The argument AGAINST an upgraded tie rod

[jjnavarro]

I searched for this one, but did not find a prior post. So here it goes...

If you spend enough time on this forum, you've seen the suggestion of upgrading the stock XJ tie rod with a beefier v8 ZJ tie rod.

I have a friend, and life-long jeeper (although never an XJ owner), who argues against this upgrade.

He maintains that the tie rod should be ALLOWED to fail, acting like a fuse to prevent damage to other steering components. Spares are cheap and easy to swap out.

Thoughts?

 

[paddlernate]

Bogus. The only other part that could fail with any sort of likelihood is the steering box, and those things are pretty darn tough. You'd probly still bend the zj tie rod before you broke the steering box. The stock XJ tie rod is like a wet noodle- it's probly the most likely part of your rig to end your day of wheeling. And who wants to carry around a 4' long greasy spare part? I'd rather carry a spare box.

 

[Digger87xj]

Bogus. The only other part that could fail with any sort of likelihood is the steering box, and those things are pretty darn tough. You'd probly still bend the zj tie rod before you broke the steering box. The stock XJ tie rod is like a wet noodle- it's probly the most likely part of your rig to end your day of wheeling. And who wants to carry around a 4' long greasy spare part? I'd rather carry a spare box.

100%

 

[Hypoid]

I had a buddy drive his XJ to my house after he put on bigger tires. He told me it "wanders on the highway."

I'm guessing his "fuse" was not rated for the tires...

 

[Digger87xj]

The ZJ tie rod eliminated the death wobble on my FIL's stock XJ.

 

[RedHeep]

I've never seen a taco'd tie rod that took out a knuckle. That's the only thing it's connected to. You're still using the stock drag link to the steering box.

I ran 1.25 DOM for my steering on a stock D30 on 33's and never saw any type of failure to anything else in the front end.

 

[lazyxj]

If you spend enough time on this forum, you've seen the suggestion of upgrading the stock XJ tie rod with a beefier v8 ZJ tie rod

He maintains that the tie rod should be ALLOWED to fail, acting like a fuse to prevent damage to other steering components. Spares are cheap and easy to swap out.

If you are using the stock tie-rod as a "fuse", you had better carry a few extra ones, they bend easily, when used with oversized tires.
An ZJ tie-rod is cheap insurance against trail side repairs.

 

[jjnavarro]

Thanks, all. Good contributions here.

 

[LAF1269]

Your friend doesn't know what he's talking about.

 

[Goose_XJ88]

He probably swears up and down that his stock TJ d35 is BEEF too. Haha

 

[rockclimber]

yes and no.

he has a small point that a tie-rod is the easiest and cheapest part of the steering system that would be compromised by an impact to a rock, etc while wheeling is the tie-rod. and yes, if you upgrade the tierod so dramatically that it is indestructable, that force has to go somewhere and if you do not treat the system with some respect you will break other components. knuckles, boxes, etc.

however, the stock tie-rod is way way way to weak to be considered a good fuse.

its one thing that makes the currie steering such a great mod. their tie-rod is much stronger than stock, strong enough that it won't bend under normal circumstances but designed to bend before other parts of the system fail. and be bent back into shape relatively easily and not lose strength from being bent back as a mild DOM tie-rod will.

 

[xcm]

designed to bend before other parts of the system fail. and be bent back into shape relatively easily and not lose strength from being bent back as a mild DOM tie-rod will.

Huh! currie somehow created a new form of steel impervious to fatigue! No wonder its so expensive!

</sarcasm>

 

[rockclimber]

Huh! currie somehow created a new form of steel impervious to fatigue! No wonder its so expensive!

</sarcasm>

you're smarter than that.

the currie tie-rod is solid chromoly. it is much less prone to fatigue than mild.

obviously it would eventually succumb to fatigue. but the number of times that it would take after bending it back is far greater than that of any mild steel tie-rod.


the only thing better IMO is the 4340 heat treated. designed to bend and bend back (think extremely stiff spring)

 

[highspeed]

I have the Currie setup on my XJ. I have bent it badly 3x's. Bent back with hydraulic press all 3 times and it holds it. I DD'd my rig for a long time and trust my currie setup with my life without question.

 

[md21722]

Bogus. The only other part that could fail with any sort of likelihood is the steering box, and those things are pretty darn tough. You'd probly still bend the zj tie rod before you broke the steering box. The stock XJ tie rod is like a wet noodle- it's probly the most likely part of your rig to end your day of wheeling. And who wants to carry around a 4' long greasy spare part? I'd rather carry a spare box.

I'm with you on "wet noodle". Even on 235/75 R15's I've mangled up the tie rod twice. First time was when I ended up driving over a mobile home trailer tire that was rolling down the road at me on an angle. OK, so that may give some leeway. Second time was when I bumped a curve on a patch of icy road <5 MPH. What's next, arguing that a stock track bar is the second fuse?

 

[cal]

There are maybe 5 people on who have broken a knuckle. I've done it twice. I can tell you first hand how not easy it is.

I'd bet 10 people a week bend stock tie rods.

I guess I'm trying to say, don't listen to your buddy, he doesn't know what he's talking about. Sometimes people offer advice like that to feel better about being too cheap to upgrade.

 

[Bent]

I'm changing my steering box right now because it was the weak link. I hit a rut/step HARD; hard enough to put my steering wheel 100° off center. My upgraded steering and suspension components are just fine. I'm glad I have a stout steering box brace. Dodged that bullet!

I was able to drive home because my drag link and tie rod held.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Stock tie rods are not made for wheeling. You wont brake a knuckle.

 

[cal]

Stock tie rods are not made for wheeling. You wont brake a knuckle.

Unless you let Goatman drive.

But yes. Upgrade your steering.

No, don't let someone convince you a locker decision should be related. You're no more likely to break it open or locked. If it is stock, its just going to break.

 

[rockclimber]

Stock tie rods are not made for wheeling. You wont brake a knuckle.

hopefully both knuckles brake.... ba dum tssssss