Bronco on Matt's Off Road Recovery

Just got done watching. Cool the way they fixed the tie rod on the trail. Love all the comments bashing the fact that the Bronco bent a tie rod and that this is proof of poor quality and that IFS if crap etc. etc. The facts. Things break when you upgrade certain things (tires/wheels) but don't upgrade the supporting stuff. In fact most off roaders I know drive stuff til it breaks, then upgrade.

Anyone else notice how they welded it and didn’t protect the CV boot or anything from the weld spatter. What are the odds there is a burn hole in the CV boot?

The tie rods are a known week point on the bronco. Unfortunately, there isn’t a video showing how the tie rod end broke.

SlashRacer

Anyone else notice how they welded it and didn’t protect the CV boot or anything from the weld spatter. What are the odds there is a burn hole in the CV boot?

The tie rods are a known week point on the bronco. Unfortunately, there isn’t a video showing how the tie rod end broke.

I'd say the odds are pretty good.

I was wondering how hard of a hit you gotta take to bend or break? Is it likely that a rock came up and struck the tie rod and that resulted in the bend?

Shoresy

I was wondering how hard of a hit you gotta take to bend or break? Is it likely that a rock came up and struck the tie rod and that resulted in the bend?

I’ve seen videos of them breaking from the front tire coming off the ground and spinning. When the front tire made contact with the ground again, it snapped.

SlashRacer

I’ve seen videos of them breaking from the front tire coming off the ground and spinning. When the front tire made contact with the ground again, it snapped.

Was that with or without a lift? I havent seen a report of stock suspention breaking a tie rod yet, but I could be wrong.

Mal

Was that with or without a lift? I havent seen a report of stock suspention breaking a tie rod yet, but I could be wrong.

I have seen a few stock ones break, but mostly the ones running oversized tires.

SlashRacer

I have seen a few stock ones break, but mostly the ones running oversized tires.

Interesting. Sure is the weak point in the suspension (which I am okay with- If something has to break, Id rather it be the tie rod than something more expensive and harder to swap out). Also doesn't seem to do well with modified angles from a lift or larger tires.
I wonder what it will look like with the Hoss 3.0.... Still, good plan to get a couple extra tie rods and throw them in the recovery gear.

@SlashRacer and @Mal - good points and thank you.
I should be working but rather check out tie rod damage on my phone…

looks to be some options.
1. Broncbuster bolt on reinforcing
2. Replacement or spare partial or compete rods (rpg was the ones I looked at).

I’m still riding on stock 33s, but sure don’t want to get stranded!

Mal

Interesting. Sure is the weak point in the suspension (which I am okay with- If something has to break, Id rather it be the tie rod than something more expensive and harder to swap out). Also doesn't seem to do well with modified angles from a lift or larger tires.
I wonder what it will look like with the Hoss 3.0.... Still, good plan to get a couple extra tie rods and throw them in the recovery gear.

I’m debating on upgrading mine to the hoss 3.0 tie rod ends or just putting the hoss 3.0 tie rod ends in my recovery bag.

First question……does anyone know 100% for sure that the hoss 3.0 tie rod ends can be bolted onto a Badlands with SAS?

SlashRacer

I’m debating on upgrading mine to the hoss 3.0 tie rod ends or just putting the hoss 3.0 tie rod ends in my recovery bag.

First question……does anyone know 100% for sure that the hoss 3.0 tie rod ends can be bolted onto a Badlands with SAS?

More likely is you'll need the upgraded steering rack too.

Seatbelts!

Shoresy

@SlashRacer and @Mal - good points and thank you.
I should be working but rather check out tie rod damage on my phone…

looks to be some options.
1. Broncbuster bolt on reinforcing
2. Replacement or spare partial or compete rods (rpg was the ones I looked at).

I’m still riding on stock 33s, but sure don’t want to get stranded!

Don’t go with BroncBuster. He is not good for the community and is sicking his lawyer on to people who create their own tie-rod reinforcement brackets (a design that had been done by others long before the Bronco came out).
JKS now has tie rod sleeves for less than $70.

Three things.
Tall lifts make for bad angles on the tie rod ends.
37s might just be a bad idea.
HOSS 3.0.

This from another vid posted lately on youtube. Also 37s, big lift. . .

This vid seems pertinent to this thread.

Done the battery welding a few times...cover the batteries with a blanket or jacket in the event it explodes tho. Good trail fix.

byronpete21

Just got done watching. Cool the way they fixed the tie rod on the trail. Love all the comments bashing the fact that the Bronco bent a tie rod and that this is proof of poor quality and that IFS if crap etc. etc. The facts. Things break when you upgrade certain things (tires/wheels) but don't upgrade the supporting stuff. In fact most off roaders I know drive stuff til it breaks, then upgrade.

I didn't watch the video, but I agree! Seen so many Jeep tie rods bent on the trail (take them off, pound them till straight enough to slip on a handle from a high lift - gets them driveable and off the trail, with some obstacles to go over to boot). And, I've seem a lot of Jeeps break the steering knuckle, and I've seen them fixed on the trail too (my husband did that, the weld was so strong, he wheeled it for another year - big rebuild was in the works). You find that achilles ankle and then make stronger and better - for whatever brand your off-roader is.

TechnicalDisaster

Don’t go with BroncBuster. He is not good for the community and is sicking his lawyer on to people who create their own tie-rod reinforcement brackets (a design that had been done by others long before the Bronco came out).
JKS now has tie rod sleeves for less than $70.

Thanks for the JkS lead. Watched the video. Looks to reinforce the currently exposed threaded piece, which is the weak spot.

Question for the experts. If I installed per the video, why is alignment needed? I mean, I’d have to miss the original placement by a full thread In order for alignment to change, right?

SlashRacer

Anyone else notice how they welded it and didn’t protect the CV boot or anything from the weld spatter. What are the odds there is a burn hole in the CV boot?

The tie rods are a known week point on the bronco. Unfortunately, there isn’t a video showing how the tie rod end broke.

What is really sad is Ford knows the tie rods are weak and they don’t fix it . So the customers suffer and that’s ok with Ford.