RubyRed44

I slightly bent my tie rod backing off a rock a few weeks ago. Has anyone ever tried bending it back. My is not bent much at all and it bent right where the diff housing is. I can still drive with it but my steering feels a little loose/flighty now.

Any advise would be helpful...

I thought i saw pictures on here somewhere of someone bending it back with a winch while it was still attached to the vehicle.

RedneckJeep

I've straightened more linkage than I can remember. Heat it where it's bent and tap it out straight again on an anvil or large vise. No, it won't hurt a thing as long as you let it cool naturally. Don't quench it with water and it'll be fine.

jkkat

I use the telephone pole in front of my house. Use winch and go through pully then back to tie rod and pull where it is bent. Use caution it takes more than you think and it goes back as well.

ricrac12525

What they said .But first , take the "eye" test in the Anything & Everything section.

Joe Lightfoot

I have used my winch before. Took about two minutes worked great. Mine was bent out so I had to go over the top of the axle and back to the tie rod another reason to have a winch

RubyRed44

haha I just saw that thread and got a 3.71 or something. That should be good enough right hahaha

TexsDream77

I've bent mine in 4 places on one trip. It was pushed several different directions. I measure my adjustable stuff so I know where to adjust it back to after bending it. Anywho. I was within an 1/8" of my measurement after all the bending. But, i did adjust it back with the adjuster on the drivers side. I didn't bend it back. Just left it all bent. I think the more it gets bent back and forth the weaker it will get in my opionion. I have straighted some real prezel'ed drag links in the past.... but, we always braced them after straightening with the high lift for the ride home.

Anywho... it sounds like your going to need to do an alignment for toe after anyway... so. It's up to you weather to bend it back or not.

dpoelstra

I have a nice bow in mine too....Just adjust your toe and be done. no need for it to be straight if your toe adjustment is good.

chuck45

I don't mind straightening to get off the trail or home - but I don't care to continue to run it. It will just bend more easily next time. I just had to rescue a buddy who bent a previously bent and straightened tie rod. This time the bind he got himself in caused him to lunch the gears in his front axle. I told him to give RockKrawler a call.

I guess I'd rather not being on a tough trail or driving down the freeway at 75 mph with a known weak link.