Tie rod end stripped out...

I've messed up em up before. Each time my own fault.

It seems I do dumb stuff when I'm in a hurry

I did the same thing the first time I tried to change them. The trick I got from ORO was to put a jack under the TRE you are trying to loosen then it will stop spinning. After that if it's stripped you will have to use vice gripes or cut off wheel to get the nut off. It was a PITA but I got lucky once I added the jack was able to get it off with the vice gripes. Spent all day on a Saturday trying to get it off with various C-clamps and such (never thought of the jack). Called ORO on Monday to ask for any ideas (great customer service every time I call) and I had it off and replaced in under 2 hours Monday night.

I didn't do this.... This happen on the trail.

the 3/4" shaft end or the castle nut side?

DJRobB said:

I didn't do this.... This happen on the trail.

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Did the two parts completely separate...as in pull out? Any chance you have pictures?

The nut on the end of the tie rod.

I can't tell if you mean the castle nut or the locknut. If it's the locknut you will be able to spin the TRE loose once you get the castle nut off. If it's the castle nut try like I said above just have a new TRE standing by. I got mine from NAPA for about $45 each. The part numbers are available here with a search. If the bolt threads are stripped in the middle so you can't loosen it try wedging a screw driver under nut while turning you might be able to catch some threads or just save yourself some headache and hack saw it off. If it's stripped you will have to replace the TRE anyway.

My guess is the tie rod was not in enough, and then pulled the threads out. Only option would be to rethread the tie rod itself and put a new TRE in.

MTDIRK,

The threads in the shaft stripped.

I was driving and thing just fell apart.

DJRobB said:

MTDIRK,

The threads in the shaft stripped.

I was driving and thing just fell apart.

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Was the nut tight? It could have wallowed itself out.

BTW... To get me off the trail we had to do a quick weld job on it. So the whole end of the tie rod is hosed.

Does ORO still sell the U-turn?

or will I just need to repair it myself.

DJRobB said:

BTW... To get me off the trail we had to do a quick weld job on it. So the whole end of the tie rod is hosed.

Does ORO still sell the U-turn?

or will I just need to repair it myself.

Click to expand...

Yes, they still sell the UTurn. If you have a band saw, you maybe able to cut off only the damaged section by the weld.

gregert12 said:

DJRobB said:

MTDIRK,

The threads in the shaft stripped.

I was driving and thing just fell apart.

Click to expand...

Was the nut tight? It could have wallowed itself out.

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Could have.

It also may have something to do with the rock garden we played on earlier that day.

The easy fix, is build a new tie-rod.

Go to a local machine shop, and order a stick of 1.75" 7075 Aluminum. Have them cut it to length, and cut threads on the end to accept 3/4" rod ends. Drill out your ORO brackets to 5/8" and put it all together.

It will be a LOT stronger than the original ORO, and cheaper!!!

Yea sounds like you had a loose jam nut. I did the same thing on the adjuster. The first time I replaced my TRE's was right before a road trip to CO and I didn't double check the jam nuts on the sleeve but while I was moving and turning all the TRE's the jam nut on the adjuster loosened also. Had a little vibe all the way to Denver, CO and kept tightening and checking the ones I had loosened and by the time I got there the upper draglink was stripped. I didn't want to miss any wheeling (Ouray) and ORO Fedexed a new upper draglink to a mailbox copy shop in Montrose. So I limped from Denver to Ouray and replaced it in the campground. Just make sure you know which generation you have when you call them because they are not compatible as they beefed up the latter gens significantly.

Made a quick call the ORO about what happen.

They give me a really good discount on a new tie rod.

I should have it by friday.

DJRobB said:

Made a quick call the ORO about what happen.

They give me a really good discount on a new tie rod.

I should have it by friday.

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Good deal! Number 1 reason why I like dealing with them..