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This may seem like an odd question, but should the tie rod be straight? I pulled the front knuckles, brakes, steering cylinder and control valve for rebuild today, and noticed that there's a bend in the tie rod near the assist cylinder mount. I don't have anything to compare to, so I'll throw it out there...

It does have a slight bend, somewhere around 11-1/4* or so?

Thanks.

Woah... Really? I did not know this. I was going to replace mine because it was bent. Looking at the parts diagram here: 1963-1968 DODGE TRUCK PARTS CATALOG - FRONT SUSPENSION - I had thought it should be straight. Thanks Wally.

OK, here is what I'm seeing... I used the red line as a straight edge and the two yellow arrows indicate places where it looks bent. One just before the power assist cylinder and one by the driver wheel. Something tells me this is outside of normality.

Click to view at scale.

Straight I have bent them before if its toed in properly not a big deal but if you have some tire scuffing toe in is probably out of spec.Think about it this way your setting the toe in both tie rod ends are loose your turning the tie rod you get the toe in set it should be straight as if it was bent you never know where the bend is going to line up.Also the power assit tie rod is a heavier tube then the standard to take the load from the assit cylinder.What probably happened is the truck was parked along side a big curb and the power steering was turned against the curb and probably bent the rod not hard to do.