Q: Can Over torqued tie rods damaged rack

asked by on April 10, 2017

Replaces tie rods, inner and outer both sides, then took it n for alignment. Missed tightening the jam nut so tech tightened everything as a precaution. 2 weeks later I take it in for an inspection, and they tell me the rack is bad. Now, I took a look at the car at hme afterwards,and noticed they had over torqued the crown nut and inner tie rod on the right side. Is it possible they damaged the seal on the rack by doing so, since there had been zero issues with it before hand?

My car has 152000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Hi there. This is a tricky question to answer. Is it possible - certainly. Can it be proved - unfortunately not. Anytime suspension or steering work is completed, it is recommended to torque all bolts and nuts to the correct settings and re-torque after a test drive. There are many things that can cause this problem to occur, ranging from driving conditions, to installation issues. The best thing to do is get it replaced and speak with the manager of the shop to verify they are following the correct procedures.

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