Stock Tie Rod

[BradO]

Ok, I've seen the videos an H2 crashing onto some rocks and SNAP goes the tie rod. Read HMR, they said to always carry a spare, weak link, blah blah, but again the description was going over some rocks. Smash my H3 around all the time, never any trouble. Had to bring my brother back to Gilmer, Tx to pick up his FJ that broke down the week before out there. Decided to take a couple of moderate dirt trails in the 2. The video and pics are what followed. If anyone asks me, the tie rods have to be replaced before going off road. Phil was great getting a pair sent overnight. I probably have bothered him too much since, but he's a wealth of knowledge. Love the Fabtech ones so far. They really look solid on the H2. I don't expect the same simple breakage from these.....Anyway, here's my poor video and yes OnStar saved my a**. The dealership also installed the Fabtech Tie rods at N/C. Great Hummer service.:

http://www.latechsupport.net/Offroad/hummer/H2Tierod_sm.wmv (http://www.latechsupport.net/Offroad/hummer/H2Tierod_sm.wmv)

[BDPJR]

I've heard the Fabtech TR's are nuke proof; shame that Hummer d/n make a better one from the start... Did they think we wouldn't test them off road. I'm ordering them tonight. Yup, gotta love On-Star....

[ROX]

How did you bend it on a flat road?

Also, what size tires are you running?

Glad you were able to get it fixed! Phil saves the day again!:beerchug:

[Boar-Ral]

It looks like a very unusual location to have the tie rod break. I am worried about the tie rods on my rig but have been careful when offroad. Some of the offroad locations we have gone to have been terrifying but going slow and keeping an ear out helps. (One thing I noticed is that with excessive strain on the steering components, you can hear the telltale metallic "ping ping ping." That is my first sign to stop what I am doing and attempt a different maneuver.) That being said, upgraded tie rods are at the top of my list of things to replace.

One quick question for those who have replaced tie rods: can you replace them without jacking up the vehicle? It looks like you just need to align the wheels, though I understand that alone might be a near impossibility without jacking. The reason I ask is if the vehicle was in an unstable or off-camber environment, I would not want to jack the vehicle if it is avoidable. Another reason I would prefer to replace the tie rod ends in a garage before they break offroad.

[mdoyle]

It looks like you also wasted your sway bar end link, that last pic shows a 45? bend in it on the passenger side. Hopefully your dealership caught that and replaced it too.

[aj_111_78]

The fabtech trs are made out of aluminum with a ball joint like the stock ones. thats why I went with cognito there are made out 1 inch tube steel. with hyme joints. Hyme do where and get some play in them. So pick the which ever you feel best with.

[dochummer]

You have to jack up the side that you're changing, in order to allow the tire to turn out and back to get it set back up. It looks like you're running 37's, yeah, it would have been a good idea to upgrade the tierods before going out. Hopefully you're rig won't end up all over the web like the infamous "H2's Suck" video. :jump:

But, if you want advice on changing tierods, you should ask someone more experienced with the procedure like Rox... :jump:

[KenP]

I've heard the Fabtech TR's are nuke proof....They're not. I'm on my third set. It's usually the inner joint that goes bad.

And as far as that vid goes: Great. Just what we need, another TR breaking vid.:rolleyes:

[timgco]

They're not. I'm on my third set. It's usually the inner joint that goes bad.

And as far as that vid goes: Great. Just what we need, another TR breaking vid.:rolleyes:

X2. I will be replacing my second one. You have to make sure that boot is not torn. I have done this twice now, and it has caused them to go bad.

[KenP]

X2. I will be replacing my second one. You have to make sure that boot is not torn. I have done this twice now, and it has caused them to go bad.We bend them in the joint.

[007hum]

They're not. I'm on my third set. It's usually the inner joint that goes bad.

And as far as that vid goes: Great. Just what we need, another TR breaking vid.:rolleyes:

How did you end up wearing them out? Why do you think they failed on you? What were some of the symptoms you experienced?

Thanks in advanced,

[NYSUT]

on a seperate note
brado great looking sut

[KenP]

How did you end up wearing them out? Why do you think they failed on you? What were some of the symptoms you experienced?

Thanks in advanced,We got bound up at Tellico and bent one then. Seeing those big tires flapping around still gives me a pain in the chest. Moab and Tellico bent some and the joint just wears out. We can go through them pretty fast with the big tires.

Also, as Tim pointed out, the boots can tear. Watch the passenger side especially. That side has a tendancy to hit the underside of the frame and wear the top of the boot out. It's easy to see by sticking your head in above the tire and looking at it.

We couldn't tell they were bent until I had an alignment done. When turning the rod, it rotated in an elliptical pattern, not a circle.

[H2 BULLY]

That was the first mod I did on my truck is change out those suck a** stock tie rods. FABTECH ROCKS:perfect10s:

[aj_111_78]

You guys that have had bad luck with fabtech check out Cognito motorsprots or Bullet proof steering. I am not a big fan of fabtech myself.

[tomp]

The Fabtech tie rods are nice, but the problem goes further than just the tie rod alone. jack up one wheel off the ground and leave other on the ground. Now take the wheel that's in the air and turn/shake it hard from side to side really hard. You can see the Center Link turn upwards from the play in GM Pitman and Idler arm assembly. This movement of the center link puts the tie rods in an awkward position and will snap any brand of tie rod if wheeling hard enough.

If you really want to bullet proof your front IFS steering and protec your tie rods, install the Cognito Pitman and Idler kit. It will also drive so much better and get rid of all the "float" when driving even on pavement. This is one of the best mods I have done to my H2!


How did you end up wearing them out? Why do you think they failed on you? What were some of the symptoms you experienced?

Thanks in advanced,

[007hum]

The Fabtech tie rods are nice, but the problem goes further than just the tie rod alone. jack up one wheel off the ground and leave other on the ground. Now take the wheel that's in the air and turn/shake it hard from side to side really hard. You can see the Center Link turn upwards from the play in GM Pitman and Idler arm assembly. This movement of the center link puts the tie rods in an awkward position and will snap any brand of tie rod if wheeling hard enough.

If you really want to bullet proof your front IFS steering and protec your tie rods, install the Cognito Pitman and Idler kit. It will also drive so much better and get rid of all the "float" when driving even on pavement. This is one of the best mods I have done to my H2!

Great find.....

[BradO]

They caught the bend in the link, but it's taking forever to arrive at the dealership just like the replacement stock tie rod (over 10 days) and my H3 door panel (going on 2 months). I got one for an extra right now. I'm going to look at the Pitman/Idler thing. That makes sense. I don't mind having the tie rod as the weak link, I just don't want something breaking on a moderate dirt trail. Break hitting a boulder or going over a cliff or something. Sorry bout another TR video, but I just wanted anyone wheeling to know: Keep an extra set or upgrade. Don't go off road unprepared thinking you're only doing something EASY. Easy aint offroad, ever. Thanks NYSUT. Just got my front and rear cameras set up to use on the trail and I was in/out in 10 minutes......Disappointed, but looking forward to next time....

[hummer74]

how much did you guys pay for the cognitos or the fabtech tie rods?

[BradO]

$230 Pr. for Fabtech from Trail Duty....

[KenP]

Tomp, we've replaced the center link also.

[obzidian]

interesting... ya know, an h2 is not easily matched or surpase when comparing stock for stock vehicles when off-roading. It has to have some kind of little quirk just so its not considered godly. Just to even it out!!

Im in the process of getting a order for the tie-rods, pitman/idler, and possibly that centerlink. I know the Cognito's are rod-ends and they transmit more noise than a standard rubber bushing. Anyone have anything like this with any of the two tie-rod kits?

Also, anyone get a leveling kit from cognito, any feedback?

Sorry, hijackd'!!

[tomp]

Phil steered me away from the SS centerlink stating it was for off road use only. I am not sure why...

The problem I had with my stock centerlink was not entirely the flex, but due to the fact the ends of the stock CL curve and get pushed upward in a rotating motion allowing the tie rods to move inward without moving wheel on opposite side. This is a two-fold problem. One is caused by the curved ends and the other is caused by play in the Pitman and Idler arm assembly. Granted the straight SS CL solves both os these problem as well as the flex in the CL;)

The Cognito Pitman and Idler Arm kit solved my rotating CL and got rid of the play in my Pitman/Idler arm assembly. It's so much better than stock that the need for the SS CL is mostly gone for my needs.

The problem I need to resolve is that I have cranked up my torsion bars so far that I need need to figure out how to get it into OEM alignment specs. darn thing is better ride than stock once I custom fabbed up the Cognito Shock Extensions

[Alan06SUT]

The cognito pitman/idler kit really helps out. Also, dont both of you guys who broke bent the tie rods have fabteck lifts and 38's??? I don't recall anyone stock height with even 37x12.50's bending/breaking them. Am I right?

Also, that video, its just that quick burst that slammed the front tires into the hard packed dirt at diffrent angles=snap! The fabtecs would not have broken it that instance IMO (maybe flexed a bit). Those 2500 truck skinny ass rods are just not up to par for the massive momentum that can occur with the weight of the H2 and rolling mass of 35" wheels!

[KenP]

The cognito pitman/idler kit really helps out. Also, dont both of you guys who broke bent the tie rods have fabteck lifts and 38's??? I don't recall anyone stock height with even 37x12.50's bending/breaking them. Am I right?I do, Tim doesn't.

[rusty]

[quote=KenP]They're not. I'm on my third set. It's usually the inner joint that goes bad.

How can I tell if the inner joint is bad??

[Agriv8r]

We have been lucky, 9 off road events and only one tie rod mishap:excited: