Drag link bent need advice

quertyman

quertyman

Member
So I accidentally bent my drag link a while ago trying to flex (at the mall :doh:). I ended up somehow bending my drag link (and no it did not hit anything) so I went home and centered my steering wheel. Now every time I go wheeling it will bend more and more and my steering wheel will be turned to the right. I keep adjusting it but it just bends more :naw:. So I was thinking of going with the synergy drag link mounted normally then maybe some time in the future flip it around if I feel the need to. I think I'm sitting around 4" of lift but it may be less because there is no bump steer and it drives great to me. Just keep bending the dl. Any advice against/for this? And is synergy the best one to go with?
 
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CJW said:
Wow! I would have thought the ball joints would break first. How'd that happen? Do you run a hydro assist?
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Hitting a wheel while moving at a fast speed and to the point where your steering wheel flies out of your hands and you come to a stop can do this. Also, attempting to climb a steep and tough rock obstacle with a lot of tire spin can do too - in this situation, your tie-rod will bend outward as well.
 
Unless I am reading this wrong, you can't just flip it around in the future. The flip uses a right hand drive drag link, totally different part
 
CJW said:
Wow! I would have thought the ball joints would break first. How'd that happen? Do you run a hydro assist?
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No hydro assist. I was wedged in a tight spot when I was up in Carson city and that's what originally caused it. It got a little worse as time went on.
 
wayoflife said:
Hitting a wheel while moving at a fast speed and to the point where your steering wheel flies out of your hands and you come to a stop can do this. Also, attempting to climb a steep and tough rock obstacle with a lot of tire spin can do too - in this situation, your tie-rod will bend outward as well.
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Gotcha. I haven't had this happen to me yet. Just assumed something else would go first. It's also nice to know that it's weaker than than the sector shaft then.
 
OverlanderJK said:
No hydro assist. I was wedged in a tight spot when I was up in Carson city and that's what originally caused it. It got a little worse as time went on.
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Wow. I just thought other parts would break before the drag link bent. Crazy! Thanks for the explanation.
 
CJW said:
Gotcha. I haven't had this happen to me yet. Just assumed something else would go first. It's also nice to know that it's weaker than than the sector shaft then.
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Contrary to popular believe or fanboys of braces, sector shafts don't "just break". At least, none of the ones I have seen have just broken. Of the ones I have seen and I have seen quite a few over the years, there are always signs (rust) showing how it had been "breaking" for a significant amount of time. Of course, a hit or stress strong enough to bend a drag link certainly doesn't help and can very well start the "breaking process". But, more times than not, I have seen sector shafts ultimately fail while doing pretty much next to nothing.
 
OverlanderJK said:
Why not get the drag link flip now or just get another factory drag link? I just replaced my bent one.
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I want to get something that is stronger than the factory one. I Don't want this to happen again and it was pretty easy to do.
JKbrick said:
Unless I am reading this wrong, you can't just flip it around in the future. The flip uses a right hand drive drag link, totally different part
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That is why I'm looking at the synergy one because it can go either way whenever you want to flip it.
wayoflife said:
Contrary to popular believe or fanboys of braces, sector shafts don't "just break". At least, none of the ones I have seen have just broken. Of the ones I have seen and I have seen quite a few over the years, there are always signs (rust) showing how it had been "breaking" for a significant amount of time. Of course, a hit or stress strong enough to bend a drag link certainly doesn't help and can very well start the "breaking process". But, more times than not, I have seen sector shafts ultimately fail while doing pretty much next to nothing.
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Is rust the only reason these things break on people?
 
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quertyman said:
I want to get something that is stronger than the factory one. I Don't want this to happen again and it was pretty easy to do.

That is why I'm looking at the synergy one because it can go either way whenever you want to flip it.

Is rust the only reason these things break on people?
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Easy to do? Sure I don't jump my jeep like you do but I don't call the 3 years it took me to bend mine easy. And I would rather have a bent drag link than a broken sector shaft,or pitman arm.
 
OverlanderJK said:
Easy to do? Sure I don't jump my jeep like you do but I don't call the 3 years it took me to bend mine easy. And I would rather have a bent drag link than a broken sector shaft,or pitman arm.
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I agree with the bent drag link over the other. I tweeked my tie rod last time out and have a couple questions. I'm looking at hydro assist this winter and will that eliminate the possibility of the sector shaft breakage? I also notice that sitting on concrete and turning wheel the factory drag link flexes a lil. I would think hydro would help that issue also. Correct?
 
OverlanderJK said:
Easy to do? Sure I don't jump my jeep like you do but I don't call the 3 years it took me to bend mine easy. And I would rather have a bent drag link than a broken sector shaft,or pitman arm.
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True :cheesy: and I would agree on not breaking the sector shaft. Also isnt there something wrong with the synergy track bar mount that people don't like?
 
MTG said:
Synergy goes both ways? :idontknow:
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Yea it can be mounted in the stock position or in the flipped position because it has a threaded tie rod end. I just went out and measured my lift and it looks like i netted 2 5/8" of lift. No idea how this is because I thought it had a 2.5" aev lift and I just added on 1 3/4" spacers :dont_know:. Guess I'm not doing a dl flip.
 
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wayoflife said:
Contrary to popular believe or fanboys of braces, sector shafts don't "just break". At least, none of the ones I have seen have just broken. Of the ones I have seen and I have seen quite a few over the years, there are always signs (rust) showing how it had been "breaking" for a significant amount of time. Of course, a hit or stress strong enough to bend a drag link certainly doesn't help and can very well start the "breaking process". But, more times than not, I have seen sector shafts ultimately fail while doing pretty much next to nothing.
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Good to know!
So is rust on the sector shaft a sign of breaking? Along the stressed area or just in general?
Would hydro assist help protect the sector shaft?
Or is the sector shaft really not something to even worry about breaking?
 
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