Broke my OEM inner tie rode after 50k hard miles. SOLVED.

[MPOOR]

Hey Guys
Today out from a parking lot, I ended up with a snapped inner tierod, passenger side.
Thank god I wasn't on the highway.
Obviously, too much load for an OEM tie rod to handle.
I would like to know if anyone knows an aftermarket tie rod upgrade kit available. if not I'm going have to visit a local CNC shop.

Drive safe and check your tie rod ~ if you drive hard ~~

[knightarmor]

Are you lowered? Asking cause i notice the spl aftermarket part in your photo.

[MPOOR]

Originally Posted by knightarmor

Are you lowered? Asking cause i notice the spl aftermarket part in your photo.

Yeb, lowered. thus SPL endlinks to correct it.

[Suds]

How much did you lower your car?

Originally Posted by nysid2007

Yep, lowered. thus SPL endlinks to correct it.

[FreeDarko]

Originally Posted by nysid2007

Yeb, lowered. thus SPL endlinks to correct it.

Does the SPL links have anything to do with it?

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by FreeDarko

Does the SPL links have anything to do with it?

It sure looks like it does - the tie rod threads were fatigued by the SPL rod end until a crack formed and then grew to its critical length which resulted in the tie rod fracturing/failure. It also looks like the tie rod was bending as the crack was growing.

[knightarmor]

Yea I can only speculate that the endlink may have contributed to this. Im lowered on MPHAS and drive my M pretty hard. Just got back from the super tight twisties in northern California and didn't have any issues.

[F3IGHTY]

Looks like the rod end may have been reaching its maximum misalignment and then going solid which puts a huge bending load into the tie rod. You can see the threads near the failure point bending upwards. I’d argue this was entirely due to incorrect geometry and not an issue with the OEM tie rod.

I own every SPL part for the F80 and really like their products. I think this was a configuration / installation issue.

[ninekrpm]

have you shared this feedback with SPL?

[MPOOR]

Originally Posted by Suds

How much did you lower your car?

Its lowered to about one finger gap~ front and rear.

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

It sure looks like it does - the tie rod threads were fatigued by the SPL rod end until a crack formed and then grew to its critical length which resulted in the tie rod fracturing/failure. It also looks like the tie rod was bending as the crack was growing.

Tie rods are exposed fluctuating Forces and vibration due to bumps and rebump. What makes you say inner tie were fatigued by SPL outter?

Originally Posted by knightarmor

Yea I can only speculate that the endlink may have contributed to this. Im lowered on MPHAS and drive my M pretty hard. Just got back from the super tight twisties in northern California and didn't have any issues.

Yeah, My tierods were completely fine for 50K miles and then snapped.
But then again your settings are springs only, I have pretty hard set up dampers as well which can have contributed to this failure.

Originally Posted by F3IGHTY

Looks like the rod end may have been reaching its maximum misalignment and then going solid which puts a huge bending load into the tie rod. You can see the threads near the failure point bending upwards. I’d argue this was entirely due to incorrect geometry and not an issue with the OEM tie rod.

I own every SPL part for the F80 and really like their products. I think this was a configuration/installation issue.

I also own almost every SPL parts and I love them ~~
Why would you think there was misalignment point?
Also, what would you have done to correctly install outer SPL tie rods?

Originally Posted by ninekrpm

have you shared this feedback with SPL?

You know what, I think I should give them a call and find out what's what
Thank you .


Thank you for sharing your thoughts ~~
got it repaired and back on the road ~
Got some killer alignment done.

Shall I change the driver side inner tie as well?????

did some very close up, visual inspection but could not find any signs of abnormally. But I feel like the driver side should be fatigued as well.

[M3SQRD]

The SPL tie rods come with three spacers per side and the spacers can be used in any combination (one spacer, any two spacers or all three spacers) to correct bumpsteer based on your specific ride height, etc. If you used the wrong set of spacers then you’ll introduce bending into the tie rods (different center of rotation from the lower control arm).

The first picture above shows the threads have been compressed due to bending in the tie rod as well as a radial crack that’s formed in one thread.

[MPOOR]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

The SPL tie rods come with three spacers per side and the spacers can be used in any combination (one spacer, any two spacers or all three spacers) to correct bumpsteer based on your specific ride height, etc. If you used the wrong set of spacers then you’ll introduce bending into the tie rods (different center of rotation from the lower control arm).

The first picture above shows the threads have been compressed due to bending in the tie rod as well as a radial crack that’s formed in one thread.

Yeah ~ in my case it was the outter tie end ball side, not being correctly set for my

suspension set up. SPL provided me a great customer support~!!

Replaced, realigned, and outter tie end properly adjusted.

Car steers like on Rail. Almost no bumpsteer.

I learned it the Hard way.

[knightarmor]

Glad you got it sorted out. Are those Advan wheels? M looks good!

[F3IGHTY]

Originally Posted by knightarmor

Glad you got it sorted out. Are those Advan wheels? M looks good!

Volk ZE40 - great wheel

[tlrid3r]

I know this is a old thread but its was bit obvious to me, that the length of the swaybar end link was not set correct. It caused the swaybar to bind on the tie rod. For sure the sway bar is way stronger. you can see how close it is on the first post (2nd pic). Nothing wrong with SPL parts or SPL parts causing this. Its just when we modify we should check full suspension articulation.

there was another thread that something similar happen with no SPL parts, just lowered using stock length swaybar endlink and not a shorter one.