Stinkyfab Heavy Duty TieRods

[StinkBug]

Hope this is ok to post here, lemmie know if not. I'm trying to gauge how much interest there would be in these for a possible production run. If you're interested there is more information here:

4x4wire TieRod discussion



Thanks
Dallas

[nocturnalVX]

I'd be interested! I've been meening to invest in some of Joe Darlington's Tie-Rod Shieldz, but if I could get a beefier set of Tie-Rods... I could keep the stockers as replacements (just in case).

[Maugan_VX]

count me in

[Jay Dunford]

Interested here too. I've got the Sheildz in mine right now, but these would be a LOT easier to align. How about a package deal on the bent links w/ RE joints and tie rods together?

[LiquidVX]

yes! i want those tierods and bent links w/ RE joints. Please inform us of the cost. I want to buy them.

[BigMeatVX]

These look great ....but...there was someone (Andy aka. swordy) on this board already making them (nearly identical). the tie rod ends are 60s-70s International 3/4-1 ton. (if that helps) I have part #s availble....

It would be great to be able to get them more readily tho (and for 1st generations Isuzus, too)

I bought a set from him over a yr ago, and they are truely awesome (unbreakable).
I can attest to this with my 36" tires i have broken several STOCK tie rods, and usually when they go, they take out the CV with them.

BTW. I think his were less than $150....


my idea is to flip the outer tie rod end around, (drilling and re-tapering the hole in the knuckle) so the tie rod will be straiter(horizonal) on lifted rigs.

[StinkBug]

Yes I know Swordy was making some pieces quite similar. I dont know if he is still making them or not, or price or basically anything about em. I'm not trying to step on anyones toes, but I had a number of people asking about these so I decided to do a little R&D. FYI, these will come COMPLETE with all hardware and all 4 TieRod ends. The final price will be $265 for the pair. There is a thread going over on the wire if you're interested in putting down a deposit. If I can get 10 people to commit to a $75 deposit I will do a production run of these. If you're interested in both the TieRods and Links at the same time I may be able to offer you a discount as well.

Heres a link to the deposit thread.
TieRod Thread

Thanks everyone
Dallas

[BigMeatVX]

yeah, that price sounds about right....I bought mine W/O the tie rod end joints and had to order those locally myself....


I like the wrench-slot designed into them! mine don't have this and it is a bit rough to use a big pipem' wrench for adjustment.

are yours painted?


I wanted to say agian how much STRONGER these are than stock. (and how weak the stock ons are....a small curb at the correct angle will destoy stock ones) :coolg:

Now if i could just get a reaming tool at the right dia/pitch so i can install the outer joint ON TOP istead of under the knuckle .........

[LiquidVX]

I am ready to put down a deposit, but if you dont get at least 10 people to do a production run, what happens to the deposit?
Will you not make them if you don't get 10 people? I want to buy them.
I am still kinda new to forums so if i sound stupid, sorry.

[StinkBug]

Liquid, if I cant get enough people together than it wont be possible for me to have a batch of these machined. Unfortunately this is one of the few things I sell that has parts machined off site. If we can at least get close to 10 I'm gonna try my best to get them done. If I am not able to make them all deposits will be refunded. The adjusters are not painted, they just happen to have a black coating on them from the steel mill. I'd definitely reccomend painting them before installation.

BigMeat, before you go retapering your knuckle you should do a search on the wire. This was discussed at length over there and the end result was that it will radically change the steering geometry and make the truck very unstable. There was one guy with a trooper that went ahead and tried it. Said he didn't even feel safe leavin the driveway.

Dallas

[BigMeatVX]

Yeah I remember reading something about that at 4x4wire...but the 1st gen. (I thhink that is what he has) are close to 2" shorter ; mabey thats why his felt funny, or it could have been the little amount of front lift availble on a first generation (the tie rod possibly was at a WORSE angle after the 'flip') furthermore, my VX has worse-than-ideal geometery right now with the 4-5" lift I am running , so I think I would benefit from the tierods being more horizonal at my ride hieght....


Anyway I am happy to see these parts avail.
And I would SERIOUSLY RECOMMEND them to ANY Isuzu offroader w/larger tires, as SEVERAL of us VX owners have broken stock ones. ;eekr;




Allan

[Cyrk]

Silly question, what will these do for the VX? Since I never have been offroad yet will the help or hinder on-road performance?

-Dave

[lttlbddy]

Cyrk,

No effect on on road driving. If fact it has no effect on off road driving except that you will not break a tie rod which is the most easily/weakest part for any Isuzu that goes off-road or has over sized tires.

Steve G

[kpaske]

If the tie rods are the weakest point in the suspension, what is the NEXT weakest point? In other words, if we replace these, what is the next most likely suspension part to snap?

[StinkBug]

Yeah I remember reading something about that at 4x4wire...but the 1st gen. (I thhink that is what he has) are close to 2" shorter ; mabey thats why his felt funny, or it could have been the little amount of front lift availble on a first generation (the tie rod possibly was at a WORSE angle after the 'flip') furthermore, my VX has worse-than-ideal geometery right now with the 4-5" lift I am running , so I think I would benefit from the tierods being more horizonal at my ride hieght....

The problem is not in the length of the tierod, though you are right, early trucks are shorter. The Steering setup on all IFS isuzus is a very carefully designed piece of work. The angles of the tie rods have a very careful relationship with the angles of the A-arms. The Upper and lower a-arms and the tie rod all travel in slightly different arcs when the suspension moves. They are all engineered to work together so that the truck goes where you want it no matter what the suspension does. If you modify the angles on the TieRods independently from the arms it will change the arc they travel in as the suspension cycles. What this means in simple terms is, if you flip the tie rod to the top of the knuckle, as the suspension travels you will get drastic toe in and out at the wheels, making the truck VERY dangerous to drive.

Dallas