# Trains hit vehicles video. 01:23 Left front wheel tie rod failed? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2025, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353 "2025-10-31T16:58:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/1 "2025-10-31T16:58:27Z")
[![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/6/2/620ce2e04910a799b92246bc26edfd43c7283e92.jpeg "Amtrak & Freight Train crash Compilation 2 (ft. Brightline, MTA, VIA Rail & Light Rail)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kpcH1ig-O8) Or is that something else? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/2 "2025-10-31T17:05:12Z")
You are one sick person with your accident fascination. ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 5:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/3 "2025-10-31T17:07:27Z")
_“You are one sick person with your accident fascination.”_ No. I am in EMS and teach Operation Lifesaver. 1:23 appears to be one of the few collisions not the fault of the driver. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 6:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/4 "2025-10-31T18:09:31Z")
I have no interest in clicking on the video, but, trains have tie rods? ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 6:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/5 "2025-10-31T18:14:34Z")
_I have no interest in clicking on the video, but, trains have tie rods?_ It appears that the SUV’s left front wheel is askew. Something broke from bumps crossing the first track and caused the wheel to get hung up on the second track? Yestersday saw a pickup stopped on I-70 shoulder with left front wheel facing out 45º. ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 6:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/6 "2025-10-31T18:17:16Z")
_I have no interest in clicking on the video, but, trains have tie rods?_ It appears that the SUV’s left front wheel is askew. Something broke from bumps crossing the first track and caused the wheel to get hung up on the second track? Yestersday saw a pickup stopped on I-70 shoulder with left front wheel facing out 45º. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 6:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/7 "2025-10-31T18:57:21Z")
Ever hear of maintenance and repairs? Ever hear the part where it’s the vehicle operator’s responsibility to keep it in good shape ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 8:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/8 "2025-10-31T20:18:58Z")
Probably a broken ball joint, worn-out ball joints can separate over bumps. I’ve had customer’s vehicles in the shop for air bag recalls with suspensions that “knock” when driving over the hump in the center of the lift. Provided an estimate for ball joints and control arm bushing replacement, the vehicle returns a year later and still unrepaired. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/9 "2025-10-31T20:49:05Z")
Well I had a one year old Moog tie rod snap on the freeway. It wasn’t worn but th3 casting cracked in two. Not sure how maintenance and repairs would have prevented that. Maybe an X-ray machine. So it happens. I then replaced the other one. However, while the left tire flopped around some, I did maintain control with the right wheel intact. Can’t imagine it would get wedged in a modern crossing. Possible I suppose but doors still work as you grab your go bag and kiss your car goodbye standing off the tracks. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/10 "2025-10-31T21:03:22Z")
There are plenty of people that perform zero maintenance beyond tires, oil changes and brakes Or what about the guys that where it’s noted in writing and the service writer verbally tells them to their face their ball joints are shot, but they decline everything And when it DOES break, they pretend nobody told them anything, even though there is a paper trail, they signed stuff, etc ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/11 "2025-10-31T21:26:19Z")
_“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/12 "2025-10-31T21:59:32Z")
> [@bing](#): > > Can’t imagine it would get wedged in a modern crossing. When a ball joint breaks on a front-wheel-drive vehicle, the drive axle will separate at the inner CV joint. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/13 "2025-10-31T22:20:08Z")
Mine was a tie rod. Never had a ball joint break. Had one super loose though that I took apart to see and it would have taken a lot of force to pull the ball out of the joint. Spose mechanics have seen it all though. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/14 "2025-11-01T17:01:57Z")
Ball joint failure at speed… No one was hurt per the customer… Yes, it ground the end of the lower control arm off, you can see the ball still in the knuckle/spindle… ![Screenshot 2025-10-17 135943](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/7/6/76f216323e50478eaaa3c161381e3d16d600fe33.jpeg) ![Screenshot 2025-10-17 135912](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/6/4/64fa10fe8c4bab15e678fce033b0055bed78507a.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2025, 5:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/15 "2025-11-01T17:43:23Z")
Were any unusual sounds heard before the ball joint failure? At 1:23 in the railroad grade crossing video, could the driver have backed, or continued forward off the crossing overcoming the friction of the wheel askew? (When replying to someone’s post, why is their screename name not shown and post not quoted?(Why is my earlier deleted extraneous post still present?) ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 12:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/16 "2025-11-02T00:40:40Z")
> [@Robert-Gift](#): > > Were any unusual sounds heard before the ball joint failure? Sometimes you will get a squeaking noise and or a clunking/knocking type noise as a warning… > [@Robert-Gift](#): > > could the driver have backed, or continued forward off the crossing overcoming the friction of the wheel askew? Most likely not, as the inner cv axle joint will separate when the ball joint fails, so no more drive wheels, unless it has a really good limited slip differential of some kind.. But even at that, it would most likely slip due to the angle of the wheel/tire now dragging on the ground, and possibly parts of the vehicle now dragging on the ground also… ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 1:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/17 "2025-11-02T01:05:10Z")
Yeah you wouldnt drive far like that. Not to be ■■■■■■ but if the ball was still in the socket, what broke? ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 1:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/18 "2025-11-02T01:11:58Z")
> [@bing](#): > > Not to be ■■■■■■ but if the ball was still in the socket, what broke? On the Avalanche in the pic I posted?? The socket is missing, it was in the lower control arm that was ground off, what you are seeing is the top of the ball with the stud still mounted in the spindle/knuckle… The stud points down, not up in that set up… ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 1:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trains-hit-vehicles-video-01-23-left-front-wheel-tie-rod-failed/204353/19 "2025-11-02T01:57:29Z")
Looks like the complete ball joint remains in the steering knuckle, the ball joint housing pulled out of the control arm or the control arm broke. Isn’t the suspension damage the result of the collision?