If your steering wheel is loose and your steering feels less stable and has more play than it used to, there might be an issue with the tie rod or wheel hub. These tips can help you fix this problem yourself.
Parts to Inspect for a Loose Steering Wheel
If your steering feels loose there could be a loose tie rod or wheel bearing.
1. Check the Wheel Bearings
Steps to inspect a wheel bearing if the steering wheel is loose
- Raise and Secure the Vehicle
Raise and secure the vehicle with a jack and jack stands
- Push the Tire in and out at the 12 and 6 O’clock Positions and Feel for Play
Grab the tire at the 12 and 6 o’clock positions and shake the tire back and forth. Feel for looseness or a sensation of the wheel moving, also known as play. This is a good sign of a bad wheel bearing.
- While Pushing the Tire, Listen for Clunking
If the wheel bearing is in bad shape, you may hear a clunking noise
- Replace the Bad Wheel Bearing
1. Loosen the lug nuts with the vehicle on the ground
2. Raise and secure the vehicle
3. Remove lug nuts and wheel
4. Remove the axle nut
5. Remove the brakes
6. Remove the wheel speed sensor if you have one to prevent possible damage
7. On the backside of the knuckle, remove the bolts holding the hub bearing
8. Hammer off the hub
9. Clean the new hub bearing
10. Install it the new hub, putting the bolts in the backside without tearing the cv axle boot
11. Tighten the wheel speed sensor
12. Tighten the brakes
13. Tighten axle nut
14. Torque the axle nut to spec (very important)
15. Reinstall the wheel
16. Lower the vehicle
17. Torque the lug nuts
2. Check the Inner and Outer Tie Rod
Steps to inspect an inner and outer tie rod if the steering wheel is loose
How to Check the Outer Tie Rod
- Grab the wheel at the 3 and 9 o’clock position
- Shake the wheel back and forth, pushing in and out
- Feel and listen for clunking and play, which is a sign of a worn outer tie rod.
- Check the tie rod for damage. You’ll see movement in the tie rod where it’s loose, and you may notice a torn boot
How to Check the Inner Tie Rod
- See if there’s any signs of damage on the inner tie rod, like a torn boot. A damaged tie rod will also have a lot of play at the ball and socket joint
- Have a helper move the steering wheel back and forth
- Grab the top of the tie rod end and pull down to put on pressure the joint. This will cause the tie rod joint to tighten up. If the play in the steering wheel stops with pressure applied, the tie rod end is causing it
More on how to diagnose an inner tie rod
How to Replace and Inner and Outer Tie Rod
- Raise and secure the vehicle with a jack and jack stands
- Remove the tire
- Loosen the jam nut and remove the cotter pin if its there
- Remove the nut
- Separate the tie rod from the knuckle
- Spin the outer tie rod off
- Take the boot off with a pick if needed
- Loosen inner tie rod with two wrenches or a special tie rod tool
- Tighten and torque the new tie rod
- Put the boot on and put grease on end of the boot to help with spinning
- Spin the outer tie rod on
- Put the outer tie rod in the knuckle
- Put the nut on and torque it to spec
- Install a new cotter pin
- Reinstall the wheel
- Lower the vehicle to the ground
- Torque the lug nuts on the wheel
- Get alignment once done
How-to Videos for Your Automotive DIY Repairs
Want step-by-step instructions to help you install parts yourself? Find a video for your year, make, and model in our how-to video library and use our expert tips to start wrenching.
Need New Tie Rods or Wheel Bearings? Save on Quality Auto Parts
More Tips
- DIY Alignment: How to Do a Wheel Alignment at Home
- Car Creaking When Turning? How to Diagnose Ball Joints and Tie Rods
- Loose Steering Wheel, Vibration, Squealing… Steps to Diagnose a Bad Inner Tie Rod
- Wheel Bearings & Wheel Hubs 101: What They Are And How They Fail
- What Does a Bad Wheel Bearing Sound Like?