You can feel a damaged tie rod when you're driving your Ford Focus. The steering will be a bit off, and your car just won't track straight. However, this is a repair that you can make on your own.
Buy tie rods for your Ford Focus. Make sure you get the right ones as they can vary from model year to model year.
Disconnect the cable from the negative post on the battery. Loosen the lug nuts on the front tires, then jack up your car. Support your car on jack stands and remove the tires.
Remove the bolt that connects the tie rod to the steering gear. Mark the threads of the tie rod to mark its position in the rod adjuster. Paint or markers work well.
Loosen the nut that secures the tie rod to the rod adjuster. Unscrew the tie rod, keeping track of the number of turns it takes. Write that number down.
Transfer the marks from the old tie rod onto the new one. Screw on the new tie rod with the same number of turns as it took to remove the old one. Tighten the nut to secure it to 35 foot pounds.
Put the other end of the tie rod end into the steering gear, then insert the bolt that secures it. Repeat the steps for the other tie rod. Put back on the tires, and tighten the lug nuts to 94 foot pounds. Reconnect the cable to the battery, and get your Ford Focus aligned.
