Cool5abi

So I was rotating the tires and investigated a creak in the suspension this weekend and came across a torn TRE boot. That was strange as I just changed it last year... didn't last very long.

But then this stared me in the face;



And a closer look...

Top view


Bottom view


I've never seen anything like this before, seems like the inner tie rod boot is twisted around the joint. Some history on this as follows...

-Last year (or maybe the year before) changed the entire tie rod assembly.
-Last year changed all control arms and installed new shocks/springs.
-Alignment done by Audi dealer (Audi of Mississuaga).
-Changed into my winter wheels.
-Changed into my summer wheels.
-Changed front brakes.

Up until now everything looked fine, during all that work both boots were okay. The only way I can think of to twist the boot is by turning the TRE during an alignment (if the nut isn't fully loose). But the alignement was done a year ago and all was well until now.

Any ideas?

riotburn

Maybe the tie rod (not tie rod end) came out. Kinda looks like how my rear axle looked after it came out of the differential spline.

Et Cetera

That usually happens during alignments when turning the tie rod for the toe adjustment. You could remove the outside clamp and try to straighten the boot out, but if it's torn you should replace it. I would probably replace it anyway, they aren't expensive.

Cool5abi

That's what I was thinking too, if the TRE wasn't loose when it's turned, the whole tie rod would turn. However if that were the case the TRE wouldn't make any toe adjustment at all, as the distance never changes (the ball just rotates in the socket). Something just doesn't make sense.

And again, I've been in the wheel well 3 times for service and I'm 99.999% sure it wasn't like this over the course of the past year... it's pretty hard to miss!

I'll likely be changing out the whole tie rod anyway, the TRE boot is torn, and the inner part looks pretty mangled (not sure of how it looks inside the boot). I just hate to fork out another $200 for an alignment if this was caused during the alignment anyway. Think there's any recourse with the Audi dealer that did the alignment last year?

Cool5abi

That's possible, but there's no rotating force to unscrew the tie rod out of the steering rack, no part of that assembly is a rotating part. Even if the threads were loose and "backed out", that's alot of twisting in the boot; it'd take quite a bit of effort to have that happen on it's own.

I'm still confused...

Et Cetera

It's because when you adjust the toe, you are turning the inner portion of the tie rod, which the boot clamps to. Other than that, I can't think of any other possibility as to how it could turn (unless the lock nut was loose).

I would just replace the outer tie rod and the rack boot if the inner tie rod isn't bad.

I doubt there's any recourse, but it should be pretty cheap and easy to do. If it was me I would just knock it out and be done with it.

Cool5abi

I'm going to get in there again this weekend and try to figure out why it happened. I agree the parts are cheap and the job is pretty easy as well, it's just the hassle and expense of getting another alignment done that bothers me the most.

I'll post back with my findings, thanks for the insight.