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Finally a heavy duty tie rod that works with 15” wheels
Modified JK TechTech related bulletin board forum regarding subjects such as suspension, tires & wheels, steering, bumpers, skid plates, drive train, cages, on-board air and other useful modifications that will help improve the performance and protection of your Jeep JK Wrangler (Rubicon, Sahara, Unlimited and X) on the trail.
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Finally a heavy duty tie rod that works with 15” wheels
So after countless phone calls to just about every vendor, fabricater whatever and giving up countless times I bit the bullet and purchased the metal cloak tie rod. They had claimed it worked with factory wheels and offset so I figured it would be the best chance possible to get a hd tie rod to work with my 15” procomp rock crawler wheels with a 3.75 backspace. When I ordered and mentioned what I was trying to fit it with they said it should work, but we’re not sure. Well I got it in the other day, and it clears the wheels, good to go. I would prefer aluminum and will be replacing the chromoly bar with a solid aluminum one and use the metal cloak tie rod ends. Over $400 for the metal cloak bar, which I think is absolutely insane for what it is, but it works. I will post pictures when I pick up the parts from the powder coater as the gold bar I’m assuming zinc is not my flavor.
I agree the bar alone is extremely heavy. Reminded me of a barbell bar without the weights. Once installed you will feel a weight difference as the front end is going to be heavy. Also, I would sent clearance images to Metalcloak so that if this comes up again, they can be more prepared to answer other customers questions about clearance issues with your type of set up. The only other option, would have been the Synergy mfg 1 tons.
You checked it from lock to lock? I know the Synergy bar used to work with 15's too, but you needed a certain amount of backspacing to make it work. I had 15's at one point in time and was real keen on the info....then I fell into a deal on tires for 17's so I bought 17's, then a couple of sets of tires later and now I'm on beadlocks with 17's. I think I'm pretty well stuck with this setup now- which isn't a bad thing IMO.
You checked it from lock to lock? I know the Synergy bar used to work with 15's too, but you needed a certain amount of backspacing to make it work. I had 15's at one point in time and was real keen on the info....then I fell into a deal on tires for 17's so I bought 17's, then a couple of sets of tires later and now I'm on beadlocks with 17's. I think I'm pretty well stuck with this setup now- which isn't a bad thing IMO.
yup checked lock to lock plenty of clearance actually. I will snap a pic and post it
Here is with the wheels straight. You can see the clearance here and it’s the same lock to lock on both ends. Dropped these off Christmas Eve and I got a phone call from my buddy on Christmas afternoon to swing by and pick them up. Normally he powder coats everything some sort of black for me as I’m not picky and don’t like flashy however this time he surprised me with a pearl red that’s close to my Jeep’s red rock crystal pearl. Pretty darn close for not seeing my jeep in a few months and doing it without a picture to go off of. I didn’t think I would like it, but mounted up it’s pretty good. All the ends have to be torqued to spec and greased. The zinc coating on the metal cloak tie rod bar was paper thin. Now I feel like I have to take my track bar to him. Total cost of powder coating free of course even though I insisted I didn’t need them done right away to spend time with his family. If anyone’s close to Allentown PA he does great work for cheap, huge oven and does cerakoating as well. The marks on them is anti seize.
It's good to see others taking the time to recoat their products.
managed to put the first gauge in it. The drag link was catching on the steering stabilizer bolt. I feel better now because i don’t have to worry about it getting scratched up which it definitely will lol. The tie rod I don’t care soo much about so when I get an aluminum one from open wide designs I will pull the track bar and have that coated along with my two 2.5 gallon air tanks mounted under the jeep. Figured on just throwing the chromoly rod in the jeep when I wheel it just in case as rausch creek is about a two hour drive from me. Here’s at full lock. I used to just spray bomb stuff in a hurry, however sometimes I will break out the paint gun and spray some black gloss single stage paint however for what I pay for powder coating it’s not worth the time. Typically I trade my buddy 3d printed stuff he needs or snowmobile parts lol. This time he said forty bucks and when I got there the drag link had the smallest imperfection I would have never noticed or cared about, but he insisted on not charging me.
Our plater/powder coater has also been generous with powder coating our parts. We still want to have him powder coat or plate other things for us in the future.
Honestly even if I have to pay his super discounted rate which I’m still going to give him something for it as he is a good friend and we’ll time is money. It’s still cheaper than prepping it mixing paint spraying it, cleaning the paint gun and putting everything away. I would have easily paid 100 just so I didn’t have to waste a few hours of time. That and while the epoxy frame paint is very strong provided you let it cure for a few days, you really can’t beat powder coat at all. I’m just happy that I found a heavy duty tie rod that works because I have spent the better part of a year on and off again looking and calling around. Every vendor says I didn’t know you could put 15” wheels on a jk. 35” tires for me on 5.13 gears I really don’t have a need to go to 37” tires. I enjoy the cheap tires. I can trash them and for 1k bucks get another set of five procomp at tires. My jeep is for function not looks, which honestly I’m surprised he sprayed them to match my jeep because he damn well knows that’s the only thing done to it that was for looks as I normally prefer everything black.
The zinc coating on the metal cloak tie rod bar was paper thin.
Typically I tell others to powder coat or replate new products before installing on their jeep. This is one instance I didn't follow my owe suggestion. We'll have to keep an eye on our Metalcloak Zinc components as I would be very disappointed if they start rusting etc.
12-25-2020, 05:08 AM
Finally a heavy duty tie rod that works with 15” wheels
