Normal for tierod to be bent?

Steelghost · 02-26-2008, 07:40 PM

Guys, I am trying to track down a shuddering that I am having while I am braking. The rotors are about a month old...but they are scored already..not sure what to make of that. Dont seem warped by my eye and straight edge. Anyways I am looking over all my steering components and I noticed my Tie Rod Tube is bent on one side. I got in a crash where I nailed a curb at about 20mph a few months ago. Only things that werent replaces were tierod and trac bar. Check these pics out and let me know if its normal or not.

Vrrooom · 02-26-2008, 08:04 PM

I dont think the stock tierod is bent like that. Some aftermarket ones are for clearance.

Haleyes · 02-26-2008, 08:06 PM

Stock XJ tierods are supposed to be straight as an arrow.

Yours......is bent.

NinjaofDoom · 02-26-2008, 09:29 PM

that looks stock but if your tires are in alignment it shouldnt cause problems unless something is loose.

XJ2000 · 02-26-2008, 09:58 PM

You've bent the tie rod, which is really easy to do with the OEM setup becuase it's pretty weak. You should replace it and get it re-aligned. It should solve your problem.

Also make sure that your trackbar is nice and tight and that you didn't bend the rim.

If you're thinking about going with an aftermarket setup, I'd recommend the Currie setup. It's great, it's a bolt-on, and it's strong as hell. I bashed the hell out of my tie rod this past Sunday when I slid over a patch of ice and onto a pretty large rock, and the Currie didn't budge or bend at all.

Steelghost · 02-26-2008, 11:37 PM

thanks so much guys! Yeah I hit a center 15" center median square on at about 20mph. I was completely locked up trying to avoid it. It was during the big socal firestorm last october, I was rushing out of the fire. It took all 4 control arms and completely bent them in half like pretzels. Stuffed the entire axle assembly up into the wheelwells, blew an axle seal, bent both rims, blew the sidewall out on one tire, blew my shocks.....thank God for insurance.....the funny thing is the day before I had just had her aligned, rotated, and balanced lol.

That Currie setup is sweet, but way over my budget. I will look at a stock replacement or maybe a cheaper aftermarket. I need to replace my trackbar anyways because the crash sheered off the zerk and now I cant get the threads out of the ball joint to put a new one in.

XJ2000 · 02-26-2008, 11:48 PM

You could always upgrade to a ZJ tierod, they're a bit beefier than the XJ one.

Just becareful with what aftermarket setup you go with. Some aftermarket setups retain the OEM tierod ends, which causes them to be weak (such as the Bid Daddy tie rod). Go with a setup that increases the strength of the TRE's as well as the actual tie rod itself; unless you swap it with the ZJ stuff.

Blackspike85 · 02-28-2008, 08:32 AM

sorry to hi jack, but does anyone recommend a certain aftermarket tie rod ? I've been looking for a while and they all pretty much look to be identical ! I'm in the $120 and under buget. Thanks

02-26-2008, 11:37 PM	#6
Steelghost Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 292 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	thanks so much guys! Yeah I hit a center 15" center median square on at about 20mph. I was completely locked up trying to avoid it. It was during the big socal firestorm last october, I was rushing out of the fire. It took all 4 control arms and completely bent them in half like pretzels. Stuffed the entire axle assembly up into the wheelwells, blew an axle seal, bent both rims, blew the sidewall out on one tire, blew my shocks.....thank God for insurance.....the funny thing is the day before I had just had her aligned, rotated, and balanced lol. That Currie setup is sweet, but way over my budget. I will look at a stock replacement or maybe a cheaper aftermarket. I need to replace my trackbar anyways because the crash sheered off the zerk and now I cant get the threads out of the ball joint to put a new one in. __________________ '93 Cherokee Country 4.0L H.O. 4X4 Stock Height Rusty's Airtube w/K&N cone filter 62mm overbored TB with 62mm spacer Thule Racks Crager Black D window 15x7 wheels Flowmaster Super 40 muffler w/Dynomax tail pipe Magnaflow hi-flow cat Bank's Torque Tube Header Pioneer sound system GPS Wet Okole seat covers Grant 15" signature series racing steering wheel Heavy Duty rear leaf springs Hella Black Magic Driving Lights CSF 3 core radiator w/ 180 T-stat JET Stage 2 computer module