What Are The Benefits Of Upgrading Your Jeep's Steering Column?

Top Benefits of A Steering Column Upgrade For Your Off-Roader

Pop quiz! And a riddle at the same time - excluding your tires and bumper, what's usually one of the first things on the front of your Jeep to make contact with some sort of large obstacle? If it helps, some people even refer to this part as the Lower Bumper, but only because it sticks out in front of the axle, constantly in harm's way.

If you haven't gotten it yet, we're talking about the tie rod, and if you're not sure what that is, it's the long metal tube that connects the front tires together so that when you steer your Jeep, both of the front tires move in the same direction. But with any amount of serious and intense off-roading, the tie rod can be much more of a liability than an asset, so today we want to show you why you might want to upgrade to a better one in your future. Let's take a look.

Table Of Contents

-What Are The Components of a Steering Column To Keep An Eye On?

-What Happens When A Tie Rod Or Drag Link Wears Out?

-What Are The Best Aftermarket Steering Replacement Brands?

What Are The Components of a Steering Column To Keep An Eye On?

Jeep has made the tie rod much stronger on newer Wranglers as compared to older generations, but there's still much to be desired there, not just in strength to prevent them from bending, but in the tie rods themselves. They have a reputation for allowing more play than what there should be, though when it comes to steering issues, tie rods aren't the only culprit.

The drag link is another known weak point in keeping the axle firmly situated in position. However, factory drag link bars and end links have been known to wear out prematurely, allowing the front axle to move around separately, albeit slightly, from the body of the Jeep, causing it to "wander."

What Happens When A Tie Rod Or Drag Link Wears Out?

Some other known reciprocal effects of worn out tie rod and drag link ends are premature tire wear and cupping, a loose steering feel, and in some extreme cases, the death wobble - that's where the front tires go into a reciprocating and violent back and forth shake.

Most of these issues don't typically start to happen until larger and heavier tires are installed, often in conjunction with a suspension lift, because the additional forces against the steering components are the result of all the extra weight the larger tires add. Therefore, the best preventative solution to having this happen to your Jeep is to install an extreme heavy duty tie rod, tie rod ends, drag link, and drag link ends.

What Are The Best Aftermarket Steering Replacement Brands?

We're big fans of the Apex Chassis heavy duty steering upgrade kit. Apex Chassis has one of the beefiest replacement rod and link kits on the market, as they're rated at two and a half tons of strength. They're offered in kits that include a polished aluminum tie rod and drag link in black aluminum or steel - the kit includes the left and right forged steel tie rods, and left and right forged steel drag link ends, plus four (to use their words) ninja lock washers.

Excluding the steel version, the tie rod and drag link are made out of two-inch 7075 T6 aluminum rod, which is the best aluminum available for this application because it's not only durable, but also has some flex and memory - that means that even if you do end up bending it, the aluminum returns back to its original shape right away.

Another huge advantage to this kit over stock is the tie rod and drag link ends. Both are manufactured out of carbon alloy steel to give you the strongest metal possible, basically making the kit virtually indestructible. This way, the next time you're out on the trails and want to rest the weight of your Jeep on the tie rod, feel free to do so because it's not gonna hurt it.

Shop Steering Components and Upgrades at TrailBuilt Off-Road

So, before you start experiencing death wobble or even if you're noticing some sloppiness in your steering, start by replacing the tie rod, tie rod ends, drag link, and drag link ends, and already you'll be amazed with how much tighter your steering will feel. Plus, that's not to mention the additional peace of mind of not having to worry about bending your tie rod while off-roading.

We offer steering upgrades from Apex Chassis right here in our performance store, but there are plenty of other kits from leading manufacturers that can fit your year, make and model perfectly. Grab a kit for your rig today, and as always, we'll see you out on the trails!