Bent tie rod question

[panzerjunky]

Hello again Gents
I have a small bend in my tie rod and will be taking one end off to do my air o matic upgrade in a few days my question to you is if I pull the rod off heat and bend strait will i have any issues with temper or otherwise damaging the rod the bend is slight but i do feel it is enough to throw off alignment a tad as she is pulling to the left slightly and air pressure is good.
Thanks Jerry

 

[gringeltaube]

That bend would eventually cause a toe-out condition but doesn't quiet explain the pulling-to-left problem to me.
Try to get it back straight cold, using a press and some V-blocks; shouldn't be difficult at all. The tube is made of low carbon steel, even so I would avoid heating.

Check toe-in afterwards.

G.

 

[MDSA]

I somehow managed to put a large bend in my Deuce tie rod. We loosened the ends, rotated the tie rod so the bottom of the bend was down, tightened the ends, and used a bottle jack to push the bend back straight. Worked perfectly. Measured the distance of the tires and the job is done. I can't remember for sure, but it seems the front of the tires was 1/8 less than the back.

 

[powerhouseduece]

I somehow managed to put a large bend in my Deuce tie rod. We loosened the ends, rotated the tie rod so the bottom of the bend was down, tightened the ends, and used a bottle jack to push the bend back straight. Worked perfectly. Measured the distance of the tires and the job is done. I can't remember for sure, but it seems the front of the tires was 1/8 less than the back.

 

[WillWagner]

I somehow managed to put a large bend in my Deuce tie rod. We loosened the ends, rotated the tie rod so the bottom of the bend was down, tightened the ends, and used a bottle jack to push the bend back straight. Worked perfectly. Measured the distance of the tires and the job is done. I can't remember for sure, but it seems the front of the tires was 1/8 less than the back.

Agreed 2X

If the tie rod is removed though, use the press and V block method, just remember to thread something into the ball joint hole if the rod is being supported in the V blocks there. The hole will get egg shaped.

 

[panzerjunky]

You guys are the best
Thanks Jerry

 

[rolling18]

I somehow managed to put a large bend in my Deuce tie rod. We loosened the ends, rotated the tie rod so the bottom of the bend was down, tightened the ends, and used a bottle jack to push the bend back straight. Worked perfectly. Measured the distance of the tires and the job is done. I can't remember for sure, but it seems the front of the tires was 1/8 less than the back.

thats is exactly what I should do!!!
heres mine!

 

[Bobbyconti]

This is exactly what I did to mine ( the bottle jack trick). Afterwards, use a long piece of angle iron to check your work (just lay it on there, you'll see if it's still bent). I set my toe at 1/16 in. Friction tends to pull the wheels apart while driving, so 1/16 toe would spread to 0 in motion.

 

[gimpyrobb]

thats is exactly what I should do!!!
heres mine!

What were you driving over!!!?

 

[DeucesWild11]

That trick of bending it back worked for me too!

 

[Wildchild467]

My tie rod has a very very slight bend in it also. I never tried straightening it because it was so slight. When I bought the truck, it also had a dent in the bottom of the front differential. Not a huge dent, but a dent. I think some crazy GI was the one that bent my tie rod too. I never treated my deuce that bad before to dent the differential.... wiping out the whole body and box on some rocks.... thats a different story.