Straightening out a tie rod


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Posted by Sherman in Idaho [108.162.245.181] on Thursday, January 05, 2017 at 01:41:00 :

Well, I broke the Tucker yesterday. Ran over a log that I'd seen and successfully avoided twice before, but the third time I was careless. Came down hard on the tie rod between the steering cylinder and the front steering platform. It's about the length and diameter of a normal truck front end tie rod, with the usual rod ends on it Bent it real bad in the middle. Couldn't steer so took it off and hiked out 2-1/2 miles in the snow. Straightened it out more or less with the shop press, but it's never going to be like new.

I realize a sno-cat isn't a truck, but the force on a regular front-end tie rod has to be considerable, especially with power steering and turning the wheels on bare pavement with the truck not moving. Just curious if anyone has an opinion on the longevity of a bent-and-straightened tie rod. I will have to use what I have and hope it gets the cat back to town, but is this likely to be a long-term fix or do I need to have a new one custom-built? One of the other similar tie rods on this cat has been strengthened by someone welding angle irons along both sides of it, so that's another option.



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