Tie Rod reinforcements

[Boostedblues]

If I install a tie rod sleeve or brace on my bronco, will the problem with the tie rods move up into the steering rack?

I’ve broken 2 tie rods and want to not worry about it.
-Brock

I feel like it will put more stress on the front CV axles as well. I'm not 100% though.

Sponsored

 

[origiNOLE]

Greetings,

Just to follow up. If I were to lift bronco w/ coil overs, run 37s, “upgrade” tie rod, and “upgrade” steering rack bushing, would I be ok if I am not a hardcore off roader? Maybe logging trails and mild off-road stuff?

Total newbie and have been reading and reading to educate myself.

Thanks!

 

[userdude]

The problem with strengthening the tie rod is as @Aonarch said, you've removed a part that is meant to be the weak link with excessive load and now, the weak link is the part in the steering rack that is weakest after the heavier duty tie rod.

Even with the HOSS 3.0, you can crack or break the cast iron housing, but especially in the HOSS 2.0, which has a weaker cast iron housing. I want to say the lack of concentricity* will in some cases cause the bushing (plastic in 2.0) to break as well.

Neither of those is going to be fun to fix on a trail, and the former, I mean who carries a spare rack?

This is where the billet 74Weld housing comes in, with concentricity fixed and (I believe) the bushing is brass; it's the same as the HOSS 3.0 bushing, since it uses those parts if that's your rack source. However, you ain't gonna break the billet rack, and they've also solved the concentricity issue.

So really, if you're off roading or doing "severe driving" (jumping curbs regularly), you probably want to upgrade at least to the HD rack (HOSS 3.0 steering rack). It will give you a sturdier housing and bushing to absorb the energy the tie rod is transferring.

If you want to rock crawl or do whoops/fast off roading, you really should go at least to HOSS 3.0, and strongly consider the 74Weld billet rack.

I feel like it will put more stress on the front CV axles as well. I'm not 100% though.

This is one thing I'm not sure about but was also wondering.

Full disclosure: Not a plant or shill for 74Weld, but they do make nice stuff. I am currently waiting on my billet stage 3 rack to be delivered ANY MINUTE NOW... lol (Note, the eagle has landed!!!)

On the other hand Exodus 4x4 does sell the billet racks (w/install) and this is his sales pitch. I would say most of what he's saying is true more or less for the HOSS 3.0 rack. Note that Wolf Caves in Mason is very grippy and lots of tie rods been broken out there, including in Raptors. Note that @mpeugeot offers a programming service for a reasonable fee if you're in Texas or whatnot.



* Very minute wobble AFAIU

 

[userdude]

Greetings,

Just to follow up. If I were to lift bronco w/ coil overs, run 37s, “upgrade” tie rod, and “upgrade” steering rack bushing, would I be ok if I am not a hardcore off roader? Maybe logging trails and mild off-road stuff?

Total newbie and have been reading and reading to educate myself.

Thanks!

Get a spare inner tie rod or two and TD Industries Tie Rod Kit and leave it in your truck, you should be fine. Just be ready to change it if it does break (nothing says it's only off road conditions, you could turn into a pot hole or hit a curb at the wrong angle). You only really want to change the rack if you're being adventurous or use it under certain conditions that might bind or extend the tie rod as the tire drops.

One thing to consider is stock configs are better (as long as you have HOSS 2.0) at not breaking the tie rods. Suspension lifts cause stress that don't occur otherwise, so lifting with bigger tires is probably another reason you should consider it, just because you're no longer at a lower stress angle due to the lift.

 

[BlueBronco]

Greetings,

Just to follow up. If I were to lift bronco w/ coil overs, run 37s, “upgrade” tie rod, and “upgrade” steering rack bushing, would I be ok if I am not a hardcore off roader? Maybe logging trails and mild off-road stuff?

Total newbie and have been reading and reading to educate myself.

Thanks!

You will be okay without the tie rod and bushing upgrade. Most failures are driver induced resulting from not knowing when to lay off the skinny pedal.

 

[Snacktime]

Welcome to wheeling, next step is spending money on the steering rack. I would go hoss 3.0 since you get a whole package. Run that for a while and you can then step up to full billet housing. If you want to wheel hard 74Weld is the only real option. All options will include still buying tie rods. I currently think Hoss 3.0 is the best deal.

With 35 to 37 in tires you will be killing wheel bearings, ball joints and tie rods.

 

[akturbo]

To me, you didn't do anything wrong. That is simply a BS design.

 

[1st 75th ranger]

If I install a tie rod sleeve or brace on my bronco, will the problem with the tie rods move up into the steering rack?

I’ve broken 2 tie rods and want to not worry about it.
-Brock

yes the issues will find the weak spots
i use bronco busters for tie rod easy install and look cool
will upgrade steering when i have money

 

[Billy Goat]

The problem with strengthening the tie rod is as @Aonarch said, you've removed a part that is meant to be the weak link with excessive load and now, the weak link is the part in the steering rack that is weakest after the heavier duty tie rod.

Even with the HOSS 3.0, you can crack or break the cast iron housing, but especially in the HOSS 2.0, which has a weaker cast iron housing. I want to say the lack of concentricity* will in some cases cause the bushing (plastic in 2.0) to break as well.

Neither of those is going to be fun to fix on a trail, and the former, I mean who carries a spare rack?

This is where the billet 74Weld housing comes in, with concentricity fixed and (I believe) the bushing is brass; it's the same as the HOSS 3.0 bushing, since it uses those parts if that's your rack source. However, you ain't gonna break the billet rack, and they've also solved the concentricity issue.

So really, if you're off roading or doing "severe driving" (jumping curbs regularly), you probably want to upgrade at least to the HD rack (HOSS 3.0 steering rack). It will give you a sturdier housing and bushing to absorb the energy the tie rod is transferring.

If you want to rock crawl or do whoops/fast off roading, you really should go at least to HOSS 3.0, and strongly consider the 74Weld billet rack.



This is one thing I'm not sure about but was also wondering.

Full disclosure: Not a plant or shill for 74Weld, but they do make nice stuff. I am currently waiting on my billet stage 3 rack to be delivered ANY MINUTE NOW... lol

On the other hand Exodus 4x4 does sell the billet racks (w/install) and this is his sales pitch. I would say most of what he's saying is true more or less for the HOSS 3.0 rack. Note that Wolf Caves in Mason is very grippy and lots of tie rods been broken out there, including in Raptors. Note that @mpeugeot offers a programming service for a reasonable fee if you're in Texas or whatnot.



* Very minute wobble AFAIU

Exodus has my old 2.0 rack that has been beefcaked with 74 Weld parts for sale, I opted to stay with the Ford performance rods be it still want a fusible link when I decide to Yee Haw it at a moments notice.

 

[userdude]

Exodus has my old 2.0 rack that has been beefcaked with 74 Weld parts for sale, I opted to stay with the Ford performance rods be it still want a fusible link when I decide to Yee Haw it at a moments notice.

You went the stage 2 route? Did they upgrade the bushing or do anything else?

 

[Billy Goat]

Also has the old 3.0 housing from mine as well minus the tie rods

 

[Billy Goat]

I went the full 74 weld, everything I'm mentioning is just left over parts

 

[Billy Goat]

Exodus to the fantastic job, I ordered the 3.0 from the dealer and it showed up in a week. Imagine that.
Drove down to San Marcos. Got there. 7:00 a.m. dropped off the Bronco, hung out for a few hours. It was done after lunch
They've got a portal on display in the showroom to Oogle. I'm waiting on a set. I like the idea of being to run a kinda stock suspension and keep the geometry

 

[Az_Squatch_Bronco]

I looked at all the Tie Rod braces and really felt it was a short cut and more of a band aid. Would they possibly transfer stress to the rack, probably?.

I did take the Bronco on a very moderate trail on the stock tie rods, and axles. I felt that you certainly have to be more aware of your line and how much skinny pedal you are giving the Bronco. Coming from Jeeps, it seems that you may need a little more finesse than with a straight axle perhaps.

I have since went with FabTech Tie Rods, Rough Country rack bushings, RCV Axles, and the FabTech Coil over lift on 37s.

I have ran 2 difficult trails with that setup and the Bronco really feels solid, even stock it felt good on the trail.

One thing I have to get use to with the IFS, you are going to carry a tire on some obstacles, just no way around that, that means you cant hammer thru an obstacle because once that tire comes down, you are asking for breakage.

I am going to see how the stock rack holds up, upgrade it if it ever gives up the ghost. Right now I feel like the upgraded tie rods and axles will absorb some stress vs passing it on to the rack..time will tell.

So my 2 cents skip all the marketing hype on tie rod braces and upgrade the tie rods. I feel like the makers of the braces were just trying to make a quick buck when there was not a lot of HD tie rods out there for the bronco.

 

[Az_Squatch_Bronco]

Tire hop is a killer.

Sponsored