Bent tie rod

[popeye]

So this weekend when out at a 4x4 poker run. Took my eyes off of the trail for a few seconds the passenger front tire didn't quite clear a stump. We were going less than five mph, but it stoped the rig completely. Ended up with both tires pointing outward with a bent inner tie rod. I know many have had this happen befor me, and know they carry spares. I was able to remove it and straighten it back out with a high lift jack handle and a hitch reciever tube, and could finish out the rest of our day. It will get replaced as soon as the new one come in the mail. The thing that suprised me is how slow we were going and fast it happened to us. I know it was not bent befor, because i checked them that morning. So this has me wondering wheather to try to strengthen up the new ones with a few stitch welds sticking a piece of round stock to it, or sleeving it with some tubing. My thoughts are to install it, find my toe adjustment. Then remove it to sleeve it. But does any one think that it will just move the weak point to the rack and pinion, making it a less trail friendly repair. Right know it might be a kind of "fuseable link".
Thoughts? Ideas?

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[Admin]

 

[nbomar]

So this weekend when out at a 4x4 poker run. Took my eyes off of the trail for a few seconds the passenger front tire didn't quite clear a stump. We were going less than five mph, but it stoped the rig completely. Ended up with both tires pointing outward with a bent inner tie rod. I know many have had this happen befor me, and know they carry spares. I was able to remove it and straighten it back out with a high lift jack handle and a hitch reciever tube, and could finish out the rest of our day. It will get replaced as soon as the new one come in the mail. The thing that suprised me is how slow we were going and fast it happened to us. I know it was not bent befor, because i checked them that morning. So this has me wondering wheather to try to strengthen up the new ones with a few stitch welds sticking a piece of round stock to it, or sleeving it with some tubing. My thoughts are to install it, find my toe adjustment. Then remove it to sleeve it. But does any one think that it will just move the weak point to the rack and pinion, making it a less trail friendly repair. Right know it might be a kind of "fuseable link".
Thoughts? Ideas?

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Mine bent the same as yours. We were going pretty slow on a night ride. Approx 7-9mph. Hit a rock on passenger side and it was bent. I've thought the same thing about strengthening it. Wouldn't want the rack to be the weak link then though.


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[swsebek]

Just replace it. And check the A -Arm mounts for signs of fresh paint flaking or torn welds.

 

[BeerMonkey]

would a-arm guards help? my thinking it might keep you off the rocks enough without having to move your weak link so something more expensive. and if you basically make your tie rods static you wont be able to re align anything if your arms get slightly tweaked.

 

[BeerMonkey]

not to side track.....BUUUTT was the poker run fun? ive done it for years on powerboats and kinda wondered if it would be fun on a SxS.

 

[sharp]

So this weekend when out at a 4x4 poker run. Took my eyes off of the trail for a few seconds the passenger front tire didn't quite clear a stump. We were going less than five mph, but it stoped the rig completely. Ended up with both tires pointing outward with a bent inner tie rod. I know many have had this happen befor me, and know they carry spares. I was able to remove it and straighten it back out with a high lift jack handle and a hitch reciever tube, and could finish out the rest of our day. It will get replaced as soon as the new one come in the mail. The thing that suprised me is how slow we were going and fast it happened to us. I know it was not bent befor, because i checked them that morning. So this has me wondering wheather to try to strengthen up the new ones with a few stitch welds sticking a piece of round stock to it, or sleeving it with some tubing. My thoughts are to install it, find my toe adjustment. Then remove it to sleeve it. But does any one think that it will just move the weak point to the rack and pinion, making it a less trail friendly repair. Right know it might be a kind of "fuseable link".
Thoughts? Ideas?

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It will move the weak point if you sleeve it. Keep it factory it is designed to bend before it bends anything else. A tie rod is about $20 and is easy to change.

 

[sharp]

would a-arm guards help? my thinking it might keep you off the rocks enough without having to move your weak link so something more expensive. and if you basically make your tie rods static you wont be able to re align anything if your arms get slightly tweaked.
View attachment 46153

A arm guards would not have helped him any in this situation. If you hit something like a stump with the front of the tire hard it will bend the tie rod.

 

[popeye]

It will move the weak point if you sleeve it. Keep it factory it is designed to bend before it bends anything else. A tie rod is about $20 and is easy to change.

yea it just sucks being the guy that broke, when out with a few rigs its one thing, but when holding up 50+ other vehicles it gets to me.

 

[popeye]

not to side track.....BUUUTT was the poker run fun? ive done it for years on powerboats and kinda wondered if it would be fun on a SxS.

they are a blast! lots of rigs, lots of people, so you don't get a lot of miles ran, but still lots of fun. unless you end up being the trail plug.

 

[BeerMonkey]

A arm guards would not have helped him any in this situation. If you hit something like a stump with the front of the tire hard it will bend the tie rod.

ohhh my bad i miss read that. i thought the stump hit the rod from underneath.

 

[popeye]

would a-arm guards help? my thinking it might keep you off the rocks enough without having to move your weak link so something more expensive. and if you basically make your tie rods static you wont be able to re align anything if your arms get slightly tweaked.

I have a-arm gaurds, they don't protect or strengthen the tie rods

 

[BeerMonkey]

they are a blast! lots of rigs, lots of people, so you don't get a lot of miles ran, but still lots of fun. unless you end up being the trail plug.

so do you all end up taking the same trails? it would be cool if they were just a a cross roads or something so there were multiple ways to get to the same card stops. ill have to keep an eye out for the next one that come up down here id like to go to one.

 

[popeye]

A arm guards would not have helped him any in this situation. If you hit something like a stump with the front of the tire hard it will bend the tie rod.

it wasn't even that hard of a hit, is what concerns me, the stump might have been 20" tall and we were going a slow as these rigs can go, but it did completely stop us.

 

[popeye]

so do you all end up taking the same trails? it would be cool if they were just a a cross roads or something so there were multiple ways to get to the same card stops. ill have to keep an eye out for the next one that come up down here id like to go to one.

for the most part every one takes the same trails, there a few bypasses around the more difficult sections or trails.

 

[sharp]

it wasn't even that hard of a hit, is what concerns me, the stump might have been 20" tall and we were going a slow as these rigs can go, but it did completely stop us.

Bending a tie rod at slow speed may have something to do with how much weight is in the rig. It's just one of those freak things that happens sometimes. You may ride for the next 3 years and never bend another tie rod.

 

[Windrock1000]

it wasn't even that hard of a hit, is what concerns me, the stump might have been 20" tall and we were going a slow as these rigs can go, but it did completely stop us.

At 5mph and 2000# machine with full stop. You put about 36 Ton of force thru that little rod.

 

[Jshell3]

So this weekend when out at a 4x4 poker run. Took my eyes off of the trail for a few seconds the passenger front tire didn't quite clear a stump. We were going less than five mph, but it stoped the rig completely. Ended up with both tires pointing outward with a bent inner tie rod. I know many have had this happen befor me, and know they carry spares. I was able to remove it and straighten it back out with a high lift jack handle and a hitch reciever tube, and could finish out the rest of our day. It will get replaced as soon as the new one come in the mail. The thing that suprised me is how slow we were going and fast it happened to us. I know it was not bent befor, because i checked them that morning. So this has me wondering wheather to try to strengthen up the new ones with a few stitch welds sticking a piece of round stock to it, or sleeving it with some tubing. My thoughts are to install it, find my toe adjustment. Then remove it to sleeve it. But does any one think that it will just move the weak point to the rack and pinion, making it a less trail friendly repair. Right know it might be a kind of "fuseable link".
Thoughts? Ideas?

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Where you by chance in Oxley, Arkansas?

 

[JACKAL]

So this weekend when out at a 4x4 poker run. Took my eyes off of the trail for a few seconds the passenger front tire didn't quite clear a stump. We were going less than five mph, but it stoped the rig completely. Ended up with both tires pointing outward with a bent inner tie rod. I know many have had this happen befor me, and know they carry spares. I was able to remove it and straighten it back out with a high lift jack handle and a hitch reciever tube, and could finish out the rest of our day. It will get replaced as soon as the new one come in the mail. The thing that suprised me is how slow we were going and fast it happened to us. I know it was not bent befor, because i checked them that morning. So this has me wondering wheather to try to strengthen up the new ones with a few stitch welds sticking a piece of round stock to it, or sleeving it with some tubing. My thoughts are to install it, find my toe adjustment. Then remove it to sleeve it. But does any one think that it will just move the weak point to the rack and pinion, making it a less trail friendly repair. Right know it might be a kind of "fuseable link".
Thoughts? Ideas?

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When a moving object hits a non moving object something has to give, even at 5mph there is still 2000 lbs+ stopping instantly. The weakest link will give, in this case a relatively inexpensive tie rod.

If you considerably strengthen the tie rod, by sleeving it etc., what is the next item to give? A-arm perhaps? Not so easy or cheap to fix that when tweaked. Some have hit hard and ripped A-arm mounting tabs right off the main frame.

I have bent one on my P1K and it took a pretty bad hit, unexpected like your situation. I would rather replace 3 tie rods before having to weld on the frame or tie up a tweaked A-arm to get back to trailer. But a lot depends of where you ride as what you get away with. Here in mountains of East TN not something I want to risk.

 

[Gator]

I'd put the new one on and keep the old one as a get-back-to-base emergency spare.

I've hit a few cypress knees that stopped me dead. But so far nothing has broken.

 

[popeye]

Where you by chance in Oxley, Arkansas?

Far from it! Evans creek WA. We actually got into snow above 6000'

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