What would cause a factory drag link to go bad in less than a year? This is the seeing time this has happened?

 

The most common cause is bigger / heavier tires. They're tough on all your steering components, ball joints, etc... I always say it's your Jeep telling you it's time to upgrade!!!

 

Good easy to look at it but I'm running stock bfg MTR. 3.5 rc lift

 

Way not easy

 

How did it go bad? Mine got bent wheeling at Disney, OK many years ago. I adjusted the steering wheel and continued to drive it for a while longer before finally upgrading to the Curry rod set. Maybe you are just pushing the Jeep harder than the typical owner that Jeep engineers design for.

 

What end is going bad, pitman arm side or knuckle side? With that lift are you running a drop pitman arm? Frame side TB mount?
My advice is to ditch the stock DL and get a better one or at least switch out the TRE at the pitman arm to a HD grease-able one. Bad thing about the stock is if you mess up the knuckle end you gave to replace the whole thing.
Check out Synergy DL, it can be ran normal or flipped. Should work on your lift as long as you bump stop. If you do a flipped DL, ditch the drop pitman arm and frame side TB mount and go to a stock pitman arm and axle side TB mount. Improves the steering geometry, roll center, and handles so much better. I went from white knuckles at 65mph on the hwy to 80mph with 1 finger on the wheel, love it. I have a 3.5" lift btw.

 

First off the factory TRE's, like the factory ball joints, use a plastic bushing around the stud ball. They wear rather easy.

Second is because you are lifted the ball, insert, and housing are in a state of misalignment. The angle of the drag link is going to cause more of the "turning force" to be put in a non load bearing direction on the TRE, which accelerates wear.

I'm not saying it's 100% why, but those are some big factors.