10 Ways Worn Steering Parts Affect Fuel Efficiency

Fuel is a major operational cost. If semitrucks continuously guzzle fuel, operational costs will rise exponentially.

Fleet managers want to increase semitrucks’ efficiency, and mechanics want to strengthen the vehicles’ performance for their customers. The condition of the steering system is a factor that people cannot overlook. Worn steering parts create a chain reaction of issues that directly affect fuel efficiency. Here are the steering complications you need to know to keep semitrucks in prime condition.

1. Increased Rolling Resistance From Misalignment

When components like tie rods and ball joints wear out, they’re unable to hold the wheels in the correct position. Misaligned wheels do not roll straight ahead; instead, they scrub against the road surface as the engine works to push the vehicle forward. Issues, including improper toe, camber, and caster angles, arise.

The continuous scrubbing action creates a substantial increase in rolling resistance. The engine must generate more power to overcome this friction, burning more fuel in the process. A vehicle with even a minor alignment issue is constantly fighting against itself, turning potential energy into wasted heat and tire wear instead of forward motion.

2. Tire Scrubbing and Drag

Directly related to misalignment, tire scrubbing is a major source of inefficiency. Worn steering parts cause the wheels to point in slightly different directions. For example, excessive toe-in causes the front of the tires to point toward each other, while toe-out makes them point away. In either scenario, the tires drag sideways as they roll forward.

The drag effect acts like a brake; it forces the engine to work harder to maintain speed. The energy that should propel the truck grinds the rubber off the tires. The result is a noticeable drop in miles per gallon and a much shorter lifespan for the tires, compounding operational costs.

3. Uneven Tire Wear

When tires do not make even contact with the road, their rolling resistance changes for the worse. Worn steering components are a primary cause of irregular tire wear patterns, such as feathering, cupping, or excessive wear on the inner or outer edges.

An improperly worn tire is less efficient at transferring power to the pavement. The engine expends extra energy to keep the vehicle moving. Routinely aligning the tires and maintaining the steering parts helps tires wear evenly and operate efficiently.

4. Binding Steering Components

Over time, steering components—such as king pins, ball joints, and steering gears—can suffer from a lack of lubrication, contamination, or simple mechanical wear. The parts bind or stick instead of moving smoothly. When a driver makes a steering correction, a binding component requires greater force to move, and it may not return to center easily.

This binding creates parasitic drag within the steering system itself. The power steering pump must work harder to overcome the resistance, drawing more power from the engine. The constant extra load, however small, adds up over thousands of miles to a measurable increase in fuel consumption. Regular lubrication and inspection are necessary to prevent this.

5. Constant Steering Corrections

A vehicle with worn steering parts rarely tracks straight without driver intervention. Looseness in the steering wheel from worn tie rod ends or a failing steering gearbox forces the driver to make continuous small adjustments to keep the truck in its lane.

Every steering input, no matter how minor, causes slight changes in the vehicle’s path and tire direction. Constant micro-adjustments are highly inefficient because the truck never rolls straight and experiences drag. Drivers will feel exhausted from repeatedly correcting the semitruck’s position, and the vehicle will steadily burn excess fuel.

6. Increased Power Steering Pump Load

The power steering pump is an accessory driven by the engine’s serpentine belt. When worn or binding steering components make the system harder to turn, the pump must work at a higher pressure to provide assistance. The increased workload places a greater parasitic load on the engine.

An engine under a higher accessory load must burn more fuel to maintain its revolutions per minute and produce the horsepower needed to move the truck and run its systems. While the power steering pump’s draw may seem minor, its continuous operation under stressful conditions contributes to a noticeable decline in overall fuel economy.

7. Vibration and Harmonic Imbalance

Worn steering parts, along with unbalanced tires, introduce vibrations that travel through the chassis of the truck. This harmonic imbalance is another form of wasted energy. Instead of contributing to forward motion, the engine’s power is diverted into creating oscillations and shaking the vehicle.

Vibrations are a clear sign of a loss of mechanical energy. The engine must compensate for this loss by burning additional fuel to maintain the desired speed. Addressing the root cause—which is commonly a combination of worn steering parts and tire balance issues—restores mechanical efficiency.

8. Wheel Fight and Driver Fatigue

Some worn components, like ball joints or king pins, can no longer absorb and dampen road forces effectively. The driver must exert more physical effort to maintain control of the steering wheel.

The constant battle leads to driver fatigue and less precise steering inputs. Overcorrecting for bumps and tracking issues becomes common, resulting in the same kind of zigzagging inefficiency seen with constant steering corrections. A smooth, responsive steering system allows for more efficient driving and a less fatigued operator. Replacing old king pin sets is a common solution to restore stability.

9. Reduced Cornering Efficiency

A tight and responsive steering system allows a driver to navigate turns and curves smoothly. When steering parts are in poor condition, the system becomes loose and unpredictable. A driver may need to slow down more than necessary before a turn and then accelerate more aggressively on the exit to get back up to speed.

The excessive braking and accelerating cycle is a big contributor to poor fuel economy. A truck with a functional steering system carries more momentum through corners and demands less throttle input to resume its cruising speed.

10. Secondary Component Damage

Neglecting worn steering parts can cause a cascade of failures in other related systems. For example, severe vibration from a failing steering system places extra stress on wheel bearings, suspension bushings, and even drivetrain components. As these other parts begin to degrade prematurely, they introduce their own sources of friction and errors.

This creates a snowball effect where one problem leads to several others, all of which contribute to increased mechanical drag and higher fuel consumption. Proactively addressing how worn steering parts affect fuel efficiency prevents this broader system degradation and keeps the entire vehicle running as it should.

Restore Fuel Efficiency With Quality Parts

It’s evident that worn steering components hinder semitrucks’ fuel economy and longevity. By addressing worn parts proactively, you can reduce rolling resistance, minimize driver fatigue, and prevent a cascade of secondary failures.

For top-quality replacement components that restore vehicles’ performance, turn to Van Horn Truck Parts. We provide the durable parts mechanics and truckers need to keep fleets running efficiently and reliably. Contact us today to find the right parts for your trucks.