestion!
 
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If it tracks straight with the wheel off center (hands off the wheel), the toe is out and/or they didn’t center the steering wheel correctly before adjusting the tie rods. If the truck veers to the right with your hands off the wheel, cross rotate the front tires.
Or the steering rack is now off-center due to the magnitude of the adjustments required.
 
Been fighting a pull to the right...not road crown. Chevy express 1500. Took it to 2 shops for alignment. Both had different results. Did some learning so I could resolve the issue.

There is a difference between static camber and dynamic camber. I made sure I had some toe-in and drove straight to a stop using the emergency brake. The camber measurement was different than what the alignment machines showed. I set the camber to 0 on both wheels and added caster on the right until the right pull was gone. Reset the rt camber to 0 and road test again. Set toe again and it drives pin straight.

Both shops could not resolve the issue. It took about a week of screwing around with it but its good now. I did rotate the tires first.

Your experience may vary...
 
This all depends on whether it is a "pull" to the right or the steering wheel isn't centered while driving straight ahead. For my cars a pull to one side has always been a tire issue.
 
I would never go to Firestone for anything, not even an oil change. Long story, but they robbed my house cleaner for 2300$. Said she needed tires, trans flush, power steering flush, brake fluid flush, radiator flush, synthetic oil change (85$, **** that!!), and an alignment. 2300$.....

Of course she was scared and paid for everything. Looked in the power steering reservoir, almost black. Called, they said they did all the work. Told them about the PS fluid, got a big run around excuse that the tech was fired for performance. They're solution? Three free oil changes.. And an actual flush of the PS fluid.

I just couldn't get them on everything.. I had my knee replaced one week prior, and wasn't that mobile yet. I couldn't fight her battle for her, and I feel guilty about it still. **** FIRESTONE!

Oh yeah, they can't align ****. Her steering wheel was off center by about 5*.
 
Hi All sorry in advance for Tolstoy novel. I’m in kind of a pickle, I diagnosed a bad tie rod end going on my truck (2017 Nissan Frontier) while doing an oil change a week and a half ago (10 and 2 test is among the few suspension tests I do while the sump is draining). It wasn’t particularly bad, but I figured why not? I needed to get some filters anyways and ordered a set of Moog Problem Solvers tie rod ends from rock auto (part #s ES800108 and ES800048 also confirmed these part numbers on the box) since I wanted grease zerks in my suspension components. Prior to this job the alignment was functionally perfect, I had it rechecked when I had tires mounted but everything was in MFG spec and the truck would track straight and true (I’m very picky about alignments).



I removed and installed the new tie rod ends on Saturday and tried to do everything by the book, the only thing outside of by the book was that I did was hit the lock nuts with a propane torch for a few seconds very carefully and then spray in some PB blaster since they were completely seized. I removed the tie rod end socket with a tie rod puller tool from HF, marked the lock nut and counted the turns, used all the correct torque specs from Nissan and even matched up the old and new parts which were identical in measurements, the job went largely smoothly. Unsurprisingly I messed up on counting the turns and my alignment was off. No big deal, my tires only have a couple of thousand miles on them so I wasn’t going to play around with not getting an alignment (or at least a check) after doing the job. Of course I did this the day before a busy Sunday so the only shop open that would take me for alignment on a Sunday was a Firestone service center. I don’t really like these shops but figured an alignment shouldn’t be that big of a deal.



I get the vehicle back (report attached) of course I got the $3,000 sales pitch for stuff I didn’t need including new tie rod ends :D . Despite everything being in green it’s still veers to the right when the wheel is dead center. I take it back and they precede to argue with me then agree they didn’t test drive it and put it in the rack, the guy said the only thing out of spec is the caster angle but only slightly. I had to leave the truck overnight but grabbed it this morning and it still has the same issue despite being aligned 3 times. Oddly enough as long as the wheel is cocked a couple of inches to the left it seems to track perfectly in the 5 or so miles back to my house. At this juncture is there anything that you’d wager is mechanically wrong? Or is this a case of just a poor job three times in mounting the wheel centering jig? I want to call my mechanic to schedule a diagnostic but I’d hate to pay for that for him to just tell me that the alignment is off. Would you just get a re-alignment at a local shop and if the problem persists going in for a diagnostic. Since I do a lot of my own work and the indy guy I use is fantastic about using my own parts and is good at diagnostics I always insist on paying him a diagnostic fee.


What I’ve done so far is confirm tire pressure, I also put the vehicle in the air and used a thermometer to confirm no stuck brake caliper. Truck has never been in an accident and I lifted it onto the jackstands via each side’s frame rails and the axle tube. Jack stands where placed in the areas that Nissan specs in their manual.

The rear is steering left, that'll make the car turn right... the front negative camber on the left isn't helping either.
 
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I would never go to Firestone for anything, not even an oil change. Long story, but they robbed my house cleaner for 2300$. Said she needed tires, trans flush, power steering flush, brake fluid flush, radiator flush, synthetic oil change (85$, **** that!!), and an alignment. 2300$.....

Of course she was scared and paid for everything. Looked in the power steering reservoir, almost black. Called, they said they did all the work. Told them about the PS fluid, got a big run around excuse that the tech was fired for performance. They're solution? Three free oil changes.. And an actual flush of the PS fluid.

I just couldn't get them on everything.. I had my knee replaced one week prior, and wasn't that mobile yet. I couldn't fight her battle for her, and I feel guilty about it still. **** FIRESTONE!

Oh yeah, they can't align ****. Her steering wheel was off center by about 5*.
I’ll upload a picture of the stuff they tried to sell me. It was ridiculous they didn’t even check the ball joints and control arm bushings for play, they just saw the literally brand new green xtra duty grease that got on them. Same thing with the tie rod ends that had 7 miles on them. Steering rack was from an oil filter weeping a bit because it came a little loose towards the end of the last oci. Worst part is, I literally told the guy that I just put on the tie rod ends the afternoon before. Surprised they wouldn’t even write that into the notes so they didn’t look stupid.
 
Just wanted to give a follow up, I switched the front wheels, car still veers right at the same rate with 0° Steering angle. If I turn the wheel to the 11 o’clock positions it seems to track pretty much bang on. I let go of the wheel and the wheel itself doesn’t turn itself right when I do that or hit the accelerator/brakes it just sits normally. I’m going to take it into the Indy alignment shop tomorrow and go over it with them. I checked underneath and nothing appears to be bent or damaged. Did about 8 miles of mixed driving with 3 miles of Highway driving and one hard acceleration and hard braking event on a quiet road by my house.
 
If the truck goes straight down the road with hands off the wheel, then I would guess the actual alignment is good, and they just didn’t center the steering wheel.
 
Suspension engineer here. With that excessive amount of toe out on right rear
(it should be toe in!) the truck will never go straight with anything "green" on
front. Either replace all bent parts on right rear or try to compromise by adjusting
more toe in on left front. You may consider looking for a better shop though.
.
 
I did just happen to look at the rear measurements. By the angles the vehicle is going dog track. The rear wants to go right .
 
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