| Author | Message | ||
     Mike Bauer (Mikeb) New Member Username: Mikeb Post Number: 34 Registered: 02-2003 |
What is the best way to straighten a stock tie rod on a D1? I backed up on a tree stump at Uwharrie. The tie rod that sits behind the front diff is bent forward 1". Or is it better to just buy a new one? If it matters, this is for a D1 and I have the steering dampner relocated up front using a kit from RoverTym. Thanks in advance, Mike B. | ||
| Paul T. Schram (Paulschram) Senior Member Username: Paulschram Post Number: 1596 Registered: 02-2002 |
Buy a new one. Rockware and RTE both make good ones. Keep the old one for a trail spare. Or, you could try to straighten it, grind off the dampener mount, sleeve it and have your own heavy duty tie rod. My money and time are on buying a new one. Maybe even a nifty bent one to get it up out of the way. | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 405 Registered: 08-2002 |
Technically the track rod cannot be repaired. Practically, you can repair it once or twice and after that it will be so flexible that you could bend it over your knee. I am not convinced that the offset track rods are that useful. I managed to hit mine everywhere including the areas where it is not offset, thus I went with what I believe is the stongest setup vs the most out of the way. I believe Brian Friend has another source for heavy duty *and* offset. I went with the RTE setup, draglink, trackrod and steering damper relocation. Here is a pic of my rod. ;-)  | ||
| Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Senior Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 259 Registered: 01-2003 |
Man, I don't want to see a picture of your rod!  When I bent mine I too went with the replace route. Go with a heavy duty and you will be safer and happier in the long run. I went with a set up made by redrockrovers. For $250 I got a HD drag link, tie rod, HD damper relocation kit, OME d2 damper, LR tie rod ends, and a front pinion guard. The stuff is built out the same stuff competion rock crawers use. I fell on the drag link after I installed that stuff, it deflected like 6", after I backed it off the rock it popped back into shape and my alignment was still good. I was quite happy with that upgrade. I don't think there web site is up and going so just contact Marc Olivares at; [email protected] . They have building nice stuff for people here in Utah for a while. | ||
| Cameron Dawson (Runnin_rover) New Member Username: Runnin_rover Post Number: 4 Registered: 04-2003 |
Andy, I think I saw your rig over at Pinnacle Highland. It's a sweet setup. Have you had any problems with the Pinion guards? I've never seen the two bolt method for attaching it to the axle. And where is RedRockRovers? I liked the beefiness of the tie rods and damper bracket. | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 407 Registered: 08-2002 |
Oh yeah one more thing. If you do try to repair, hit it with a BFH on a known flat object. It will work better then trying to bend back since when bending you need to pick a really good position to bend back and will likely get other bends. | ||
| Kai Dussling (Kai) Member Username: Kai Post Number: 69 Registered: 06-2002 |
On a recent outing, we straigtened a bent tie rod on the trail with: a tree strap and a second vehicle w/winch. Pretty straight forward as it was just bent back. | ||
| Paul T. Schram (Paulschram) Senior Member Username: Paulschram Post Number: 1602 Registered: 02-2002 |
Kai: If one were on the trail and needed to get home, that would be a more than acceptable way to get home (I don't want to think of what mine looked like before I got my Rockware). For a permanent fix, the cost is nominal compared to the cost of tires and a funeral, not to mention the comfort of knowing you are not likely to bend the replacement as quickly. | ||
| Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Senior Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 262 Registered: 01-2003 |
For fixing a bent one on a trail get a high lift, chain and a jack mate. Check out the jackmate description and write up on EE. Cameron- don't know if that was my truck, was it red? They are located in Sugar House near sugar house park. I haven't had any problems with the pinon guard as far as attachment goes, however I haven't wacked it on anything yet, but I feel confident it will do its job if I do. As with any protection I'd prefer not to test it at anytime, but use it as a save my ass measure if I do end up needing it. There's a group of us that wheel on and off here in Utah, send me an email if you want to try and hook up sometime. Some modifed rovers, some not, we do all kinds of trails. Send Marc and email, he can help out with any questions about his stuff. | ||
| Mike Bauer (Mikeb) New Member Username: Mikeb Post Number: 40 Registered: 02-2003 |
Thanks for all the responses. I think I'll price out used ones and a replacement from the dealer. If the price is too high, I'll try straightening it. The RoverTym and the ones from Oliver definately look tempting, but a little out of my price range right now. Thanks, Mike B. | ||
| Daniel Covaciu (Danielcovaciu) Member Username: Danielcovaciu Post Number: 242 Registered: 10-2002 |
A factory new one may be more expensive than a RoverTym unit. If your going to spend the money spend it on something thats better. Me, I like hitting all my bent suspension stuff with big hammers till they are more or less straigh. It's always worked thus far. Dan | ||
| Frode Hübertz Haaland (Discofrode) Member Username: Discofrode Post Number: 118 Registered: 02-2002 |
Straightening a track rod should be done by a hydraulic press only - that's the only way you can control the forces and have a somewhat straight endresult. Putting the straightened rod in the luggage compartment on an outing, having a strenghtened rod on your own steering, you'll be paid whisky by the jar from rovering friends wanting to borrow your old rod! | ||
| Mike Bauer (Mikeb) Member Username: Mikeb Post Number: 41 Registered: 02-2003 |
I bought a used track rod from a Rover junk yard here in Tampa, FL (Roverland) today for $40.00. I'll put it in on Sunday. Dealership wanted $142.00 for a new one. I got a nice email from Oliver for a beefed up one for $60.00 (great price!), but I did not think that I could get it in time. I have to take the Disco in for a new 3rd member on Monday. My warranty should cover the cost of the new 3rd member. Thanks for all of the helpful input. I will try to straighten the old one and keep it as a spare as I'm sure that this will probably happen again. When money frees up a bit more, I'll probably get some beefed up links so this won't happen in the future. Thanks, Mike B. | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 951 Registered: 09-2002 |
On straightening track rods. I have done a few. a BFH will work but try using you d ring to bend the thing back. It works really well. | ||
| Olaf Kilthau (Olaf) Member Username: Olaf Post Number: 71 Registered: 11-2002 |
I straightened mine using the shackle mounted on the warn sleeve which fits in the trailer hitch. Stick the shackle around the tie rod, put it back onto the sleeve and get a few guys to place their weight on it. Just make sure that you support/buffer the tie rod end that may levering upward into the gas tank. And make sure you get it as straight as you can or it will bend again! | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 413 Registered: 08-2002 |
Actually the price on a new stock track rod is equal or more then an HD replacement from RTE, Rockware or other place. If you need a trail fix for a stock part like trackrod, draglink or trailing arms (nearly anything bent on an obstacle) get yourself a small 2 ton jack that you can wedge between various body parts and the bent item (which is almost always bent up due to soming down on an object). Most of the time you have a decent trail fix without taking off the part. However if it is bent bad, then this may not work all of the time. As I said in my first post, technically you cannot repair a stock trackrod or draglink. They are both flimsy and hollow. Bending them back with a jack, shackle, d-ring, winch or hydraulic press will just make them that much more flimsy. Bending it back will make it more flimsy more quickly than hitting with a BFH (trust me I have some experience here, but I am sure there are arguments both ways). If you bend it back and forth more than once, replace it with HD and place it in your spares, it is worthless. $40 is an OK price for a used trackrod, it got you going and pretty inexpensively. But it is still not worth the $40 that you paid, it will bend just like th original and all you need to do is hit something VERY minor. I got a used replacement for $10 by giving my bent one to the seller. Brian | ||
| Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Senior Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 264 Registered: 01-2003 |
I like this method for straighting; http://www.maasdam.com/jackmate/manual.htm Go to about the 5th page of the manual to it used as a straightener. To see more about it; http://www.expeditionexchange.com/jackmate/index.htm |
