2021 Bronco snaps both tie rods valiantly on extreme obstacle (Queens Throne obstacle on K2 trail)

[Bradnewt]

That is actually a broken rack and pinion, the tie rod end is still attached to the steering knuckle and the threads of the rack are broken off where they screw into the tie rod end. If you look at the end of the rack, it is bent as well. Maybe the tires were bound up between rocks and could not turn causing a failure at the weakest link of the steering system.

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[Chipt7]

This is the owner's fault, not Ford's, the Bronco was not designed to take 37" tires from the factory. This was a stock Badlands, non-Sasquatch, the factory tires are 33" (285/70R17). Ford never said you could put 37" tires on a factory stock Bronco and not break things.

Should Ford consider strengthening the tie-rods in the future, maybe, but drive outside the limits of the design and you will break stuff, standard off-roading, pay to play.

Putting on bigger tires is always something you need to plan on upgrading other parts it is a given. This was not driver error in terms of how he took the obstacle, is what I was saying.. It was the weak link of the tie rods that took the blunt force which relates to the bigger tires that the owner put on... Good thing it was just the tie rods.

 

[Gamecock]

Putting on bigger tires is always something you need to plan on upgrading other parts it is a given. This was not driver error in terms of how he took the obstacle, is what I was saying.. It was the weak link of the tie rods that took the blunt force which relates to the bigger tires that the owner put on... Good thing it was just the tie rods.

Well....to a degree. You should have enough margin for error to be able to upgrade one tire size and be fine. So, the steering comes stock with 35s, so putting on 37s and wheeling it and crawling should be no problem. I realize this particular vehicle came with 33s, but it's the same components that they ship with Sasquatch. It's concerning.

 

[Destroyer]

Well....to a degree. You should have enough margin for error to be able to upgrade one tire size and be fine. So, the steering comes stock with 35s, so putting on 37s and wheeling it and crawling should be no problem. I realize this particular vehicle came with 33s, but it's the same components that they ship with Sasquatch. It's concerning.

As others have mentioned, there were likely other factors in play here beyond casually driving up that rock face. Without a video, its hard to say. That being said, the Fun-Haver bronco ran the entire Rubicon trail on 37s with no issues. Yes I'm aware that they had some different components (Billet UCAs, different coilovers, etc) but there was no mention that the steering was anything but factory. I tend to think this is more of a bad line, extreme obstacle, and sending it in a situation where you shouldn't be; rather then a weakness in a stock component

 

[Skydoc]

Looks like it came apart at the threads. The angle on that cv joint looks a little extreme too.

The bigger the tire, the bigger the lever....

A fact I learned with a 4 dr wrangler on 40's. Put one tons on it shortly after. Also you need to get off the gas if it starts hopping and take obstacles easy.

 

[710-oil-614]

Driver tomfuckery and the tie rods being weak don't have to be mutually exclusive - in fact they make quite a nice pairing which caused this to occur.

We've all watched Loren wheel the Bronco next to the step child. Yes it was lifted and being wheeled by Loren Healy but the bottom line is he showed what the Bronco can do when driven properly.

Man the SAS package really isn't that great of a deal considering that I will replace nearly everything but the axles and gearing that come with it. Really tempted to just keep the BD with the rear locker but definitely still want the front.

 

[ajdavis19]

 

[mandrew]

Are the tie rods on SFA suspension made any different? Would SFA have made any difference here? I gues my point is, the AXLE didn't break, the tie rod did. Seems like both IFS and SFA would have tie rods that would see similar steering forces during these maneuvers.

Yes they are significantly different. SFA uses a significantly beefier Tie Rod and a Drag Link to accomplish what the 2 Tie Rods on IFS do. Ignore the aftermarket axle, the steering components here are factory JLU Rubicon.

 

[lobbs611]

I've heard of others breaking tie rods and rack/pinions get shot when putting 37s on... So I don't think this is driver error... Ford needs to look into this... As it seems it only happen s when getting these rigs with big shoes offload and doing what they are meant to do! They definitely don't make them like the classics anymore.

37's aren't factory (yet) so what does Ford need to look in to? Once you start modifying things you're taking the possibility of breaking other things into your own hands. We now know, because a few have found the limits, that upgraded tie rod ends should be on the list of prerequisites if you're wanting 37s and some more serious off-roading. You find these things out on every platform. Doesn't matter if it's a Camaro, Mustang or Bronco. There are weak points that if you want to take the next step need to be addressed first.

 

[Mr Smith]

Mag inspection ?

 

[rsmtracker]

37's aren't factory (yet) so what does Ford need to look in to? Once you start modifying things you're taking the possibility of breaking other things into your own hands. We now know, because a few have found the limits, that upgraded tie rod ends should be on the list of prerequisites if you're wanting 37s and some more serious off-roading. You find these things out on every platform. Doesn't matter if it's a Camaro, Mustang or Bronco. There are weak points that if you want to take the next step need to be addressed first.

I was going to say exactly the same. Ford looking into it will say warranty is toasted son. Simple as that. 37's are bigger and heavier than the 35's they may have factored in the package with lockers, and even so, i'm sure some will soon find IFS with lockers or not, are not supposed to be bounced on rocks with the skinny pedal buried to the floor, much less with the wheels turned one way or the other. Thread lightly with 35's and more so if you're wheeling rocks with 37's. Rocks have a magic way of finding the weaker links, beef up the tierods and what's next? in this case the steering rack, beef up the axels and whats next ? your pinion gear ? it's a money game if people want to play. That's why we have Dynatrac 44 or 60 or 80's in the Jeep World for example

 

[rsmtracker]

Yes they are significantly different. SFA uses a significantly beefier Tie Rod and a Drag Link to accomplish what the 2 Tie Rods on IFS do. Ignore the aftermarket axle, the steering components here are factory JLU Rubicon.

Lol
Whoever put the descriptions on that picture have it all backwards.
The tierod is what you see in the picture where it says drag link, and where it says tie-rod, that's the draglink

 

[Aaonter]

My vote for 'best common sense advice guys let testosterone overide'

My Jeep is my DD and sometimes work truck. It's lightly modded (Rubi suspension, disconnects, winch, on board air & 33's) and taken wheeling regularly. I am always aware of both my, and its, limitations. If I spend more than 30 seconds debating if I should try something...I auto default to 'I shouldn't do that'.
Better to 'wimp out' than have to call S.N.O.R.R. to pull me out - or to be without my DD while it gets repaired.

Know your skills, know your vehicle, and for god's sake know everything you can about the trails your about to take. There's plenty of great resources for that last bit (Trails Offroad being my go to for info - with Gaia gps on the screen while wheeling). And if you're new to the dirt, find a good, low agro group to show you the basics....

Yeah and now more than ever if it is your DD. I have a stripped bolt that is on backorder. A bolt. Was able to get a temp from Napa but still. Some parts are hard if not impossible to get for Jeeps. The Bronco is going to be straight up impossible.

 

[Al Cowlings]

Lol
Whoever put the descriptions on that picture have it all backwards.
The tierod is what you see in the picture where it says drag link, and where it says tie-rod, that's the draglink

A fair critique, but his overall point still stands. SFAs are beefy where it counts. This design, however, has its own potential issues, like death wobble. Truly a case of “pick your poison.”

 

[Razorbak86]

As others have mentioned, there were likely other factors in play here beyond casually driving up that rock face. Without a video, its hard to say. That being said, the Fun-Haver bronco ran the entire Rubicon trail on 37s with no issues. Yes I'm aware that they had some different components (Billet UCAs, different coilovers, etc) but there was no mention that the steering was anything but factory. I tend to think this is more of a bad line, extreme obstacle, and sending it in a situation where you shouldn't be; rather then a weakness in a stock component

The video of this specific failure is posted in this very thread. It was posted by the Bronco owner on his TikTok page.

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...throne-obstacle-on-k2-trail.24614/post-865584

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