I went and checked mine after reading this as my car tracks horrid- Everyone just keeps telling me its due to the big wheels but I wasnt convinced (yes I know bigger wheels will make it track abit but my handling is awful!!) My cars does exactly the same- moves quite abit on both wheels but no noise- so we thinking tie rod ends and if so inner or outer? Is there an easy of way of telling which are shot?? I also tightened up the top mount bolts and they did move quite easily but havent checked if the strut still moves abit...I had some bushes changed a year or so again at the front but cant remember what they were for- will have to check my paperwork!!
If you tighetend the top bolts(im guessing the outer tie rod ball joint nut), you might as well buy new outers, and if you have a few extra bucks just go inner and outer, you can buy them as a complete set so you dont have to go heating up the inner and outer just to get the outer off. Heating suspension is the worst thing ever. and pulling just the outers is a pain in the ass. Last time i replaced mine i did just outer, and the stud broke with me hangin on the pipe wrench tryin to get the sucker to move. i was tryin to do everything i could before heating it up.
The play that would have been in the ball joint while the nut was loose is prolly enough to put unecessary wear on the ball joint or shaft of the stud. And you def dont want one of these breakin on you goin down the road.
To the OP, get new tie rods outers and/or inners, 1/4 -3/8 is way too much travel. If it moves a hair, i would call it good but keep a eye on it, and i mean a tiny tiny hair.
ive seen too many cars on the side of the road with the wheel folded backwards cause the tie rod went out. And it never looks pretty, minus the fact youll have to buy a new tire and god knows what else you damaged.
Good luck to both of yas!:thumbup:
