Threw A Tie Rod

You know something is wrong when you complete a turn on an off ramp and start to pick up speed and your truck is jerking around like crazy, like you left the vehicle in gear with the brakes on.

Once I pulled into the truck stop, someone pointed out that the tie rod was not connected to the other side. Also, the cotter pin on the side that IS still connected is loose and NOT bent back.

The mechanic, looking at the pictures and talking to me over the phone said I got lucky. We'll see if that is the only thing wrong.

Dave

Dave, count your blessings, because today you were probably the luckiest guy on the planet.

Dave, count your blessings, because today you were probably the luckiest guy on the planet.

That is what the mechanic said. He said I was extremely lucky. I figured the only reason why I was lucky was because it probably happened as I was exiting the Interstate.

Dave

Here is one side of the tie rod. Notice that the cotter pin is straight, NOT bent.

Here is the other side

Dave

This is a perfect example of how detailed-oriented a driver must be during their inspections. Even not noticing that a cotter pin isn't bent appropriately can be devastating. I'm glad everything worked out alright for you Dave.