Kryptonite tie rods, or stockers with sleeves?

dman777

New member
Apr 11, 2012
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What about just replacing with stock quality parts that you can get cheaper and gy the DHD brace? Why would you need beefy tie rods with the brace? I just run sleeves and the dhd brace. Raced the truck Saturday and it worked great! Plus I get to keep my turning radius and tires. Brace won't work with a lift but if you are at stock height this is what I would do.
 

WolfLMM

Making Chips
Nov 21, 2006
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I just ordered rare parts tie rods. ^ don't see how hd tierods affect turning radius in any way.
 

hondarider552

Getting faster
May 28, 2008
10,627
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Arizona
I run sleeves and center link on my lb7. I seen alligator released a nice 750$ steering upgrade kit but don't see the need to spend that kinda money
 

mike diesel

I'm alright.
Sep 6, 2012
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SLC, Utah
I just ordered rare parts tie rods. ^ don't see how hd tierods affect turning radius in any way.

They dont.

Some don't like to pay to play:D I'd rather spend the extra few bucks to ensure my truck won't get sent into the wall when I launch or am going 100+mph. They are inexpensive for what they do.

I have seen plenty of sleeved sets of tie rods bend where the sleeve is not covering the entire tie rod.
 

WolfLMM

Making Chips
Nov 21, 2006
4,005
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^ I've got sleeves on the LB7 and there's still a long section of 1/2 tierod left. It sure is enough to bend.

Hopefully I'll have mine new tierods this week so I can install this weekend.
 

CaptPhil

Active member
Sep 10, 2011
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Delaware
Hundreds of 4 wheel launches with many in the mid 1.60's with cheap ass sleeves, dhd brace, and super steer idler pivot. All at 600hp or so.

When i break or bend one I will upgrade to some rare parts.
 

bluebowtie

duramax addict
Jan 1, 2011
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Madison WI
^ I've got sleeves on the LB7 and there's still a long section of 1/2 tierod left. It sure is enough to bend.

Hopefully I'll have mine new tierods this week so I can install this weekend.


I had mine next day from Amazon


Sent from the mobile leash
 

dman777

New member
Apr 11, 2012
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I just ordered rare parts tie rods. ^ don't see how hd tierods affect turning radius in any way.
They don't the straight centerlink does. What I'm trying to accomplish is keep the centerlink from flexing which is what causes tie rod failure. If you can keep it from flexing with either the DHD brace or straight centerlink you have fixed the issue with the tie rods so I don't see the point in spending extra money on upgrades ones. Just my opinion.
^ I've got sleeves on the LB7 and there's still a long section of 1/2 tierod left. It sure is enough to bend.

Hopefully I'll have mine new tierods this week so I can install this weekend.
They won't bend with the DHD brace.
 

dman777

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Apr 11, 2012
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They dont.

Some don't like to pay to play:D I'd rather spend the extra few bucks to ensure my truck won't get sent into the wall when I launch or am going 100+mph. They are inexpensive for what they do.

I have seen plenty of sleeved sets of tie rods bend where the sleeve is not covering the entire tie rod.
How did the sleeved sets bend with the DHD brace?
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
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If you can keep it from flexing with either the DHD brace or straight centerlink you have fixed the issue with the tie rods so I don't see the point in spending extra money on upgrades ones. Just my opinion.


The dhd brace won't do a thing to stop the centerlink from flexing/bending.... And no, you have not fixed the tie rod issue.
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
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Please explain.


Your inference is to the centerlink rotating, that is not the same as flexing or bending. I'm not picking apart your post but there is a big difference in what your saying with that. Your stock centerlink still flexes and bends in when under a heavy 4wd load. (I'm talking the two ends where the tie rods attach actually tweeke in towards the center of the truck even after you stop rotation). Look at anyone who has bent one and it will look like a boomerang (if I had pics of mine, if show you but it's been years since I trashed it)

As for stopping any issues with the tie rods. If that were true, I wouldn't have gone through as many as I have. My kit uses the factory outer tie Rod, a straight centerlink and a ford inner tie Rod with massive adapter. There is hardly any scrub issues with it (due to design) and none that actually show up in tire wear but the outer tie rods just can not hold up. I have one in two peices on my bench right now...
 

NinjaMax

WTF!
Oct 3, 2012
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Your inference is to the centerlink rotating, that is not the same as flexing or bending. I'm not picking apart your post but there is a big difference in what your saying with that. Your stock centerlink still flexes and bends in when under a heavy 4wd load. (I'm talking the two ends where the tie rods attach actually tweeke in towards the center of the truck even after you stop rotation). Look at anyone who has bent one and it will look like a boomerang (if I had pics of mine, if show you but it's been years since I trashed it)

As for stopping any issues with the tie rods. If that were true, I wouldn't have gone through as many as I have. My kit uses the factory outer tie Rod, a straight centerlink and a ford inner tie Rod with massive adapter. There is hardly any scrub issues with it (due to design) and none that actually show up in tire wear but the outer tie rods just can not hold up. I have one in two peices on my bench right now...


Your running an EXAXT kit right?
 

dman777

New member
Apr 11, 2012
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Your inference is to the centerlink rotating, that is not the same as flexing or bending. I'm not picking apart your post but there is a big difference in what your saying with that. Your stock centerlink still flexes and bends in when under a heavy 4wd load. (I'm talking the two ends where the tie rods attach actually tweeke in towards the center of the truck even after you stop rotation). Look at anyone who has bent one and it will look like a boomerang (if I had pics of mine, if show you but it's been years since I trashed it)

As for stopping any issues with the tie rods. If that were true, I wouldn't have gone through as many as I have. My kit uses the factory outer tie Rod, a straight centerlink and a ford inner tie Rod with massive adapter. There is hardly any scrub issues with it (due to design) and none that actually show up in tire wear but the outer tie rods just can not hold up. I have one in two peices on my bench right now...
Excuse my ignorance. Rotation not flexing or bending. What I meant was the DHD brace keeps the centerlink from doing whatever it's not suppose to do (rotate). I guess I'm just confused. What is the point of having the DHD brace if it doesn't solve breaking or bending tie rods? Also, how did I spend all day Saturday at the track doing 4wd launches running mid 7's in the 1/8 with no toe in or any damage to my tie rods? I even had some friends watch very carefully when I launched the first couple times to make sure my truck wasn't doing the stanky leg. They said the tires looked straight when I launched. I only have the brace and sleeves all other components are oem. Granted, my truck is stock suspension. I know it's different when it comes to lifted or dropped trucks. I want to make sure we are comparing apples to apples. I'm not trying to sound like a douche bag. I'm just asking to make sure I understand what's going on to prevent damage to my truck in the future. I'm thinking about putting my GoPro underneath my truck and doing a couple 4wd launches to see what's really happening.
 
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Dmaxonamaniforged

AmaniForged
Mar 8, 2015
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Florida Boy
But after installing the fab tech tie rods I did bent my center link and yes it did look like a boomerang in fact I may still have mine if so I'll take a pic for you and post it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

56taskforce

Well-known member
Mar 30, 2014
1,081
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48
Look at it from the point of leverage. The stock center link has these -S- bends at each end, GM engineers did this as a cost effective way to correct some steering geometry problems challenged by other parts of the truck being in the way. In comes the aftermarket witch has identified the weak points but is still faced with the same challenges as GM. NOTE: the most common change the aftermarket has made is eliminating the bends in the link. A straight link drastically reduces both the flex and the roll but at the cost of turning radius. The problem is just plane not having the real estate to swing a system with good geometry.
Still others like DHD with their brace and Cognito with the PISK, have made attempts to work with the bends that the GM Engineers put in the stock link. These have run into the the same trouble with binding and limiting free movement somewhere in the systems travel.
Then one must also consider the limitations that each of us throw into the mix when we lift it or lower it, how we use it and still what sacrifices are we willing to make. The bottom line is no one option fits all.