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Big daddy tie rod vs ZJ tie rod

canadianwheeler

NAXJA Forum User
Location
canada
I noticed that a lot of wheelers on this forum are running the big daddy tie rod but i am kind of concerned that it uses the stock tie rod ends. On my last trip we had a tj snap a TRE right when it threads into the tie rod. Is this a common thing?

So it made me think about other options. After a little searching i came across the ZJ tie rod swap which uses bigger TRE's. In the long run it will cost more since i would need to buy new TRE's.

Which setup would be better? Any opinions ?
 
I have ran the ZJ tierod before, its a cheap upgrade in strength. I got mine from a ZJ at the local U Pull It. I think I paid $8 for it. Sure beat the tinny thing they called a tierod on the XJs and such.
 
canadianwheeler said:
On my last trip we had a tj snap a TRE right when it threads into the tie rod. Is this a common thing?
I have a BD tie rod on my TJ and I've had the TRE that connects to the drag link bent at almost a 90 degree angle. The TRE becomes the weak point. I think the V8 ZJ tire rod is probably a great upgrade. On my XJ, though, I decided to go with an aluminum tie rod and stock ends. It was only 90 bucks shipped from macromotive.com.
 
So the ZJ tie rod is a good fit, how about the drag link? Is it also a bolt-in, and is it stronger than the stock XJ one?
 
So who has experience with any of these kits? Which one is best? Is it necessary to upgrade the drag link as well?
 
fubar XJ said:
So the ZJ tie rod is a good fit, how about the drag link? Is it also a bolt-in, and is it stronger than the stock XJ one?

The draglink is the same for a ZJ and an XJ. The tierod is different. I spent $115 on the ZJ tierod (parts houses call it an "inner tie rod end") and the TRE (outer tie rod end) at NAPA.

Part numbers and whatnot at www.stu-offroad.com
 
RedHeep said:
The draglink is the same for a ZJ and an XJ. The tierod is different. I spent $115 on the ZJ tierod (parts houses call it an "inner tie rod end") and the TRE (outer tie rod end) at NAPA.

Part numbers and whatnot at www.stu-offroad.com

wrong the is a 2mm difference in the diameter of the zj and xj drag links, the adjustment collars are different size the ZJ is a tad larger
 
I think they were actually crown parts. I ordered the NAPA part numbers. I replaced the draglink with a RHD one so I could do an OTK setup.
 
So both the draglink and tie rod from a ZJ are both upgrades for the XJ. If pulled from a yard using the existing TRE from the ZJ will they both bolt up or is some drilling required? Thanks.
 
The tie rods are interchangeable between the two without any mods needed.

I broke 3 stock tie rods, then changed to a V8 ZJ one and never had any issues after that.
 
tgoff said:
So both the draglink and tie rod from a ZJ are both upgrades for the XJ. If pulled from a yard using the existing TRE from the ZJ will they both bolt up or is some drilling required? Thanks.

bolt right up and both are about 10% larger, IVe done it a few times
 
It has give. If you get a beefy tierod and tie rod ends all it does is move the weak point somewhere else.
 
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