BENT DRIVER SIDE INNER TIE ROD, HELP!!!!!!!!

[DylanHunter]

Hey guys I was reading through the sub and found some similar posts but nothing specific to my case.

I have just recently lowered my vehicle(22, 3.0, Auto) on HKS HAS hipermax coils(stock height how they come from HKS factory), the car is about 3/4 inch lower over stock springs, but I have not adjusted them from the factory settings. I added VERUS camber plates. Additionally I have eibach front sway bars(stiffest setting) and SPL adjustable sway bar endlinks.

initially I was having some sway bar rubbing on my lower control arm. I remedy the issue with some SPL endlinks and adjusted them so they are not rubbing or binding. The car was driving great for a few weeks no tapping or metal on metal noises.

I drove the car about 250 miles trouble free. I went to a performance shop and got everything aligned for track spec for the upcoming season( -3 camber up front, -2 camber in rear. Caster front 6.7 and toe 0, rear toe 0.2)

About 2-3 days after my alignment my inner tie rod just bent nearly snapping only on the driver side. It appears that it had bent downward from rubbing against the upper control arm.

At this point I’m kind of lost on what is the root of this issue and how I can remedy it? I’m thinking adjustable SPL outer tie rod ends to lower the pivot point and allow further clearance?

I assume the car being lowered slightly is causing the inner tie rod clearance issues. When I drove into a steep driveway that caused the bending as the tolerance/clearances were not right? This is what I have seen from a few other users on here at least. I want to rule out the Eibach sway bar and SPL endlinks are not causing any issues.

Pictures listed below of the bending on one side. Which would be the correct part number for this bent tie rod? 45470-WAA03

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[BimmerGuy]

About 2-3 days after my alignment my inner tie rod just bent nearly snapping only on the driver side. It appears that it had bent downward from rubbing against the upper control arm.

I assume the car being lowered slightly is causing the inner tie rod clearance issues.

Do you think perhaps the additional camber caused the issue? I mean, in combination with the lowering. I only suggest that since you had no problems until that was dialed-in.

You might do better putting this in the correct technical sub-forum.

 

[FLtrackdays]

Adjustable tie rods ends would definitely help ?

https://www.supramkv.com/threads/spl-rub-a-dub-dub-and-bent-tie-rods.16070

 

[DylanHunter]

Adjustable tie rods ends would definitely help ?

https://www.supramkv.com/threads/spl-rub-a-dub-dub-and-bent-tie-rods.16070

Your post here is what I’m referring to. Im
Basing this fix off of that issue because mine is almost exactly the same. Any other recommendations or ideas to fix it while I’m in there?

I’m gonna replace both inner tie rod with oem then slap on the SPL outer/adjustable tie rod with it. Is there a adjustability setting I should be looking to achieve once it’s hooked back up? How many washers/spacers should be put on to prevent further binding and bending?

would it be best to raise my car up a 1/2 inch to assist with the geometry? Or just slap SPL tie rod ends on get an alignment and send it?

Do you also think my alignment set up is to aggressive, is there a target I should back it up to for camber/caster/toe?

 

[Jah29]

I installed my eibach front swaybar. Checked it inteference at all positions. Found that at full droop it contacted the tie rod at full steering lock. Especially bad at full stiff. Still occurred at softest setting. I removed it and installed the cusco front swaybar. The cusco is softer and doesn’t help me as much, but it does not touch anywhere.

 

[Jah29]

Also adjustable swaybar links would not have helped. Bar touched on both sides of the car. Moving it up or down would make one side better and the other worse. Swaybar is not designed properly…

 

[DylanHunter]

Also adjustable swaybar links would not have helped. Bar touched on both sides of the car. Moving it either direction would make one side better and the other worse. Swaybar is not designed properly…

Interesting I’m gonna crawl under the car and look at the tie rod full lock both sides and see where the clearance looks like. I guess I could go back to stock sway bar for the time being? I see so many members on this forum running eibach sway bars without issues, I wonder why they have success where as mine possibly is binding/bending.

I think with adjustable tie rod I can move the location to give more clearance. So I will see, parts are ordered I will update if things are fixed are issues arise

 

[Jah29]

Interesting I’m gonna crawl under the car and look at the tie rod full lock both sides and see where the clearance looks like. I guess I could go back to stock sway bar for the time being? I see so many members on this forum running eibach sway bars without issues, I wonder why they have success where as mine possibly is binding/bending.

I think with adjustable tie rod I can move the location to give more clearance. So I will see, parts are ordered I will update if things are fixed are issues arise

Mine didn’t touch at ride height. It was at full droop on a lift. So I think it’s fine unless you hit a curb or pothole in a sharp turn. One track guy told me that was an edge case, and he wasn’t going to worry about it. Maybe I see his point, eibach is the only one stiff enough for track work.

I am lowered barely inch on MCS 2wnr.

 

[licklobster]

Also adjustable swaybar links would not have helped. Bar touched on both sides of the car. Moving it up or down would make one side better and the other worse. Swaybar is not designed properly…

Adjustable links let you position the swaybar wherever you want. You get an extra inch+ of clearance. Are you confused on how they function? This post is wildly wrong.

 

[licklobster]

Is your swaybar installed upside down?

 

[licklobster]

Mine didn’t touch at ride height. It was at full droop on a lift. So I think it’s fine unless you hit a curb or pothole in a sharp turn. One track guy told me that was an edge case, and he wasn’t going to worry about it. Maybe I see his point, eibach is the only one stiff enough for track work.

I am lowered barely inch on MCS 2wnr.

If you're at full lock and full droop on the road or track, you're about to crash.

 

[J29DB03]

Crazy. Seems like this guy has the exact same problem. Maybe you can help each other.

https://www.supramkv.com/threads/bent-driver-side-tie-rod-help.27947/

 

[Jah29]

If you're at full lock and full droop on the road or track, you're about to crash.

agree!!!!

But If I’m not careful I could probably be at close to full droop and full turn backing out of my particular driveway in the morning on the way to the track.

i have very low risk tolerance.

 

[DylanHunter]

Crazy. Seems like this guy has the exact same problem. Maybe you can help each other.

https://www.supramkv.com/threads/bent-driver-side-tie-rod-help.27947/

not sure if sarcastic but that is my other post in the wrong section. Haha

 

[DylanHunter]

Is your swaybar installed upside down?

are you asking if my sway bar is installed wrong, or Jah29?

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