Upgrade Review: Tie rod & Drag link replacement – Stinkyfab Jeep JK Wrangler Trail Proof Steering Kit, Aluminum
http://www.stinkyfab.com/jeep-jk-wrangler-trail-proof-steering-kit/
So I did a quick check of my drag link and tie rod and found that they were starting to go bad. How did I know that? Well there were two easy ways to check. I grabbed the tie rod and was able to move it fairly easy by hand (it should be stiff). I also had my wife turn the steering wheel about a quarter turn back and forth while I put my had on the tie rod. I could feel a slight “click” when the wheel changed directions. These two indicators told me that it was time to replace the parts before they lead to something called “Death Wobble”. I decided to upgrade to a solid aluminum rod as it takes a beating and will return straight where others could bend and retain the bent shape. I have replaced 1 drag link and 3 tie rods on my rig over 12 years and 200,000 miles. This upgrade means that I won’t have to replace it again unless there is a severe catastrophic event. Even the ends are rebuildable.
Video of the testing is here.
As shown below, the package was shipped via UPS and arrived with no visible damage on the outside.
The parts were very securely wrapped in a plastic wrap that held everything together.
It was easy to unwrap and confirm that the drag link (top) and the tie rod (middle) were in fantastic shape. The ends were clearly marked as to where each went. Using a bit of anti-seize, the joints went in with ease. I measured the ones that I took out and set the replacements to the same size.
Using a tie rod separator, I was able to separate both the left and right sides (next two pictures).
I did not get a picture of the drag link removal but it was similar to the tie rod. Installation was very simple as all it took as tightening the castle nut to the correct torque and then inserting the cotter pin to keep the nut from backing out. As shown below, the solid aluminum bars look great.
After the install the steering is tight and solid, feels like a new Jeep again! I will be updating the blog with news as I use this upgrade. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below and I will do my best to answer them.
2 Responses
How did you know you might be getting the death wobble besides the clicking noise? Also how do you do you a simple tune up on a jeep for beginners like engine knocking/clicking and squeaks.
Driving a Jeep for 12 years and driving a few that had death wobble, I could feel the start of it when I hit certain bumps. I could re-create it every time. It was not bad enough that others might have noticed it and the steering dampener made it almost unnoticeable. It is a common misconception that a steering dampener fixes death wobble but it only masks it.
Comments are closed.