I FUBARED A Fabtech tie rod

[Alan06SUT]

Mt driver side tie rod did not break, got me home, but it has about 1/4" of play in it and is bent. I barely notice it unless I'm tried to climb a real steep hill. I have a new set ordered. If the truck is on a lift, you can move the wheel back and forth and hear it and see the bend, but when driving, it just wonders slightly more ( I figured it was just the tires).

[NJ H2]

That must have been some heavy wheelin to do that damage!

[tomp]

Alan, did you have the Cognito Pitman and Idler support kit on there? Just curious, because I can see how the kit could ease the pain on the tie rods as it prevents them from getting into extreme angles.

[Alan06SUT]

Originally Posted by tomp

Alan, did you have the Cognito Pitman and Idler support kit on there? Just curious, because I can see how the kit could ease the pain on the tie rods as it prevents them from getting into extreme angles.

Yes, I do have them on there. I'm sure if I didn't have the fab techs or maybe the cognito kit, I'd have popped the tie rod completely and been screwed. I carry the stock tie rods as spares just in case.

[Alan06SUT]

Originally Posted by NJ H2

That must have been some heavy wheelin to do that damage!

I may...stay tuned...

[DRTYFN]

WTF did you do? You'd really have to screw the pooch to break a Fabtech tie rod.

[Alan06SUT]

Originally Posted by DRTYFN

WTF did you do? You'd really have to screw the pooch to break a Fabtech tie rod.

I did it on my own hill out on the farm...I think??? It started making funny noises when climbing and bouncing. I beleve it was the ball joint in the Fabtech tie rod sice it has about 1/4" of play right now. And the tie rod shows evidence that the sway bar was hitting it a little.

CV shafts are fine, centerlink is straight, no bolts are loose, so I dont know what else would cause that type of noise. And the boot on the tie rod is busted.

[Alan06SUT]

Originally Posted by PhilD

Nevre had any noise out of a TR even when the ball joint is blown.

It's very unusual to blow a ball joint quickly, it usually fails from premature wear, usually from other steering component premature wear.

If your passenger side of the center link is sitting higher than the drivers side, this can cause the PS TR to push up on the CL, causing the TR inner ball joint to bind, which will lead to failure of it.

They can wear from abuse on the trail, but it is usually not quickly.

I better inspect the centerlink closely, it seems like that could also cause the swaybar to hit the Tie rod if its bent.

[Alan06SUT]

Originally Posted by PhilD

You can wear the inner ball joint on Fabtech tie rods (and stock tie rods for that matter) just by having a bad Pitman or idler arm. If you drive around with bad Pitman/idler arms you will first wear the ball joints on the tie rods, then you'll mess up the steering box. So get your Pitman/idler checked also.

Good call. I replaced them once, after my second trip to Tellico, but I believe some of you guys have replaced them multiple times!!! I'll get them checkd out again when I install the new fabtech TRE.