Last night I bent my tie rod on my passenger side. I was in 4 low and was on blacktop, trying to pull out another vehicle in a ditch. I didn't mash the pedal or anything, just eased into it, and it started to hop. I let off as soon as it started, but it was already to late. So now I am waiting on a tie rod to come in. Should be first thing tomorrow. Can anyone tell me how much of a job it will be to change it out? This really sucks cause I actually need the truck tomorrow to pull a trailer, but now I will be a day behind. Compared to my dads Ford, these are about a poor excuse for tie rods. Thanks for any help guys!

Really easy to change but you will need to get an alignment after.


Check this out to prevent this from happening again. http://dieselplace.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6141&KW=tie+rod

The dealer will charge you $300 for two tierods and centerlink. You can not buy just one tierod. I do not remember the labor cost. Some people are putting sleeves over the tierods but to me that is just putting a bandaid over a wound. I worked with the company below for six months to come up with these aftermarket tierods.


http://dieselplace.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6424&KW=bassinrver


http://bulletproofsteering.com/gmifstierod.htmlEdited by: BassinRVer

Well I just talked to my dealer. They are gonna come out and pick it up in the morning. I guess they are gonna cover it under my warranty from the way they are talking. Hope they can get it done before Wed. cause I have a load of tractors to haul!

The dealer will charge you $300 for two tierods and centerlink. You can not buy just one tierod. I do not remember the labor cost. Some people are putting sleeves over the tierods but to me that is just putting a bandaid over a wound. I worked with the company below for six months to come up with these aftermarket tierods.


http://dieselplace.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6424&KW=bassinrver


http://bulletproofsteering.com/gmifstierod.html





While putting a sleeve over a the OEM tie rod may not be as good as if they had made it stronger to begin with, i know of no one to date who has busted a sleeved tie-rod... myself included.

The dealer will charge you $300 for two tierods and centerlink. You can not buy just one tierod. I do not remember the labor cost. Some people are putting sleeves over the tierods but to me that is just putting a bandaid over a wound. I worked with the company below for six months to come up with these aftermarket tierods.


http://dieselplace.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6424&KW=bassinrver


http://bulletproofsteering.com/gmifstierod.html








Excuse me but:......


1. The dealer would charge about $200 including alignment and labor, but this situation is a warranty issue.


2. The dealer will sell you and/or replace 1 tie rod. And why would he replace the center link?


3. The SS tie rod sleeves are a very good and acceptable fix for this issue and have been proven under extreme condition. They cost $75 plus an alignment.


4. The price of your replacement tie rods is unbelieveably REDICULOUS! They sure are Pretty but come on...


To the original poster:


I had the same thing happen under nearly the same conditions. I actually broke the tie-rod. It was covered under warranty.

A bandaid over a wound? Pretty dang good bandaid! It's all thats really been needed. The strength of the tie rod with the bandaid (stainless steel sleeve) goes up about ten fold. Try to get warranty work with the Hiem joint bulletproof stuff on there. The stocker is still there with my stuff. Just much tougher. It's like having a SOLID 1 inch dia. tie rod. Super Diesel Edited by: Super Diesel

Last weekend I installed SuperDiesel's tie-rod sleeves, and yesterday put them to the test. First off, my truck is already poorly situated for doing 4WD launches due to the fact my green keys keep my front end 1" higher that stock. At any rate after building boost and launching with my TTS tuner in the Extreme setting, the front end came way up, both wheels hopped pretty violently (one then the other - not together) but I kept my foot in it until it settled down and drove straight. I've never taken off that fast with that much front end movement. I thought I had surely broken something. Got out and checked the front end - straight as an arrow.


I'm not saying there aren't other quality choices out there, but for under a $100 I don't know of a better solution.


Doug

Sounds to me like the sleeve strengthens the weak link. The only problem with strengthening the tie rods is you now move the stress load to another component. Probably the centerlink will flex too much next. As you beef parts up you send the loads to other parts.

You don't even have to know anything about suspensions and look up under there and notice something out of proportion when you see those stock tie rod ends. I can't understand what GM was/is thinking and why they don't redesign them NOW. They bend in real world, non-abusive situations. You would think GM engineers might read some of this stuff and get a clue that it's an often talked about subject and is quite embarrasing to an owner of a premier heavy duty pickup truck when one folds up. Like DUHHHH..... admit screwup, get over it, make the design change and brag about how much stronger it is and sell tons of parts to current owners.

Anybody agree? After watching the trucks pull sleds at Muncie, most watched the front suspensions on the GMs to see who was able to control the rubber IFS best. That's not real world driving but it shows you the weaknesses and what your front end goes through in those more demanding real world situations. I had a lifted 1/2 ton IFS Chevy with 36" tires on it. You had to put a stronger idler arm and a centerlink stabilizer on it and I installed stiffer control arm bushings to help keep the control arms from flexing forward as the front tires pulled the truck. That's what is the real problem, the control arm bushings are designed to soften and isolate road vibrations but at the same time they allow all four control arms to flex forward, stressing the steering gear. Edited by: hoot

2MuchFun,


First off, these tierods from Bullet Proof are not mine I just helped them with pictures and deminsions so they could design them. And you are out of your mind if you think you can go and purchase just one tierods from the dealer. They are sold as one tierods connected to the centerlink with a another tierods on the other side. Yes they will install one tierod but that leaves another tierod and centerline that should belong to the customer.


Leaving the factory tierods on my truck with or without sleeves was not an option for me. I wanted these poor excuse for tierods off my truck period. After being stranded twice and having to leave my truck on a trail until the next was nerve reckoning. I have over $30K in stereo equipment in my truck. I do not sleep well when my truck is not in my driveway. GM will not pick your vehicle up under warranty if the truck was broken while offroading on a trail. I next day during daylight I would limp the truck from the trail to pavement before they would come pick it up. The price of security and knowing the BP tierods will not leave me stranded does not compare to the price of BP tierods. Their price is not rediculous compared to what you get. Their tierods are a work of art.


The last time I had a broken tierod the dealer replaced two tierods and the centerlink because that is how GM sells them as one piece.Edited by: BassinRVer

GM used to sell individual tierods but stopped doing that some time ago. GM quite selling individaul tierods about one year ago. It's their way to get more money out of us!!!! Edited by: BassinRVer

If you need an upper ball joint you have to buy the whole control arm.

Sorry Bassin, I thought they were your rods, or your companies. But you gotta agree thats a weee bit on the expensive side..


I guess things are different in CA., you can buy a tie rod at the dealer here. Call Tustin Chevrolet parts dept..

Dido on that tie rod stuff from the dealer 2MuchFun. I can get them as individuals here too. Any one get stranded out there with the tie rod sleeves? I posted about the A arms flexing, and I've put them under some pretty nasty forces along with some others to witness no failures. Maybe High Energy makes something for this. But thats only for those who think they really need it. The flex is only minimal. The bushings absorb some of the impact so there is no cracked frames. Super Diesel

I called Tustin Chevrolet and they say you can get the individual ends. But the last time I needed one, I had to buy the "ROD KIT" at $279.96, part number 12479358.

inner tie rods, outer tie rod ends and the centerlink are all available seperately at the dealer

I've had homemade tierod sleeves on my truck for over a year abusing them truckpulling and dragracing w/o a problem.Edited by: mtomac

Dmax doug - Is your truck white with a slash cut pipe?

I saw a truck like this with a load of soot on the rear quarter panel..........You?

Dido on that tie rod stuff from the dealer 2MuchFun. I can get them as individuals here too. Any one get stranded out there with the tie rod sleeves? I posted about the A arms flexing, and I've put them under some pretty nasty forces along with some others to witness no failures. Maybe High Energy makes something for this. But thats only for those who think they really need it. The flex is only minimal. The bushings absorb some of the impact so there is no cracked frames. Super Diesel

You won't see catostrophic failures with beefed up tie rods but the forward flexing creates havoc with the rest of the steering gear. I believe it's the ATS truck that installed trailing links to put a stop to any forward flexing. It's connected to a vertical link thats jointed to the A-arms and anchored on the frame. All hiem joints.

A center link stabilizer (idler) is next for those who really abuse.Edited by: hoot

Super-Diesel's replacement centerlink is next up on my upgrade list.


Manny, no that wasn't me...my truck is Carmine Red. What part of CA are you located in??


Doug


Edited by: DMax_Doug

Im a few minutes west of Temecula. Up there in the farm area.

Well the stealer came got it this mornin. I waited bout 2 hours after they left and called them and ask how it was coming.The service manager said they were not gonna cover it, cause "They had never saw that done before, and that I had to hit something". They said it would cost me $536, for 2 new inner tie rods, center link, labor,and alignment.I started to fume and went down there, to show them there was no paint scraped off, and it was still dirty, so how could I have hit something?So once again they stated they had never saw that before,including the owner of the dealership. So i came home and called GM, and they are supposed to check into it, but they stated they had not had any complaints on this before.I hope to hear something tomorrow, hopefully that it will be covered.

BTW another thing they said was that since it was just bent, and not broke, it is not a warranty issue. Is that true? Thanks

Sounds like you need a fresh dealer...

"They had never saw that done before, and that I had to hit something".


OH MY GOSH!! That is EXACTLY what they said to me!!!!! I mean Exactly!


tell them thats BULL$&*T and to call GM. Im sure GM will take care of you, but if need be, PM or email me and I will give you whatever info. from my situation that might help.


Broken or Bent, the tie rod failed. WARRANTY!


Mention to them that it has shown by a fellow member that the tie rods on our "HD" trucks are the same diameter as on a Saturn Sedan! This could turn into a serious issue if they dont take care of these situations; Check around the forum for the guy that wrecked his truck due to a broken tie rod end.

DMAXPWR,


read this thread:


http://dieselplace.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=8261&KW=2muchfun


This was my situation.

Thanks for the help 2MuchFun! Hope to get it resolved Wednesday!

DMAXPWR,


Will they not sell you just the tierod?

DMAXPWR,


Will they not sell you just the tierod?





No they won't. They are sayin I need the whole system, but I know I don't. The only thing bent is the inner tie rod. A GM Rep is coming in to look at it, either today or tomorrow. If they decide thay are still not gonna cover it, I am gonna get the part from my local parts store, cause I can buy just what I need, and it is only $37.00.

What is happening to you, happened to me. The last time I needed just the tierod they would not sell it individually. So I had to buy the whole thing.

Hmm, Kinda funny how if it's warranty work they just replace the broken part, but if its customer pay they want to sell you the whole setup... BastIgeS!

I figure when the GM rep comes in, they will deny the warranty work, due to the oversize tires and wheels. But it is worth a try, plus they want to look at it anyway, cause I told them I think it is a pi$& poor setup,compared to Ford and Dodge. I have got lawnmowers with bigger tie rods!!!!!!!!

Awww crud.


They might have you with the tires.


I was told (by a somewhat friend fleet guy) that if I had left my larger tires on it would have been denied.


I kinda understand the point; Bigger tires have much better traction creating alot more stress. The 245 sedan tires we get stock would just squeel on the pavement..

How big are your tires? GM puts 265/75/16's on 3500 srw now so they could use that as an argument. I suppose yours are bigger though.

You won't see catostrophic failures with beefed up tie rods but the forward flexing creates havoc with the rest of the steering gear. I believe it's the ATS truck that installed trailing links to put a stop to any forward flexing. It's connected to a vertical link thats jointed to the A-arms and anchored on the frame. All hiem joints.

A center link stabilizer (idler) is next for those who really abuse.


I just got done fab-in a center link stablizer & my own stainless slieves. Think-in about hiem-in the lower control arms next?


All this because I bent both tie rods/bent both swaybar links/& spit out not 1 but both outer CV's on the ground. Cool night a the pullin track you might say!!!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif


Edited by: JRmac

hanging weights on the front?
strapped centerlink?
lowered torsen bars?

Well my tires are 285's. It just makes me so mad cause the dealer does warranty work for some of my friends, that they shoudn't do.One of them had his rearend go out @ 20,000 miles, cause ha had a supercharger and lift kit with 35's, and kept doing burnouts. The dealer knew and still covered it.That is just one example. They have even covered stuff for my parents, that should not have been, they volunteered it under warranty!

Maby you should point out these cases and ask them why they do not want your future business.