Everything you need to know about Sidem tie rod ends

Tie rod ends connect the spindle, on which the front wheel is mounted on one end, to the steering gear mechanism on the other end. They are made of different parts that each are crucial to the perfect functioning of the tie rod end.

Nuts

Thanks to their deforming elastic or metal material, our self-locking nuts stay in position when torque, shock or vibration occurs. Even when used normally, they don’t loosen. Sidem nuts are made of minimum class 8 steel. Their white zinc coating prevents corrosion. This leads to a longer lifespan of the component and eventually to a longer lifespan of the part in its totality.

Ball-pin

Our ball-pins are also included in our tie rod ends. As they are constantly moving, they need to move smoothly. That’s why their spherical area is rolled and has the necessary roughness. Furthermore, their thread is made by rolling it.

Our ball-pins are machined from 42CrMo4 forged steel. This chromium steel has plenty of advantages. Firstly, it prevents breakage of the part at extreme impact. And secondly, it is more rust-resistant than chrome steel, ensuring longer usage of the part.

Dustcover

Sidem dustcovers are made from natural rubber. This way, we ensure that the dustcovers are elastic enough while the ball-pin is in movement. Furthermore, the high-quality CR rubber keeps it elasticity when exposed to extreme temperatures. It also has a lifespan of more than 10 years and is resistant to chemical substances.

A dustcover must also avoid water infiltration into the ball joint articulation. Ours with grooves do just that.

Every dustcover at Sidem is tested for endurance after it has been installed on the ball joint.

Springs

Our top and bottom springs are made from spring steel. They assure that the rubber dustcover fits properly, and that water doesn’t infiltrate. Our springs are coated in a different color. We do so to protect them against corrosion. But also, to differentiate them in terms of dimensions. Choosing the wrong diameter can lead to early wear, which is prevented this way.

Housing

The tie rod end housing is forged from C45 steel and normalized. It is also coated with Zn phosphating. But the most important part is its machined part that fits the insert, ball-pin and backplate. This machined part also has a threaded hole that fits the inner tie rod.

Insert

The insert of the tie rod end constrains the ball pin translation movement. It’s made from polyoxymethylene, a material that doesn’t deform at high impact.

We have also foreseen a specific quantity of special grease between the insert and the ball area. This grease is water-repellent, reduces friction and thus enhances a smooth movement and is resistant to extreme pressure.

Backplate

Backplates are steel parts that hold the plastic insert in the housing. This happens when the housing rolls. Because of that, backplates are pressed against the insert.

Inner tie rod

The inner tie rod also consists of a few parts. The housing, for example, is forged from C15 steel and is normalized. The housing consists of two areas:

• A machined one that fits the insert and the ball-pin
• A threaded one that fits in the steering gearbox

The ball-pin of the inner tie rod is machined from 34CrMo4 steel, which is a different material than other ball-pins but maintains the same characteristics as it is still chromium. More specifically: no breakage at extreme impact and more rust-resistant than carbon steel. Sidem ball-pins also have a thread that is made by rolling. The spherical area is rolled to obtain the necessary roughness, which allow the ball-pin to move smoothly.

The inner tie rod also has a counter nut. This prevents the part from loosening through vibrations and when used in normal circumstances. The nut is made from minimum class 4 steel and is coated with white zinc, which prevents corrosion.

Do you want to discover our entire range of tie rod ends? Have a look in our online catalogue.
If you have questions, our support team is more than happy to answer them. You can contact them here.