When your Chrysler Sebring isn't its normal self, and tracks to one side or the other, it may be time to replace the tie rod ends. This is especially so if it still doesn't track properly after an alignment. The good news is you can do this task yourself.
Purchase tie rod ends that are meant for your Chrysler Sebring. Tie rods ends aren't all the same, and vary from model year to model year. Make sure you get the ones meant for your vehicle. These tie rod ends come with new nuts or cotter pins (glorified bobby pins).
Loosen the lug nuts on the front tires with a lug nut wrench, then jack up your car and secure it with jack stands. Remove the tires.
Use an open ended wrench to loosen the steering shaft's jam nut.
Clean the threads of the tie rod or steering shaft with a wire brush and coat them with oil that lubricates and penetrates. Mark the tie rod end's position on the steering shaft with a marker or paint so you can install the new tie rod end in the right position.
Hold the ball joint stud with a wrench while you loosen the retaining nut with another.
Take out the cotter pin and/or the nut, and use a tie rod puller to take out the tie rod. If your Chrysler Sebring has a seal boot heat shield on the tie rod, make sure you remove this also.
Grasp the tie rod or steering shaft with pliers that lock while you unscrew the tie rod end. Make sure you keep track of the number of turns it takes to do this and write the number down. This will help you install the new tie rod end in the proper position.
Screw on the new tie rod end onto the steering knuckle the same number of turns it took to unscrew the old one. Install the tie rod end into the steering knuckle. Check the boots for the tie rod ends to make sure they aren't twisted, and fix them if needed. If your Chrysler Sebring has seal boot heat shield for the tie rods, put this back on now.
Put the tie rod end stud into the steering knuckle and, while holding the stud with an open faced wrench, tighten the nut that secures it to 45 foot pounds. Put in a new cotter pin, if the new tie rod end came with one.
Tighten the jam nut, and make sure it's 55 foot pounds.
Repeat Sections One and Two for the other tie rod and replace the wheels, tightening the lug nuts in a star fashion to 100 foot pounds. Get your Chrysler Sebring aligned.
