| Author | Message | ||||||
     Brian Dickens (Bri) Member Username: Bri Post Number: 226 Registered: 08-2002 |
I have looked into purchasing some HD versions of these two items as well as a steering damper relocation kit. I have nailed this down to Rockware, Rovertym and DAP. Does anyone have any comments on any of these setups? | ||||||
| Eric N (Grnrvr) Senior Member Username: Grnrvr Post Number: 1258 Registered: 02-2002 |
The Rovertym tract, cross rod, and relocation kit are real nice. I have seen them take some nice hits and only bend a little bit. Well worth the money. | ||||||
| EricV (Bender2033) Member Username: Bender2033 Post Number: 152 Registered: 08-2002 |
Just keep in mind that if you strengthen the cross and track rods, then they no longer act as a fuse. The impact gets transferred to other components like the tie-rod ends and *gasp* swivels. I'd much rather bend a rod than bust a swivel. | ||||||
| Blake Luse (Muddyrover) Senior Member Username: Muddyrover Post Number: 714 Registered: 02-2002 |
nice point ericv | ||||||
| Paul T. Schram (Paulschram) Senior Member Username: Paulschram Post Number: 1093 Registered: 02-2002 |
First off, you may be talking of something other than the panhard rod. The panhard rod is immobile and serves to locate the front axle. The cross tube and track rod are steering components. That said, I have the Rockware cross tube and am very pleased with it. Their customer service is hard to beat. I called them and told them I'd broken my original cross tube and was leaving on business the next day. They stopped the project they were working on and made a cross tube for me. I doubt they were pulling my leg as the box had obvious evidence the paint wasn't dry when they packaged it. I've taken a few hits with it and it has survived with nothing but a scratch. As for transferring damage to other parts, I'd expect to shear a tie rod end long before I broke a knuckle off a swivel housing. I have broken tie rod ends, but never a steering knuckle. Peace, Paul | ||||||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Member Username: Bri Post Number: 235 Registered: 08-2002 |
Sorry, what I meant was drag link and track rod. Rockware might be good choice for me as they are local. if I choose them, likely i would do the offset trackrod. However, the Rovertym stuff looks pretty stout (but does not have the offsets). I am still curious about comments on the DAP HD drag link and track rod. | ||||||
| Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) Moderator Username: Kyle Post Number: 67 Registered: 11-2002 |
That offset just says to me "Bend here". I dig the RTE links allot....But then again I have a thing for stainless.... Kyle "Blow me" | ||||||
| Paul T. Schram (Paulschram) Senior Member Username: Paulschram Post Number: 1095 Registered: 02-2002 |
Brian: I have also looked at the "bent" rod longingly. If you get one, I want to see pics. Also, how does one set the correct length with the bend? I can see many trials to set length and compromising on final setting. Dee Cottrell has the DAP rods and likes them much. Peace, Paul | ||||||
| Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) Moderator Username: Kyle Post Number: 69 Registered: 11-2002 |
Well Eric was there when Axel's drag link got the piss knocked out of it and it did bow just a tad. Since then I have been there as that rod ran the rubicon and the Dusi and it was never taken off after that first bow in the GW. Still has the same bow , and its still doing its job... Kyle "Blow me" | ||||||
| Eric N (Grnrvr) Senior Member Username: Grnrvr Post Number: 1260 Registered: 02-2002 |
Yes, Axel pretty much dislodged a boulder with it and then used it as a rock slider to go over said dislodged boulder. | ||||||
| Alan Stuart (Alan_s) New Member Username: Alan_s Post Number: 6 Registered: 03-2003 |
Once the stock tie rod or drag link get bent, it's only a matter of time...ask me how I know. When my tie rod bent on the trail, I had a piece of angle iron welded on which lasted until I got back from Moab and probably would have much longer. I then relaced it with Rock Ware bent rod and haven't had a problem since (4 years). Several vehicles have "bent" links from the factory. If it's built right, I don't think it will be a problem. The thing I like about it is, not only is it bigger, but it is up out of the way. Alan Stuart | ||||||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Member Username: Bri Post Number: 236 Registered: 08-2002 |
If someone mentioned what kind of drag/track Axel has I missed it. Curious about what kind of rods took such a serious hit. For those that have not seen the Rockware offset trackrod here is a pic \image Also to answer another question, on D1 i believe that you still have the small piece of trackrod on the passenger side for adjustment (a slight minus for this setup IMHO). Is that true Alan? | ||||||
| Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) Moderator Username: Kyle Post Number: 73 Registered: 11-2002 |
Ax has the RTE.. Kyle "Blow me" | ||||||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Member Username: Bri Post Number: 238 Registered: 08-2002 |
Sorry... try again... This is slightly different then the D1 version since this is from D90. I believe the only difference is the adjuster above, will check with Matt tomorrow.  | ||||||
| \Mike... (Mpeters) Member Username: Mpeters Post Number: 103 Registered: 02-2002 |
DAP: So I ordered a "set" of those because they were the best buy (read: cheapest price) hands down - I could get both the tie rod and the drag link for just a bit more than the drag-link alone from JJ or Matt. -and- the ball-joints were pre-tapped with little zerk-fittings, so there was a coolness factor there as well. ok - so I got them on a Wednesday. By Thursday night my rods were totally covered in surface rust (huh?) - by Saturday I had rubbed off one of the cool/sexy zirks that I left on the ball joints - so those need to be removed and capped for any real use (duh). Did I mention I had to borrow a friend and a set of pipe wrenches to force-thread the damn ball joints into the tubes that had been mis-tapped? or maybe just non-tapped? Both of them ?!?! Took like two hours to twist the damn things in - heheh - self-tapping I suppose - that, or someone forgot to QA anything that had to do with this lil package deal. I now have the Matt's/Rockware's setup. The offset bends are perfectly placed and do not introduce a weak point if the force they have to counteract is totally linear, which is what the track rod deals with - so no issues there. Have several friends with Rovertym rods - no problems there either. **** forget DAP and flip a coin to decide between the other two. /mike | ||||||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Member Username: Bri Post Number: 239 Registered: 08-2002 |
Gotcha, thanks Kyle and \Mike. So now the decision is between RW nd RTE... hmmm any deciding factors that we can think of? | ||||||
| \Mike... (Mpeters) Member Username: Mpeters Post Number: 104 Registered: 02-2002 |
lol - ya, heads its rockware, tails its rovertym. or maybe - gee, i like shiny stainless steering components = rovertym gee, i like shiny black powdercoated steering components = rockware --- | ||||||
| Will Roeder (Will_roeder) Senior Member Username: Will_roeder Post Number: 520 Registered: 02-2002 |
Mike, on those ball joints with the Zerk fittings, you said they rubbed off. What did they contact that caused them to rub off? something on the truck? or trail? Im asking because i just installed RTE tie rods with those DAP ball joints, and was wondering if i should remove the fittings and cap the holes.... | ||||||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Senior Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 130 Registered: 02-2003 |
yeah, will you had bad luck with the zerk fitting on that drive shaft too.. hehe.. AX's bending is shown on the back east video. i suggest everyone purchase the video  rd | ||||||
| Will Roeder (Will_roeder) Senior Member Username: Will_roeder Post Number: 523 Registered: 02-2002 |
Rob, hehe yea.....Zerks suck! | ||||||
| Mike J. (Mudd) Member Username: Mudd Post Number: 81 Registered: 02-2002 |
I think RTE's soud the best (bling bling) but where is the best place to get new ball joints that don't rub apart? Mike J | ||||||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Member Username: Bri Post Number: 249 Registered: 08-2002 |
A related thread: ../2/19188.html"#333333"> | \Mike... (Mpeters) Member Username: Mpeters Post Number: 105 Registered: 02-2002 |
I was just running short on time and didn't replace the zerk fittings with caps before hitting the trail. Actually, I think having greasable ball joints is a cool thing - but u don't wanna run trails with those lil things sticking out. Will, it was the fitting on the ball-joint that connects the drag link to the steering box (pitman arm) - the ball joint is upside down, so the fitting on that one sticks down into the path of rocks and misc. trail_goodness that tends to gingerly brush up against things and smash the crap outta them... The remaining fittings all face up, and are less prone to "rubbing", but still - you wanna cap those things and just use them for maintenance if you end up with ball joints with zerk fittings.. | ||||
| Alan Stuart (Alan_s) New Member Username: Alan_s Post Number: 7 Registered: 03-2003 |
"Also to answer another question, on D1 i believe that you still have the small piece of trackrod on the passenger side for adjustment (a slight minus for this setup IMHO). Is that true Alan?" Sorry I'm late responding to this, but regarding the Rock Ware tie rod, yes it does use the small factory adjusting rod on the right side. Alan | ||||||
| Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) Moderator Username: Kyle Post Number: 79 Registered: 11-2002 |
I didnt know about that with the Rockware rods. Well they just got the big thumbs down..... Kyle "Blow me" | ||||||
| Will Roeder (Will_roeder) Senior Member Username: Will_roeder Post Number: 524 Registered: 02-2002 |
yea i didnt know that either...glad i didnt get them.. | ||||||
| John Lee (Johnlee) New Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 3 Registered: 03-2003 |
There are two Rockware rods. The one for the Disco has the adjusting rod. The one for the Defender (the version that Ho and I run) do not. | ||||||
| Alan Stuart (Alan_s) New Member Username: Alan_s Post Number: 9 Registered: 03-2003 |
That's probably the weak link, but in 4 years mine hasn't been a problem. It is somewhat protected over there and it sure makes it easier to adjust. Alan | ||||||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 251 Registered: 08-2002 |
Well rockware will pretty much make whatever you wish. John, is yours the offset defender trackrod? If the adjuster link is gone, I assume that both ends are right hand thread, and that toe-out is adjusted by rotating the whole track rod is this correct? Wouldn't this be tough with the offset in it? | ||||||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 252 Registered: 08-2002 |
Oh yeah, John, ever smashed it? Anything bad happen? | ||||||
| John Lee (Johnlee) New Member Username: Johnlee Post Number: 4 Registered: 03-2003 |
My version is the Defender model, with one of the sides reverse threaded. It's very easy to adjust. The offset portion is low enough that you can crank the tie rod (sort of like a hand drill) without even removing the tie rod from the hubs. Just loosen the clamps on each side and crank the tie rod for more toe-in or toe-out. If you need a very fine adjustment, you can undo one of the ball joints and adjust that one only. No, I've never even scratched the tie rod, and I look under there a lot. I'm always shocked when I see it, because there's not even a scratch on it. The bottom of my axle casing is mangled and the drain plug is mangled enough that it's very hard to get a 1/2" drive into it, but the tie rod is clean as a whistle. Here is a "straight" and "unbendable" tie rod on Axle's Disco on the Rubicon: http://www.expeditionexchange.com/rubicon/DSC006506.jpg | ||||||
| Paul T. Schram (Paulschram) Senior Member Username: Paulschram Post Number: 1101 Registered: 02-2002 |
John, thanx for answering the adjustment question. I feel much more comfortable with the bent rod and now just need to convince the wife I "Need" one! Peace, Paul | ||||||
| Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) Moderator Username: Kyle Post Number: 88 Registered: 11-2002 |
Thats the same bend Ax has had in it for some time now. And exactly what is the difference ? You bought yours bent. Failure is what we are talking about here and that rockware is more prone to giving up the ghost because of the stress thats already been put on the tubing (Long radius stretched and weakened) Kyle "Blow me" | ||||||
| Nadim Samara (Discodino) New Member Username: Discodino Post Number: 6 Registered: 02-2003 |
I simply welded an "L" bracket to the track rod and it had been straight ever since, including a lot of bahing and a lot of tire-tugs with rocks (read: stones in Moab)...it cost me 12$ + 2$ for the spray paint. Will be doing that for the front rod as well (name elludes me). Any objections to that method, other than the un-sexiness? | ||||||
| Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) Moderator Username: Kyle Post Number: 89 Registered: 11-2002 |
Although its stronger then what you had to start with Nadim , its still not really all the strong.And it still has that characteristic of folding completely when it starts to go. Kyle "Blow me" | ||||||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 254 Registered: 08-2002 |
It looks to me like the rockware trackrod is merely offset on the drivers side. The remainder of the trackrod is straight. It also appears as though there is a mount on the diff that helps keep it from bending at that point, but I would guess that if that support took a direct hit that it would get damaged. I would think that the rockware trackrod would be just as easy to hit over towards the passenger side of the vehicle, but is likely stronger and more flexible than stock (hollow chromemolly I believe). Over on the drivers side I would think that it is harder to hit. On the other hand the straight trackrod from rovertym is likely stronger (solid stainless), but will be easier to hit than the rockware version. I wonder if rockware can do a solid stainless offset version? |
