How Much Does It Cost To Replace A Tie Rod?
How Much Does It Cost To Replace A Tie Rod?
Tie rods are one of the key components of your vehicle’s steering system, allowing the wheels to turn in accordance with driver inputs via the steering wheel. Found between the vehicle’s front wheels, near the end of the steering rack, tie rods will need replacing if worn or damaged, as they can disrupt smooth control of the vehicle. The replacement cost for a tie rod will vary from car to car, but it won’t be extremely expensive for many non-luxury models. Crucially, it’s a component that should be replaced immediately if worn. Let’s find out more about how tie rods work and what you can expect to pay for them.
Tie rods help transmit steering wheel inputs to the wheels themselves, allowing you to turn your car in either direction. Divided into inner and outer sections, tie rods are the pivot point between the steering rack, steering arm, and steering wheel. Both rack-and-pinion and more old-fashioned recirculating ball steering systems make use of tie rods, which allow an element of articulation as the wheel moves up and down over bumps but without shifting the angle of the rack itself, which is affixed to the chassis.
Presenting as a cylindrical structure typically fashioned from high-strength steel, the inner tie rod links to the steering rack, while the outer tie rod forms a connection to the steering knuckle. Since they’re needed whenever your vehicle turns, tie rods will naturally become worn over time, and the conditions you often drive in – such as the quality of the road surface – can also affect how long they last.
In the video below, we can get a clearer picture of how tie rods work as part of the greater steering system.
Worn tie rods can create unpleasant sensations from behind the wheel, and in a worst-case scenario, you’ll lose the ability to steer your vehicle – we don’t need to tell you how dangerous that can be. These are the signs that your tie rods need replacing:
Alignment issues could be caused by something else besides tie rods, and several of the above symptoms may have alternate causes, so it’s always advisable to get a professional opinion before replacing anything.
According to RepairPal, you can expect to pay in the region of $200 for a tie rod replacement, but this likely applies to one tie rod end. Many other estimates put the figure at around $400 to $700. Your quote will depend on the following:
Excluding labor, tie rods themselves are not extremely expensive. We found an inner tie rod for a Ford F-150 at around $45. BMW of Atlanta lists a tie rod assembly for the right side as being $165 and is applicable for certain 2 Series, 3 Series, and 4 Series models. As with many other components, you can expect tie rod ends to cost more to replace on luxury models.
One Reddit user was quoted $850 for tie rod replacements on a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. However, this quote was for both inner/outer tie rods on both sides and with alignment and labor included. Another user was quoted $1,500 for new tie rod ends and ball joints on a Ford Ranger.
In many cases, replacing tie rods will affect the angle of the wheels, necessitating wheel alignment. You’ll need to factor this into the total cost, with Kelley Blue Book estimating you’ll pay between $65 and $100 for a front-end alignment.
Outer tie rods are likelier to fail than inner ones, but recommendations are to replace both inner and outer rods simultaneously.
| Single Tie Rod Replacement | Complete Tie Rod Replacement (Inner And Outer Rods On Both Sides) |
|---|---|
| ~$100 – $200 | ~$400 – $1,000 |
Although tie rods should be checked annually, they should last roughly 70,000 to 100,000 miles on most modern vehicles. However, accelerated wear can be caused by hitting potholes or large bumps, hitting curbs with too much force, or often subjecting your car to poor road surfaces.
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