TOY: Re: His is Bigger than Mine... (Rockstomper Tie Rod)

["Scott Ellinger" <ellinger@xxxxxxxx>]

> Check out the pictures on Scott Ellinger's Rockstomper Rock Rod tie rod press
> release...
> http://www.outdoorwire.com/4x4/news/rockstomper/rockrod/
>
> With a base tube of 1.25" 0.219-wall DOM tubing sleeves with 1.5" 0.120-wall
> DOM tubing, that baby is MASSIVE.
>
> I wonder where you reach a point of diminishing returns. I bet Scott could
find
> a third layer of tubing to press over the secondary sleeve, but I do have to
> wonder when the failure point moves off the tie rod itself and onto the tie
> rod ends or steering arms.

Haven't done it yet, but I have enough assorted sizes to get it all the way to
2.25" OD (and probably in the 40-50 pound range) on hand... downside is,
you start losing turning radius 'cause the tierod will smack into the diff
cover.

If you really want obscene beef, the guinea pig for the original Rock Rod,
has been doing some work lately with 70's Ford LN8000 tie rod ends,
which have a tapered stud 1" across on the *small* side of the taper, 1.25"
shanks, and will be threaded into 1.875 0.375 DOM... unfortunately, I think
those ends... are too big to clear on a 2.5T Rockwell.  :)  :)  :)  He's making
radius arms out of them.

> I'd like a rotating sleeve on a tie rod so that I can hit a boulder and roll
> up it. ;) My tongue is mostly in my cheek, here, since the radius of the part
> is so small (the force would be more directly toward the center, instead of
> deflecting more on a tangent, which would make the sleeve want to roll).

Where do you want that shipped?  :)  Would make it tough to adjust toe,
with a free-spinning sleeve... :)  But I can do that too.

> My biggest reason for not upgrading my tie rod so far is that I want it to be
> the 'fuse' for my steering system... since the tie rod is much easier to swap
> in than the alternative: repairing a cracked frame, breaking a steering arm,
> or demolishing the drag link. I'll be adding a welder to my trail kit shortly,
> so I can fix any of the above-detailed breaks, but keeping a 'fuse' still
makes
> a bit of sense.... I'm waffling.

If you'd prefer beefier, but want something that'll still potentially bend if
you do grossly overload it, I can make 'em without the sleeve, like I do
for high steer applications... then you'll be able to bend it around a bit.

Tough call, I know... personally, I'd rather fail an end than the tierod...
they're cheaper, easier, and faster, to change, plus I can fit four U
joints, four tierod ends, an assortment of fuses, and six years worth of
miniscule leftovers and trail crud, in my glovebox.  I like having all my
fuses (electrical and mechanical) in one place... too bad outer CV's
don't fit in the glovebox too.  :(

--scott  ellinger@frii.com
http://www.rockstomper.com