About a year ago, a buddy and I installed a set of Tanabe DF210 lowering springs on my car. Ever since, my steering has felt loose. Now that I'm back on OEM suspension with lower miles, I'm still experiencing this loose steering. The car feels like it wanders on the highway, and the steering wheel goes loose over small bumps. Do you guys think this is a tie rod issue?

I have steering rack bushings that I have yet to install.

If you have changed the tie rods, just do it. They are cheap.

Agreed and super easy to do, took 25 min from jacking the car till I rolled to the alignment shop, only special tool you will need is a pitman arm puller which you can pick up for like $12. Be sure to check out the DIY section there are some good write ups.

Loose steering could be anything. Tie rods, ball joints, steering rack bushing, tires, alignment, etc.

Tires are brand new, might need an alignment.

I seem to have bump steer quite a bit. The steering wheel goes light whenever going over a bump at slower speeds.

I have the same issues, within the next week or 2, Im changing both upper arms, ball joints, a right side strut bar (you guys call it caster arm)...

If I still experience the same issues, I will change tie rods. Mechanic told me that only the parts that I'm gonna be changing are the only bad parts and nothing else needs changing at the moment.

Smh I hate these roads here. We gotta do a suspension overhaul every year or 2

you lowered the car 2". These cars, for the most part, have a hard time staying in spec at that height. Besides that, lowering the car on factory tie rods that no doubt have some miles on it will put excess stress on them.

Raising the car back up won't cure it; it will accentuate it as you've noticed, since raising the height of the car on softer components increases suspension travel and thus increased the range of motion on the tie rod.

Just replace 'em. They're cheap enough and easy enough, and the car was going to eat through them anyway.

I appreciate all of the input. I'm planning on changing out the tie rods and possibly ball joints very soon with an alignment. I'll be sure to update this thread once I do.

Passenger Side:





Driver Side:





They look done if you ask me.

passenger side needs to be done for sure, especially since the boot is torn. I'll agree, driver's side looks like it's ok but why waste the labor and do only one side at a time?

Thanks, jcat_GS3.

i am looking to do my ball joints and tie rods also...please let us know if your steering issue gets any better...thanx

I had similar problems, my steering felt loose. Searched and thought it could be my steering rack bushings were screwed. Replaced those and still had the same problem. But i noticed that when I jacked up the car to remove the tires. The tired would wiggle left and right as if it were loose. Replaced the outer tie rods and the problem was fixed.

the rack bushings were a good preventative step though. Had you replaced the tie rods and NOT the bushings, you probably still would have had a bit of a shimmy on the highway.


As far as suspension goes, the first thing anyone should do is poly rack bushings and new ball joints/tie rod ends.

I have plans to change these three things out. I jacked up the car the other day and tried shaking the wheel to no avail. I guess the tie rods aren't that bad. (yet)

It's probably best to go ahead and change them out.