Rock Ware Offset Track Rod

[Offender110]

The original Defender steering track-rod is a somewhat undersized component and, because it sits below the level of the front axle, it is vulnerable to damage by striking rocks. One of the best aftermarket alternatives is the American made Rock Ware heavy duty offset track-rod (tie-rod) available from Expedition Exchange. Unfortunately this item cannot be shipped by post because it exceeds the maximum permissible length for the postal service. However I have recently (March 2014) imported one from Expedition Exchange using the shipping agent Borderlinx/DHL. I got Expedition Exchange to send the track-rod to Borderlinx, which cost $20.00 US, and then Borderlinx shipped it from their depot in Ohio to my door in Canberra for $63.00 US with 'live' online tracking all the way. It took just 9 days from the time I ordered the track-rod to the morning it arrived and I was able to fit it that afternoon. I'm very happy with the Rock Ware track rod and also with Borderlinx/DHL. I have no association with this company, other than as a customer, but I have used them to ship various things from the States, always with good results.

I've attached a photo of the Rock Ware offset track-rod in action. The jagged rock in this photo was far too large to move manually and , as you can see, the axle only just cleared it (I drove verrrry slowwwwly) but there's loads of clearance to the offset track-rod. A standard Land Rover track-rod would have struck this rock.

Cheers all, Matthew.

[steveG]

Great bit of gear I reckon. Goingbush posted up photos ages ago of the one on his 110.
Will be one going onto my 120 when it comes time.
Thanks for the info on shipping too. Pretty good price for something as substantial as that I reckon. Do you happen to recall the dimensions/weight as it would be useful if others are arranging freight.

Steve

[86mud]

I have a Roving Tracks one in my 130. Took a little to get the alignment right.

just trying to google Roving Tracks, but can not seem to get any hits. Try Lucky8 in the states. They will courier to Oz

[steveG]

I have a Roving Tracks one in my 130. Took a little to get the alignment right.

just trying to google Roving Tracks, but can not seem to get any hits. Try Lucky8 in the states. They will courier to Oz

Roving Tracks is no more. He shut up shop last year.

Steve

[RVR110]

Hi Matthew, Would you mind measuring the end-to end length of the track rod (ignoring the tie-rod ends)? It's a long story, but the measurement would be greatly appreciated. I'm hoping that it is 1168mm or 1169mm.

[Offender110]

Great bit of gear I reckon. Goingbush posted up photos ages ago of the one on his 110.
Will be one going onto my 120 when it comes time.
Thanks for the info on shipping too. Pretty good price for something as substantial as that I reckon. Do you happen to recall the dimensions/weight as it would be useful if others are arranging freight.

Steve
Hello, Expedition Exchange packed the Rock Ware track-rod in a good strong cardboard box. Dimensions of the package were: 11cm x 11cm x 123cm, total weight 4.5 kg (9.9 lbs). Regards, Matthew.

[Offender110]

Hi Matthew, Would you mind measuring the end-to end length of the track rod (ignoring the tie-rod ends)? It's a long story, but the measurement would be greatly appreciated. I'm hoping that it is 1168mm or 1169mm.
Hello, the length of the Rock Ware track-rod is 1159mm (+/- 1mm). This is about 11mm shorter than the original Land Rover track-rod which is 1170mm long.

Thus, there's a few more turns of the thread on the tie-rod ends that are exposed by the Rock Ware track-rod than there are with the original track-rod. I found that this extra clearance made it easier to adjust the alignment of the front wheels because with the original track-rod the threads of the tie-rod ends on my vehicle were almost fouling against the end of the track-rod. There's plenty of length to the threaded inserts in the ends of the Rock Ware product. In fact, these inserts extend well past the max depth of the threads on the tie-rod ends.

Hope this helps, regards, Matthew.

[simmo]

I was viewing the threads about the offset tie rod form Rock ware. I see they don't have an email address listed, only fax and phone number.

That makes contacting them a little difficult and talk to. Is there a similar item made in Australia ? I would think it would no be that difficult to make for a machine shop.
thanks for any advice cheers simmo

[steveG]

IIRC there was another company in the US that stocks those rods and were easier to deal with.

Nothing similar locally that I've come across.

Steve

[RVR110]

I note the photo in this thread is of a defender without a sway bar, as is goingbush's car (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery-2/188169-heavy-duty-tie-rod.html) and also the photos on the rockware website.

Has anyone installed one of these on a Defender with a sway bar? Mine fouls the sway bar if installed as per the photos, but my sway bars have modified mounts, so I'm not sure if it is due to the modifications or if it would foul on a car with unmodified sway bar mounts too.