Both tie rod sleeves bent?
 

Guys, I just took my 85 300TD Wagon to get an alignment done and the mechanic told me that both of my tie rod sleeves are bent. I saw that they were not straight shafts but they slightly curve at the end. They are simetrical on both sides!!! He told me that I must have hit something. There is absolutely no damage under the car and the shafts sit higher than a lot of other things where damage would be shown. I purchased the car about 2 weeks ago and everything else is fine. I noticed that the wheels are slightly curved in if you look at the car from the front (the part of the wheels closer to the doors is in and the part of the wheel closer to the bumper is out. He said that the bent shafts are pulling the wheels inwards at the back. I just can't believe that both shafts would be bent exactly the same way!!!!! If anyone has a picture where it shows the tie rod end and the sleeve could you please e-mail it to me? Please look under your cars and tell me whether the sleeve is straight or curved.

Truly yours, Igor.

P.S. I found a picture of tie rod assembly on e-bay and here is the picture which went along with the part.

That's a picture of a tie rod and it should be straight as an arrow.

Santa Monica?
 

I just moved to Minneapolis from Santa Monica!!! Which mechanic do you use there? I took my 260E to Pacific Motors on Pico.

Way Cool!!!!

complete tie rods with ends from FastLane are 30 something dollars each. Its only about an hour job to change both I would also change the center rod and steering damper while doing it about 125 dollars for all 4 parts parts and a straight foward job it will make a hudge difference in how car handles, it will then take alinment ...........
William Rogers........

IZELJIC,
What possessed you to move!
You're talking to my mechanic; but my friend works at German Motors at Pico and 15th. and would bail me out of the really tough predicaments.
Guess I'll go to the beach today and get some sun and surf.
What your weather like in MN today? ;)

Igor

If both are bent it sounds like someone jacked the car up on both front sides using the tie rods! Weird.

Keep us posted,

Haasman

I figured it out
 

I guess that the car dealer where I got the car from had the car towed from the auction where it would not start (bad glow plugs which I replaced and the car starts great). The tow truck driver hooked the car to the tie rod sleeves when he pulled the car on a flat bed so that was the reason. I bought two new tie rod assemblies with new inner and outer tie rod ends for $40!!!!!!!! You guys should check out this guy on ebay - he is very cheap.

Again, I bow to you experts who make me love this diesel!!!!

Igor Zeljic, Minneapolis.

Ebay guy is at http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6767&item=2404632268&rd=1

Igor

Ah hah! Of course, holding the car down on a flatbed via the tie rods. Pretty dumb!

Thanks for updating us on this. I have been thinking about it all day and wondering why or what would have caused this.

Haasman