Front tire rubbing on tie rod end

[teamroper_60]

Originally Posted by Kudaman

Try jacking up on the front of the cart. Scribe a line in the middle of each tire. Now measure from the line to a common spot of the frame. That should tell you if there is something bent. What about play in the tie rod end itself? Try squeezing it with pliers. When they start to wear there will be movement in the end. Could the end be rubbing on the wheel because it's worn? I am sure you would have checked this but are the lug nuts tights?

Well, I didn't think of taking a measurement from the tires to the frame and I have the hub and spindle off the cart at the moment, so that would have to wait until I get it back together.. But again, I haven't hit anything with it and most of the parts under there seem a bit too solid to bend from just riding up and down a golf course.. I did check the tie rod end for play before I took it all apart. Yes, the lug nuts were tight..

[Kudaman]

The only thing that could cause it is if something is bent or the king pin bushings are Shot. You would feel a bad bearing by wiggling it or you would hear it grinding... Do you have any pictures of it? Would love to see it.

[teamroper_60]

Originally Posted by Kudaman

The only thing that could cause it is if something is bent or the king pin bushings are Shot. You would feel a bad bearing by wiggling it or you would hear it grinding... Do you have any pictures of it? Would love to see it.

I just went out and measured from a fixed center point to the ends of the axle on both sides. The distance in each direction is identical. I also laid a flat edge against the tube of the axle on the top and on the front. It is flat. So I believe we can rule out a bent axle at this point. I am also positive the wheel is not bent.

I have checked and double checked the king pin spindle tube bushing and the clearance between it and the two bushings inside the spindle itself. It sits pretty snug with them, so I don't think it is worn out. The only thing I find questionable at all is that if I take a screwdriver and go in from the outer edge of the hub, I can move the inner bearing toward the rear of the hub. I don't know if that should happen or not. I would think not but I don't know for sure.. I also noticed that the lip on the spindle axle that the inner bearing would be riding against, has a slight bevel to it. Again, I don't know if this is normal or not. At any rate, I have ordered a new hub kit and a new spindle, as well as the assorted bushings needed to replace these parts. It may be a waste of money but I find nothing else that can be causing this and now that I have ruled out something being bent, I am out of other options at the moment.

[Kudaman]

Well you can't go wrong with new bushings and hubs. Hope it didn't Hurt the pocket book too much.

[teamroper_60]

Well, the new hub and spindle did not fix the issue.. Not sure what the problem actually is but at this point, since I know the axle is not bent and the wheel is not bent, I have no idea where else to look. I ended up trying washers between the wheel and the lug nuts. It took two per lug (roughly a quarter inch) but it gave me about the same space between the tire and tie rod end as I have on the driver's side. It seems like a bandaid fix butI guess I will run it that way, at least for the time being..

[Edarien]

Some pictures might help.


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