Got my first real trail damage today...
 

Today was the first day of Ozark Jeep Thing's Fall 4xFest and I managed to get my first real trail damage today. I got hung on a stump and managed to bend my tie rod where the steering stabilizer mounts. Of course, ESP and BAS went nuts and even after straightening my steering wheel they are still on, but from what I have read there may be a chance they will go off after the computer "relearns" that the steering wheel is in the center.

This also caused my wheels to toe in quite significantly, so the drive home from SMORR was a little long. Of course, I'll be getting up in five hours to head back out. :clap: If the ESP is still jacked up tomorrow night, I'll have to work on it Sunday so that I am ready to head back to work on Monday. :naw:

:worthless::worthless:

That's the spirit! Now, where are them pic's, Ross?

Drive safe! A damaged tie rod can be dangerous

That is very true .
Sorry about the damage .

I would regard it as yet another stock part that I will break one day so I can justify replacing it with something better.

I'll get some this afternoon. I have a few pics on my camera one guy took for me, but I'll have to wait until the rest of them get posted on the OJT website before I can get them over here.

This one isn't in any danger of snapping or anything like that, but I probably will upgrade at some point in the near future. I had to look at a new one on the dealer's lot before I decided that it was bent. It almost looks like it should have come that way.

I had a few small bumps on my oil pan that day as well, and ironically my rock hard engine skid was delivered at work that afternoon. :crazyeyes:

Here is the best photo I can find of the damage. To the naked eye at a distance, you really can't tell anything is wrong other than that the tie rod is higher in the middle than on the ends.

http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/4x4_fest_08_053.jpg