Bending track rods

[swamp]

Since rotating my swivel hubs, I have ben't my track rod twice on the three or four hard trips I have done since this modification. I had never bent one previously. The corrected castor angle is great but the rotation turns the track rod down so that it sits lower and seems to catch easier.
I previuosly had about 20mm clearance from the top of the track rod to the bottom of the radius arms now I have 40mm.
The stock rods are quite weak and small and small and can be upgraded
but they would still be in a vunerable position.
My thoughts are to use a heavy duty rod of sufficent strength and size to put two bends on each side to lift the main section of the bar up and out of harms way. And also fab up something underneath the front diff to locate and protect the bar.
I am unsure of a few points though and would like some input.
It's given that a straight bar is stronger than a bent one (maybe not pc) but how much should you upsize to overcome the defiences
Would the cranks in the bar cause the tie rod ends increased load to the point where larger TRE's would be needed.
Will the bar have constant side load and want to be spat out.

Any thoughts
Regards Michael.

[Bush65]

As I understand your questions.

How much you would have to increase the size, depends upon how much of a crank you have. The track rod has direct tensile or compressive stresses from pulling/pushing on the tie rod ends. Introducing a crank in the rod causes additional bending stresses (in the track rod, not the tr ends) due to the offset.

Having a cranked track rod should not change the loads on the tie rod ends.

Not so sure what you meant in the last question. A cranked track rod would want to rotate down due to gravity (until prevented by the tr ends), but would not create any other loads not there with a straight track rod.

[Loanrangie]

I think bush is right, as i understand it you will use larger diameter steel for the new rod with a dog leg bent into it to raise the majority of the rod upwards. as bush said it would try to rotate untill the t/rods stop it but the steering damper will help with this. If your main concern is the possibilty of the rod bending where the cranked sections are, you could brace above the bends with vertical plate .

[Bush65]

Looking under my rangie, it doesn't look practical to use a cranked track rod.

I use the maxidrive trackrod, which is much stronger than stock.

You could make your own straight track rod - some 33 diameter 4140 bar would be more than adequate.

[swamp]

Thanks for the input,
Bush 65 could you clarify your concerns about the practicality issue.
Stronger ones would be good but if they are hanging low then they would get caught more often.
Regards
Michael.

[Bush65]

Thanks for the input,
Bush 65 could you clarify your concerns about the practicality issue.
Stronger ones would be good but if they are hanging low then they would get caught more often.
Regards
Michael.

It looks to me, that if you cranked it up between the tr end and the radius arm, it would foul the radius arm before you reached full steering lock.

If you stayed under the r hand radius arm and cranked it over the diff pinion housing, it would foul both the radius arm and the diff pinion housing on different steering locks.

Also the amount that it would have to be cranked to go over the diff pinion housing looks to be more than I would be happy with.

[p76rangie]

Just use a Maxidrive track rod. You would have to do something really serious to bend it. I have had the whole weight of the vehicle on the track rod and it only put a very slight bend in it.

[swamp]

Just to reiterate,rotating the swivel housings turns the track rod down awayfrom the radius arms putting them about 20 to 30mm lower than standard standing 2m infront of the RR you can see the TR hanging down.
It now sits between the bottom of the diff pumpkin and the bottom of the axle housing.
I don't wan't to spend x amount on a maxi drive bar just to bend it again.
The thoughts on bending the new bar are to relocate it to standard location where it sits at around the bottom of the axle housing.
Ian you never drive hard enough to put the whole weight of the blue machine on the TR. Prove me wrong this winter.

[p76rangie]

I was going down a steep drop when I got hung up on a rock. Thought it was the diff. Got out to have a look and it was actually on the track rod. The whole weight may not have been on it, but a large portion was. With it hanging down you may lose ground clearance, but I do not think you will bend it. Revolving the pivots brings them back to where they should be. The diff housing remains where it shouldn't. Therefore the track rod may be further away from the diff housing, but is in its correct location.

On the end of the rod from the steering box to the wheel (can't remember the right name) has a kink on the end at the ball joint. You may try something similar. The steering damper will tend to move the thing backwards and forwards though. You may have to convert the steering damper to the defender location.

[Bush65]

Just to reiterate,rotating the swivel housings turns the track rod down awayfrom the radius arms putting them about 20 to 30mm lower than standard standing 2m infront of the RR you can see the TR hanging down.
It now sits between the bottom of the diff pumpkin and the bottom of the axle housing.
I don't wan't to spend x amount on a maxi drive bar just to bend it again.
The thoughts on bending the new bar are to relocate it to standard location where it sits at around the bottom of the axle housing.
Ian you never drive hard enough to put the whole weight of the blue machine on the TR. Prove me wrong this winter.

Gotcha now. Yes that should be ok.

[RedRhinoProducts]

Can someone explain rotating the front cv's? When we lift our trucks here in the states we use corrected radius arms to get the angle back close to stock, does rotating eliminate this need or does it add to it?

Thanks,

[HSV Rangie]

Fiotting castor correcting bushes only helps with limiting suspension movement. IE: the pin is off set in the bush.

By rotating the swivel housing on the axle housing std bushes can be used.

1: vehicle set up as you want.
2: have wheel alihnment done, get print out showing castor.
3: RR should have 3 degrees castor with 50mm (2 inch) lift you will only have from 0-.5 degree. you then have the holes in the svivel housing either slotted or fileed and redrilled in correct location restoring castor to std spec.

Michael.

[RedRhinoProducts]

We don't see much of that here in the states, where could I find some more info on the redrilling process?

Thanks,

[HSV Rangie]

If you are game ask on pirate 4x4 rover section.

most are helpful.

Michael.

[swamp]

P76 your spot on in that the track rod is in the correct position although it does'nt have the same protection from the diff housing as pre swivel rotation. I agree with your concerns regarding the damper as when it rotates it may give a flat spot in the damper action when it could just rotate up and down, resultng in the dreaded death wobbles.
To relocate to the front will require brackets and a MD drag link although
young Smithy advised to use a standard drag link as the MD unit passes all the stresses in to the steering box and its easier to carry a spare drag link than a steering box.
I also had a look at the MD TR and they do look very strong
, so I am probably more confusaed now than ever.

[marc olivares]

Jason,

Steve @ rovertym is set up to do swivels, but he doesn't advertise it
he doing a set for me currently...give him a call

sorry for the hijack