Bent spindle?

My son changed the tie rod end on his Accord and now the new end rubs his wheel. We thought he had got the wrong end as it looked a bit bigger than the original, so he took it back in and they told him he probably bent his spindle. (he had lost a wheel from a loose nut, but this was as he was leaving after getting gas and only drove about 3 feet).

I can't imagine the spindle getting bent that much. That's a LOT of metal to move. It would seem like something else is out of adjustment to me, but I'm (definitely) not a suspension guy...

Thoughts?

If the same thing's happening on both sides it's not a bent spindle. If it's only on the side where the wheel came off...yeah it's probably a bent spindle.

More likely the steering arm.

iceracer wrote: More likely the steering arm.

If that's the case, then a BFH should fix that issue, maybe with a bit of heat.

But do try switching it with the other side first, as was already mentioned.

Steering arm looks ok. Probably have a go with the BFH (when it stops raining).

thanks guys. I am just surprised that much metal can be bent with so little force.

I would not recommend trying to bend back a steering arm. That's a very important chunk of metal to be subjecting it to any fatigue, then there's the potential of the taper being permanently deformed. Look at the other side and compare to see if its bent.

+1 don't use a BFH on any of that stuff!

What year accord? Some year accords have left/right outer tie rod ends. They have a bend in them for clearance and if you install them on the wrong side they generally hit the wheel.

Ive seen plenty of spindles bent, but itd have to be pretty bent, as in visibly bent to make it hit a spindle unless hes running some aftermarket wheels with really tight clearance.

Some random honda tie rods to illustrate what im talking about

It's a '91 I believe. I'm going to have him go and get another spindle and compare the two. We'll see how that goes and proceed from there.

thanks, Stan

Put it up on jack stands, pull the wheel, measure from the rotor (in needed lay a steel ruler or level on the brake rotor) or the ruler to the center of the tie rod hole, check the other side if there the same spindle is not to blame.

Happy news (and funny, at least to me) as my son found the problem. He was putting the tie rod end on upside down...

He "felt so stupid", but I told him to think of it as a learning experience. But. He was happy there wasn't more to it -after working on it off and on for two weeks.

oh, and thanks for all of the suggestions!