Stainless Steel Tie rodes

I now have new Big Horn tires on my prowler and have bent my right tie rod in a large mud hole. I have ordered new tie rods but my son in law suggested that we take the dementions of the tie rod and make it in Stainless Steel, match the threading at the end where it seems to bend. Has anyone tried this? I read in one of the sites about someones brother who was making sleeves to go over the tie rod but nothing about Stainless Steel. Would anyone else be interested? I have a 2007 Prowler XT and wonder if the tie rods are the same in any newer modles. Wally - Adams County Ohio

Wally,

I know nothing about AC. However, we have a few guys on here that do. So hang in there and someone will chime in soon.

Stainless would not be my metal of choice. It is too soft. I would check into those sleeves your talking about. A friend of mine put one on his Jeep Wrangler, and it worked great.

Ya....I gotta agree with Yank....no stainless for those parts. Wally....I do believe that all the Tie Rods are the same on all the Prowlers. ( I shouldn't say this cause I'll jinx myself) where did it break Wally? I've got almost 4000 miles and that has been one area that has given me no trouble.



Foxfire

The tie rod bent at the threaded end by the wheel. I ended up ordering replacement rods from Babbitts Sports center for about $16 a rod. Wally - Adams County Ohio

Foxfire......4ooo miles. That is impressive. Just curious........what kind of problems have you had with your Prowler? I know AC is making much better products these days.

Well LT....had a few but let me first say that EVERYTHING that has broke Cat has covered 100 % both parts and labor!!
2 problems is all that I've had, however they were big...... Broke a tooth on the driver gear and when it broke it cracked the bottom of the block. So they did an R&R on the block and at the same time the driven clutch was replaced because the disk had beaten up the rivets that hold it to the hub( bad design ) but they were out of the new designed. Then 40 miles out in the middle of nowhere, about a year later, the driven clutch busted in 2 and when it did it took the primary with it. All of this was totally covered by Cat LONG after the Prowler had been out of warranty.

Ya, I had the rear brake chatter that they all had, so they did the brake chatter repair, but that's it.....nothin else.

I totally love the machine and have been super happy with the attention and service I have received after the sale, but of coarse, I wish that it had never broke!!! :(lmao:

Well, that is cool that they backed you the way they did. I know if that had been Suzuki-America you would have gotten hosed. I know I just went ahead and skipped the X-warranty on the second King because they do not cover crap. I hope Yammy is better cause I am buying the X-warranty here at the end of the year.

wvyankee2 wrote:

Stainless would not be my metal of choice. It is too soft. I would check into those sleeves your talking about. A friend of mine put one on his Jeep Wrangler, and it worked great.

Yank is right stainless is too soft. You can get different grades just like any metal. Stainless in a grade that would be suitable would have to be twice the size of the stockers in diameter. It would also have to be annealed to get the strenth you would need. SS also moves or distortes with any heat transfer and there is a lot of heat transfer at the tie rods. I am not saying it wouldnt work but to do it right it would cost you lots more that a steel one.