74WELD Steering Rack installed review on my Bronco Raptor

[TheBraptor]

Last week we installed a 74WELD steering rack in my Bronco Raptor. I am not going to go into too much into detail on the install since these will have to be installed by 74WELD or an authorized dealer. My steering set up is as follows: 74WELD steering rack with RPG's Bronco Raptor Steering Tie Rod Kit.

I have spent the last 7 days in Moab wheeling trails and trying out the rack. I wheeled in Area BFE, Hells Revenge, Metal Masher, Poison Spyder, Flat Iron Mesa and Top of the World. I will be back there in a few weeks for Bronco Safari.

If you're looking for a steering rack that can solve the problem of weak factory steering racks and want to be worry free offroad, you will want to get the 74WELD steering rack. This rack improved the steering drastically, it can withstand the extreme forces and vibrations of off-road driving. This steering rack is built to handle the toughest terrain, from rock crawling to bombing in the desert. It took everything I threw at it, and it held up when it should have broken. It has custom-designed internals, which reduce play and improve steering feel. When I pointed the tires, they went without any deflection in the steering. The only thing I can compare this rack to is a Howe rack that is found in race trucks. I turned against rocks, I shock loaded it and drove it like I had full hydro steering. This rack took it, and any worries I had about breaking another rack went away. If you plan on really using your Raptor I recommend getting this rack.

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[Tye]

Thanks for sharing your experience, I wish I could get one of these now. When they release to the rest of us in June Ill be doing this.

 

[FLSTFI Dave]

Looks like a very nice unit.

 

[Bmadda]

Last week we installed a 74WELD steering rack in my Bronco Raptor. I am not going to go into too much into detail on the install since these will have to be installed by 74WELD or an authorized dealer. My steering set up is as follows: 74WELD steering rack with RPG's Bronco Raptor Steering Tie Rod Kit.

I have spent the last 7 days in Moab wheeling trails and trying out the rack. I wheeled in Area BFE, Hells Revenge, Metal Masher, Poison Spyder, Flat Iron Mesa and Top of the World. I will be back there in a few weeks for Bronco Safari.

If you're looking for a steering rack that can solve the problem of weak factory steering racks and want to be worry free offroad, you will want to get the 74WELD steering rack. This rack improved the steering drastically, it can withstand the extreme forces and vibrations of off-road driving. This steering rack is built to handle the toughest terrain, from rock crawling to bombing in the desert. It took everything I threw at it, and it held up when it should have broken. It has custom-designed internals, which reduce play and improve steering feel. When I pointed the tires, they went without any deflection in the steering. The only thing I can compare this rack to is a Howe rack that is found in race trucks. I turned against rocks, I shock loaded it and drove it like I had full hydro steering. This rack took it, and any worries I had about breaking another rack went away. If you plan on really using your Raptor I recommend getting this rack.

Great that somebody has gotten it installed! I'm taking the series of pics to mean that they removed your original unit, disassembled it, then built the 74weld shell with your original internals? Reason I ask is the major stumbling block for most non-Raptor and non Wildtrak 3.0 owners ATM is that there is a sales hold on wt3.0/Raptor rack currently, however I would assume that any Bronco that has already had that mod could be upgraded currently?

 

[TheBraptor]

Great that somebody has gotten it installed! I'm taking the series of pics to mean that they removed your original unit, disassembled it, then built the 74weld shell with your original internals? Reason I ask is the major stumbling block for most non-Raptor and non Wildtrak 3.0 owners ATM is that there is a sales hold on wt3.0/Raptor rack currently, however I would assume that any Bronco that has already had that mod could be upgraded currently?

Yeah I took out my rack and swapped the internals into 74weld unit. I broke my original rack and it took over 5 weeks to get the new one into the dealer. The same day I got it back I pulled it out and put in the 74Weld rack.

 

[Baja Bronco]

Did you have a Hoss already? Could you ballpark a total price, internals, 74weld rack, install? You can PM me if you don’t want to put it out there. Thinking of going this route, thanks.

 

[Tye]

The rack will sell for $4900, but if you already have a Bronco Raptor they will be able to reuse your factory rack guts as you already have the HOSS 3.0 rack. You can send them your rack and have them swap your internals over and ship it back to you. They don't sell just a housing because the electronics removal and installation is a fairly technical procedure. Doing that saves you $1900 off that price so the cost would only be 3K for the rack.

 

[98infinity]

anyone have 3.0 rack part number?

 

[telenerd]

Will this rack stand up to the abuse of potholes and curbs?

 

[Baja Bronco]

The rack will sell for $4900, but if you already have a Bronco Raptor they will be able to reuse your factory rack guts as you already have the HOSS 3.0 rack. You can send them your rack and have them swap your internals over and ship it back to you. They don't sell just a housing because the electronics removal and installation is a fairly technical procedure. Doing that saves you $1900 off that price so the cost would only be 3K for the rack.

So, I don’t have a Hoss. So it’s $4900 for the rack, correct, with internals? Then it has to be installed, and programmed? Roughly another $2K? So, $7K for everything, give or take?

 

[Breptar]

So, I don’t have a Hoss. So it’s $4900 for the rack, correct, with internals? Then it has to be installed, and programmed? Roughly another $2K? So, $7K for everything, give or take?

From my understanding it’s 4900 for everything out there door. That covers install, programming and alignment.

OP - aren’t you concerned that by running the rpg tie rods, the rack internals are the weak points? Idk, as nice and strong as the RPG tie rods are, I feel like running the stock ones might save money as the tie rod itself is the weak point. It’s cheaper to replace a tie rod than the rack internals.

 

[Tex]

From my understanding it’s 4900 for everything out there door. That covers install, programming and alignment.

OP - aren’t you concerned that by running the rpg tie rods, the rack internals are the weak points? Idk, as nice and strong as the RPG tie rods are, I feel like running the stock ones might save money as the tie rod itself is the weak point. It’s cheaper to replace a tie rod than the rack internals.

I don't think the internals are going to be weaker than the RPG tie rods, but the rubber belt might be the first wear item and weakest link...shouldn't be a big deal to replace the belt by itself and I'd be ecstatic if that ends up being the weak link. The plastic pulleys might be another weak point as well, but none of those are going to leave you stranded, you'll just be without power assist until they're fixed.

I've already paid for my 74Weld housing and it's on order, just waiting for it to ship out. I'd love to know at what point it'll actually break, and what it'll take to get there, maybe the RPG tie rods are strong enough to reach that point, who knows. I was concerned initially about longevity of that poly bushing that eliminates the preload, but they've since replaced it with a bronze bushing, so it should last a lot of miles in addition to being way tougher than OEM.

 

[BigMeatsBronco]

The rack will sell for $4900, but if you already have a Bronco Raptor they will be able to reuse your factory rack guts as you already have the HOSS 3.0 rack. You can send them your rack and have them swap your internals over and ship it back to you. They don't sell just a housing because the electronics removal and installation is a fairly technical procedure. Doing that saves you $1900 off that price so the cost would only be 3K for the rack.

wow what a deal...I'm gonna do this upgrade...the way I see it, it's only a few bucks more than BBs junk is and NO COMPARISON.
Probably do this after Moab trip, as I don't think it will be ready in time to ship and swap.

 

[SS Bronco]

So, I don’t have a Hoss. So it’s $4900 for the rack, correct, with internals? Then it has to be installed, and programmed? Roughly another $2K? So, $7K for everything, give or take?

Not sure if received a answer on this, but Exodus 4x4 I believe was doing the program an install for something like $400.

 

[Baja Bronco]

Not sure if received a answer on this, but Exodus 4x4 I believe was doing the program an install for something like $400.

Still trying to get an exact how much for what? Went on their site, doesn’t even seem like they’re available? Hopefully the OP will address it if he sees this.

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