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brand new BDS trackbar, installed, drove 10 miles, tie rod end broke WTF?

philip_g

NAXJA Forum User
Location
back in CO
I had a little wobble and turned around to head home, merged back on the freeway and all hell broke loose, got pulled over and saw this

tierod.jpg



What the heck can cause that?!? I had a SLIGHT wobble but nothing I'd expect to break 3/4" steel.
 
Maybe i'm stupid, but what's a new Track bar have to do with breaking a TRE?
 
Ok, just looked at the pic of the track bar....to me, that seems like an ass backwards design....never liked "ball joint" frame side track bars....
 
I've been running that design on a 3" lift for 8 years. I'd say it's just a bad part. Stuff happens.

Fred
 
Fred said:
I've been running that design on a 3" lift for 8 years. I'd say it's just a bad part. Stuff happens.

Fred
I'll try to get a pic, there does appear to be a flaw in the metal. Hold on.

nope, can't get a pic.

but looking at the FX end the outer sections are a nice dull, smooth, gray, then theres a line all the way through that is bright, coarse, and shiny.
 
man you haven't experienced true death wobble until your track bar snaps on the freeway at 75mph and the front end goes batshit crazy.

There has to be a reason this trackbar had so much force applied to it, looking at the remaining threads, it's BENT. I don't understand how it could be under that much force..
 
I'd be willing to bet that the death wobble set in first, THEN the TRE broke from all the rapid movement.

A buddy had nasty DW with his '04 Dodge 2500. He asked me to drive it to see what the problem was (he never heard of DW before, just told me the front wobbled bad on bumps) so we hit I-25 south from Dry Creek and there was a nice expansion joint at the top of the ramp. We hit that and I've never experienced DW like that before - I guess the difference in the size of everything the Dodge has compared to the XJ... well, that's a whole lotta mass moving around. It had the doors slapping the tops of the sills, and headed straight for the jersey wall. His factory track bar was bent at the lower of the two bends after that.

Sounds like you need to get it aligned by a shop that knows how to work with lift kits so that don't happen again.
 
That's pretty wild Phillip.

What ever force was there had the benefit of repetition. The more it hammered, the more it worked the failed part, the more it travel had to develop energy. Those taller, wider tires give up some mechanical advantage. The force acting against the tire (bump steer) has a bigger lever to work against your suspension. A poor alignment will be even less forgiving in this operating condition.

I'm curious about the direction of the bend. If the part were mounted, which way does the bend go?
 
I have the same bar for 2 years , no issues. I would call BDS, they are very good to deal with. I love there stuff.
 
Id call BDS, usually their stuff is decent quality. I run bds stuff on my rig and I know a ton of other jeepers who love their stuff. Either way their warranty is the best so I doubt they will hassle you at all.
 
Hypoid said:
I'm curious about the direction of the bend. If the part were mounted, which way does the bend go?

down and towards the rear of the vehicle.

I have a hard time buying it was the wobble, I left my house, drove down to get some zerks and some grease and noted a little vibe around 50mph, figured I'd see if it behaved on the freeway, drove from founders up to castle pines, about 2 miles, maybe less? and it was fine, very slight vibration, then exited, hopped back on, got up to speed, and wham, I nearly lost control completely.

It's funny, while I was at the parts place I ran into a guy I sold a car to 2 years ago, go figure.
 
Last edited:
xjjeepthing said:
I have the same bar for 2 years , no issues. I would call BDS, they are very good to deal with. I love there stuff.
I shot 'em an email, the end is a PASSENGER side end and I got a driver's side, so either the threads in the bar are boogered or the tie rod ends have different threads between left/right, would be just my luck I got a driver's side and a passenger's side would have saved me a tow.

the tow driver was a jeep guy though :)


and BDS was very nice in the email they sent. It helps that I'm a little less PO'd today about it.
 
uncc civilengineer said:
just wondering but how far was it threaded out... or how much is left inside the trackbar?
it broke right at the nut, was threaded out approx 1/2" with what, like 2" inside the bar.
it's supposed to be adjustable up to 6.5" of lift and I'm at about 5.
 
how did it handle once the tracbar was broken? I would be afraid that the axle would come out from under the vehicle!!
 
mjma said:
how did it handle once the tracbar was broken? I would be afraid that the axle would come out from under the vehicle!!


Which would by why he had to pull over and get towed home.
 
mjma said:
how did it handle once the tracbar was broken? I would be afraid that the axle would come out from under the vehicle!!

your frame will fold like a taco.
 
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