Bent tie rod

[bgcntry72]

After wheeling this weekend, I found that my tie rod(connecting track bar to drivers knuckle) was bent to the point that it would rub on the trackbar adjustment sleeve(Teraflex unit) when turning.
What do you guys recommend for a heavy duty tie rod?
Also, what is involved in removing this and replacing it?
Is it as easy as it seems, just pulling the pins and removing the crown nuts on either side and then just screwing the TREs into the new tie rod?
Thanks in advance for the help.

[bgcntry72]

Ordered a HD unit from JKS 5 minutes ago.
$100 but no biggie.
Any install tips would be appreciated.

[my95yj]

I did the ZJ V-8 Tie rod on mine, solid rod as opposed to the hollow XJ one, got it at auto zone too, readily available and usually near trails......
make sure and get the tight rod puller, drop the deposit for it while you are at Auto Zone.....

[WHEEL'er-DLR]

or, carry a spare...$20 bucks at a wrecking yard.

[ZPD]

Hollow XJ tie rod??? Are you sure? I thought that they are solid.
Also the drag link, not the trackbar, connects to the tie rod. It is pretty easy though. You can rent a tie rod puller (some call it a pickle fork) from Autozone and whack it a few times with the BFH and it will pop right out (after you remove the castle nuts of course).
If you don't have a autozone or other tool rental place near by or you are just completely lazy then you can just unscrew the castle nut by a few turns and whack that with the BFH down to break the seal of the taper on the TRE and you can get it out.
good luck

[Eagle]

The XJ tie rod is hollow -- the drag link is not. And I think Bgcntry is referring to the drag link rather than the tie rod, based on his description of where it is and what it connects to.

Wait a sec -- he said it connects the track bar to the driver's knuckle? There ain't nothin' connected to the track bar, that runs from the axle to the frame.

Guess I have to admit I don't know what he bent.

[bgcntry72]

Drag link.
My bad.
Apologies.

[JnJ]

Originally posted by bgcntry72
After wheeling this weekend, I found that my tie rod(connecting track bar to drivers knuckle)

If you re-read your first post, you said it connects the trackbar to drivers knuckle.
You can see the cause for the confusion right? I believe you are discribing the draglink, not the trackbar nor the tierod.

[GSequoia]

I just replaced both the drag link and tie rod on mine (with stock parts). Both were solid.

Anyway, as they said, just get a tie rod puller, whack it out, it's a simple job. When you pull hte old one put it next to the new and adjust the ends by eye. After that put the new one on, torque it up (I have the torque values at home if you need them), and take it down to an alignment shop to have it professionally aligned.

Once you do that all is good. Keep the old bent rod as a spare.

Sequoia