Acura Tie Rod Replacement
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Is your steering wheel shaking when driving on the highway or going over bumps, or is there noisefrom the suspension, such as clunking or knocking? Learn how to fix it by replacing the Tie Rod on an Acura vehicle.
Replacing the tie rod on Acura is an easy job. On average, it takes one hour to change an Acura tie rod. Keep in mind that front wheel alignment is required after tie rod replacement.
Symptoms
Below are some of the most common indicators of a bad tie rod.
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- Loose steering
- The steering wheel shakes when going over bumps
- Steering wheel shaking at highway driving
- Excessive steering wheel play
- Noise, such as clunking or knocking from suspension
- Acura pulls to one side due to an alignment issue
- Acura steering wheel vibrations at high speed
What you will need
- ACURA tie rod
- Tie rod removal tool
- Mechanic metric toolset
- Jack and stands
Procedure
Park the ACURA on a flat surface. Place the shifter in the park.
Remember to set the parking brake before you start working on your ACURA and block the wheels with wheel chocks. Before raising the ACURA, you need to break loose the lug nuts. 
Jack up the car and remove the front wheel. Jack up the car using a floor jack. Place a jack stand to support the vehicle.
Locate the outer tie rod. The picture shows the location of the outer tie rod on an Acura TL.
Locate the cotter pin and remove it.
Remove the cotter pin (split pin) from the tie rod end. This will allow you to remove the castle nut.
Remove the castle nut from your ACURA’s steering knuckle. If the threads are rusted, use a wire brush to clean them.
Apply penetrating oil and allow it to soak.
Counter hold the tie rod end, or the castle nut will just sping and refuse to come out.
Use a wrench to loosen up the locking bolt that secures the outer tie rod to the inner tie rod. 
Next, use a marker or chalk to mark the threads at the end of the outer tie rod. This will help with keeping the alignment as close to stock as possible.
You will still need to align the front wheels. 
Use a tie rod puller or separator to disconnect the tie rod from the steering knuckle.
Do not use a fork if you reuse the same tie rod; a fork will damage the boot.
Remove the old tie rod by turning it counterclockwise several times. The inner tie rod has many threads, which can take a while. Install the new tie rod in reverse order. Torque the castle and jam nut to specification.
Get your wheels aligned at a wheel alignment shop near you.
This guide applies to Acura models such as
- MDX
- NSX
- RDX
- RL RLX
- RSX
- SLX
- TL TLX
- ZDX
- CDX
- CL
- EL
- ILX
- Integra
- Legend models 1998 to 2019.
Changing the tie rod on your ACURA model requires a few basic tools. The typical cost to change the ACURA model tie rod is between $360 and $480 at an auto repair shop or ACURA dealer. You can save money by replacing the tie rod yourself. New tie rods for ACURA typically cost between $50 and $80.
Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your Acura vehicle.
