Track Rod Replacement

[inside]

I bent mine so have been looking at options. Just wondering if there's any difference between RHD and LHD drive solutions, as in can I get a US one and it'll fit to a RHD Defender here?

Has any one bent an upgraded one at all?

[rick130]

HD duty track/tie rods are made here, Maxi Drive was the first to offer them commercially, there are a couple of other suppliers around the country too.
Pretty sure you can get the Maxi Drive ones from MLR Automotive in Brissy these days.
A lot of the UK aftermarket suppliers now make them too.

The old Maxi Drive ones are 32x16mm seamless tube, if you bend that you have bigger issues :o

Why on earth Land Rover persists with that pathetic piece of spaghetti masquerading as a steering component I'll never know, and then to add a piece of aluminium channel to jam it solid when it bends....:wallbash:

[pc3]

I put the Brit part ones in from new.... They are very heavy duty in comparison to the rubbish ones that where in it

[ugu80]

I think goes for rear trailing arms too (rear lower link arms in L/R speak). Went to 'The Cape' last year and came across a 130 at Palm Creek (1st south crossing of the OTL) with a left hand trailing arm that was doing an impression of a boomerang. Guy said he was spinning a bit in the mud (rear ARB air locker engaged) when the left rear wheel suddenly got traction on a log and the link arm just gave way. Something that has worried me ever since.

[85 county]

EBAY, C???? 4x4, good kit and quite cheep

[inside]

Thanks guys, this is on an army 110 and according to my parts book it's not a standard part so I'm thinking I bent an upgraded one already. Just measured it and seems to be around 33mm round. Could've been bent before and I just re bent it I'm not sure.

Can anyone tell me how thick the standard track rods are? Also how thick the rear trailing arms are? They look thicker too however it looks like the army 110s use the civ versions of these.

[harry]

andrew, try giving S G Leslie and Sons a call, they are in melbourne,
several of our members have their stuff, and i also can reccomend their gear, as i have it on the v8.

[djam1]

Just measured a standard one and they are 22 mm

[inside]

Just measured a standard one and they are 22 mm
OK thanks, it's concerning that I bent a bigger one, at 22mm I can see why the original item is such a weak point.

[rick130]

Thanks guys, this is on an army 110 and according to my parts book it's not a standard part so I'm thinking I bent an upgraded one already. Just measured it and seems to be around 33mm round. Could've been bent before and I just re bent it I'm not sure.

Can anyone tell me how thick the standard track rods are? Also how thick the rear trailing arms are? They look thicker too however it looks like the army 110s use the civ versions of these.

Yep, JRA made the Perentie with a HD one.

Unusual to bend one of those.

[djam1]

Just checked the Britpart ones I installed recently they were 30mm
Don't think you will bend them though they had very heavy walls
I understood the steering box shaft is what breaks next

[PAT303]

You should all fit heavy steering arms so next time you hit a rock the ball joint pops out.There is a reason the arm is weak. Pat

[djam1]

Im so glad that Land Rover is the only manufacturer that enables this safety feature lol

[lambrover]

I had a Brit part one and bent it good and proper at land cruiser mtn park. I then fitted one from MR automotive, near brisbane.

[PAT303]

Im so glad that Land Rover is the only manufacturer that enables this safety feature lol

I've been stuck three times with popped balljoints in jap vehicles that required much time and effect to recover,I've bent two LR track rods that took minutes to restraighten,LR's idea is better. Pat

[Loubrey]

Believe it or not, Pat 303 is right. Defenders have a number of reasonably easy fixable componants that are purpousfully "weaker" to prevent more serious damage further up the system.

The guys doing pro-comp all replace these parts, but they've usually got the budget to replace PAS pumps, steering arms and a significant list of componants that will let go when the sacrificial componants are upgraded too much.

I've bent track rods out in the wild in the past, but you can bend it, fix it and get going again without any major hassle.

In terms of upgrades, the UK guys do an hard steel "over pipe" that fits over a standard 22mm rod making it significantly stronger and it's a lot cheaper than replacing the rod.

Cheers!

[wagoo]

The upgraded steering rods are ok for deep mud and rutted tracks with softish crowns, but in rocky terrain 2 tons of vehicle with high tractive effort pushing against a 33mm dia bar will still bend them fairly easily. A length of spring steel bar slipped inside a standard rod worked well for me when I was bending rods . Why doesn't some firm make spring steel trackrods that will flex upon string an obstacle and spring back to straight again? This should also give the tie rod ends an easier time.
Wagoo.

[inside]

I'm looking into the off set ones, they look to solve the problem by getting it out of the way as much as possible.

As far as the sacrificial component goes, there seems to be two issues. It can bend because it gets stuck on stuff or it can bend because of wheel force. I can solve the first problem by getting an off set one. With the second issue can't you just keep the standard drag link and it should fold before breaking the steering box, a new one is like $30 I could just keep a spare just in case.

So is there any difference between LHD and RHD track rods? I wouldn't think so but you never know.

[pc3]

I've been stuck three times with popped balljoints in jap vehicles that required much time and effect to recover,I've bent two LR track rods that took minutes to restraighten,LR's idea is better. Pat

Pat sounds like I should put the OME track Rods Back in !! Makes sense, I was infromed pre -purchase that the track rods where so weak that they would bend to easily.................now wondering if I should when I get the chance put the OME track rods back in or Up grade the next part down along the line..........but would you be doing that while in warranty ?

[rick130]

Pat sounds like I should put the OME track Rods Back in !! Makes sense, I was infromed pre -purchase that the track rods where so weak that they would bend to easily.................now wondering if I should when I get the chance put the OME track rods back in or Up grade the next part down along the line..........but would you be doing that while in warranty ?

There was a reason JRA upgraded the stock track and steering arms when they developed the Perentie locally.

I'll stick with my upgraded ones thanks ;)

[Iain_B]

I have a Troutbeck axle guard on my Discovery - and that has been great at protecting the diff, steering rods etc.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

I know it fits the older Defenders as shown above, but does anyone know if it will fit on my MY2011 Defender - I might swap it over before I head up to Cape York next week.

[wagoo]

I have a Troutbeck axle guard on my Discovery - and that has been great at protecting the diff, steering rods etc.

http://www.troutbecksales.com/images/axel2.jpg

I know it fits the older Defenders as shown above, but does anyone know if it will fit on my MY2011 Defender - I might swap it over before I head up to Cape York next week.

Can't help you as to whether it fits 2011 Defers, but I had one of those on a hybrid that I use for work on my bush block. I ended up removing it because not only does it reduce clearance as your photo clearly illustrates, but also the large surface area creates suction and a lot of drag in deep mud. I just straighten the Maxidrive upgraded trackrod every once in a while. Actually the vehicle in the photo looks very much like 'Swaggi' the hybrid i'm refering to.
Wagoo.

[Iain_B]

I found mine on the D1 great on sand and mud - it helps slide over the top instead if digging in. Mine could barely fit a washer between the plate and the bottom of the axle - so hardly any difference in clearnance - 10mm max

[1103.9TDI]

So what's gonna break if you don't bend a trailing arm?, I've got QT's +2' front and rear, and have no more hasell straightening out bent gear when I go bush. They are an excellent bit of kit :).

[inside]

And look what came in the mail today. Got some new tie rod ends coming from MR tomorrow so should be good to go on the weekend.

http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/9362/igp9143.jpg