My truck almost killed me: Check your tie rod ends!
04-13-2012 | 10:52 AM
#1
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Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Boulder, CO
My truck almost killed me: Check your tie rod ends!
So I converted to a Marlin Crawler high steer/crossover steering set up on my '85 a few years ago and I've got about 50-60k miles on it now. It had been great, alignment had always been straight, and steering effort offroad was much better than the stock setup. Last week though, it just decided to let go!
I'm not sure exactly what caused this to happen, other than moisture getting in there over time and rusting on the inside. Once there was a little play in the tie rod end threads, it just slowly wore itself down. There were no warning signs like bad alignment, and there was enough steering play already in the system that it just wasn't noticeable.
Luckily, I was a half mile from my house and going about 2mph when it let go, so there was no harm done to anything else. I was just turning a sharp corner to park in a meadow, nothing serious. The scary thing is I drove it 90 miles the day before running errands. From the looks of it, one hard corner or swerve at speed would have taken it out, and me with it most likely.
To get home, I was able to just align the tie rod and tie rod end while the wheel was cranked and they slipped back together. I then ratchet strapped the two knuckle arms together and limped it back home.
So, I would encourage everyone with this setup, no matter who made it, to check over their rod ends periodically and make sure everything is tight and the threads are good, both in the tube and on the rod end.
By the way, these were the Toyota FJ80 rod ends, not some knock-off brand.
Trashed threads:
The other side was actually just fine:
New tie rod from All-Pro:
I'm not sure exactly what caused this to happen, other than moisture getting in there over time and rusting on the inside. Once there was a little play in the tie rod end threads, it just slowly wore itself down. There were no warning signs like bad alignment, and there was enough steering play already in the system that it just wasn't noticeable.
Luckily, I was a half mile from my house and going about 2mph when it let go, so there was no harm done to anything else. I was just turning a sharp corner to park in a meadow, nothing serious. The scary thing is I drove it 90 miles the day before running errands. From the looks of it, one hard corner or swerve at speed would have taken it out, and me with it most likely.
To get home, I was able to just align the tie rod and tie rod end while the wheel was cranked and they slipped back together. I then ratchet strapped the two knuckle arms together and limped it back home.
So, I would encourage everyone with this setup, no matter who made it, to check over their rod ends periodically and make sure everything is tight and the threads are good, both in the tube and on the rod end.
By the way, these were the Toyota FJ80 rod ends, not some knock-off brand.
Trashed threads:
The other side was actually just fine:
New tie rod from All-Pro:
04-13-2012 | 11:42 AM
#2
holy crap!
I just did both my outers and inners on my 12 year old taco but they were nothing as bad as that! good thing it didn't let go at highway speed, coulda been ugly.
looks like you're back in business though
I just did both my outers and inners on my 12 year old taco but they were nothing as bad as that! good thing it didn't let go at highway speed, coulda been ugly.
looks like you're back in business though
04-29-2012 | 07:37 AM
#3
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Joined: Apr 2012
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I have a 1990 toyota 4runner that keeps braking off the tie rod ends at the wheel. Im up to tie rod number 3 now. toyota replaced the entire rod that went from side to side but that didn't help. It hasa tough country 4" lift and running 33 x 12.5
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