Broke my Bronco’s tie rod on rack and pinion 🤬

[EJC]

This looks really embarrassing for the Bronco. This is third time now I seen this with the other two seen on YouTube. I’m nowhere near knowledgeable in off-roading since bronco will be my first experience but I already heard from experienced off-roaders that rod is asking to be snapped easily. Do other off-road vehicles have this problem? Don’t know how Ford can advertise this as a serious off-road when it doesn’t take much to snap it seems.

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[shimmy825]

Perhaps that’s the new tierod disco feature for increased articulation.

Only available on the Broken Arches edition

 

[Snydermann]

If you reinforce the tie rods, then you risk destroying the rack.

This should be an interesting dilemma.

Conventional steering box and steering linkage, virtually indestructible, but probably not as cheap to make as a steering rack.

 

[Rubicon 2 Badlands]

Seems like Ford could come up with a compression sleeve that would go around the exposed threads to give it stiffness and strength. Otherwise one of us need to be making them. Ford should, but will they?

 

[Obiwan]

Finally, we're in the first model year of a new design. There's always something that's beyond what any reasonable engineer can imagine.

No, this is simply unacceptable when a Bronco is touted as an off road specialty vehicle.

This isn't like they just reinvented the wheel with the Bronco. IFS, rack and pinions, and large wheel/tires have been around for a very very long time. Any "reasonable" engineer need only take from the playbook that has long been established for vehicles of this size and weight and especially wheel/ tire sizes that are stock on SAS.

It's a very simple formula, long established, torque, twist, and sheer strength tested. Ford has ample background in offroad racing and so forth, they know these tie rods are tiny and will leave many stranded in time I have no doubt. Guess this is what keeps the aftermarket industry thriving though.

 

[Bronco1971]

If OEMs made a vehicle optimized for every scenario it would weigh a ridiculous amount and cost a ridiculous amount. Certain individual customizations are going to be necessary. Like I said earlier, we're the earliest buyers so we're going to be the ones ferreting out what those needs are.

Rack vs gear has to do with a lot more than cost. Bronco's on road and highway manners are the results of IFS and rack and pinion steering. Personally I value that.

 

[Bronco1971]

No, this is simply unacceptable when a Bronco is touted as an off road specialty vehicle.

Disagree. It is an off road capable vehicle that has to be better than a Jeep on the highway, which it is. There are going to be compromises. It's also based on the Ranger which is also not a specialty off road vehicle.

It should be noted that in factory delivered form it is by far superior off road to an early Bronco.

 

[swooshdave]

This looks really embarrassing for the Bronco. This is third time now I seen this with the other two seen on YouTube. I’m nowhere near knowledgeable in off-roading since bronco will be my first experience but I already heard from experienced off-roaders that rod is asking to be snapped easily. Do other off-road vehicles have this problem? Don’t know how Ford can advertise this as a serious off-road when it doesn’t take much to snap it seems.

Things break off-road. Frequently. Just the way it is.

 

[bman3000]

The way it looks, you do a sudden course correction with the steering wheel while you are spinning the tires? I tried rewinding and watching a few times but it happens pretty darn fast. On IFS correcting while heavy on the throttle is a no-no and will lead to tie-rod ends snapping. Lite-Brite has a video where a dude in a hummer does the same thing - heavy on the gas, tires slipping, course correction while still heavy on the pedal and snapped the tie-rod end when the tires grabbed mid-turn. She mentions in the video they see it often with the IFS.

That being said, would a beefier rod work? Hopefully!! Keep us updated on if it's warrantied or not man!

Yup, I see it now, I’m turning hard left forcing the rear of my tire into the log the same time it snapped.

Seems the inner tie rod assembly is a straight forward repair. I won’t bother with a warranty request for that. I’ll likely buy a few dozen extras to carry on the trail as well. Lol.

Hopefully a reasonably priced upgrade will be available soon as this happened way to easily. Fortunetly I was in good company that got me back on the road this time.

 

[wetdog]

Hollister has had a few obstacles that were designed to break stuff ,one as the tire pit filled with old tire and you drove across it. If you made it through call yourself lucky I saw more than a few pick up a tire and wipe out brake lines .

 

[fschael]

Definitely NO BUENO.

That's not even hardcore off-road and it has 35's on it.

I hope Ford improves this and not as a Ford Performance aftermarket part.

 

[Dave-O]

Definitely NO BUENO.

That's not even hardcore off-road and it has 35's on it.

I hope Ford improves this and not as a Ford Performance aftermarket part.

As a fellow Houstonian, I demand more photos of your flooded Street crosser

 

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[telenerd]

Broken tie rods, blown 2.7 engines, recalled hard tops, air bag recall, cv clips busting off, radiator hoses failing off, brake booster issues, electrical issues, any thing else I miss?

 

[Fireman]

That's a Nice trail repair. Its good to see resourceful people.

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