Bent tie rods from minor rut G3 2022

[metroman]

Hi All. I have had several Raptor. They have been my daily driver since 2011. I have taken them to the extreme (but this post is about my 2022 stock G3 37 package). I was bothered last month with driving my 2022 G3 37' tire package when I bent both front tie rods after hitting a minor rut at about 40 MPH in "off-road" mode. See pictures below. I will throw in my 2015 ditch incident pic (that's my old 2011 Race Raptor). Truck was in 4H at time of impact.

A suspension tech told me they have seen this happen to about five other Gen3 Raptors with live value suspensions. They think the live value system is putting the front shocks into max compression when the system senses a hard impact coming. The result of the over compression of the shock (max stiffness) is the energy from the impact has to go somewhere and that is often times into the tie rods causing them to bend. See pics below. I bent both sides badly. I had to get towed home.

I have had 5 or 6 Raptor and never before would hitting a rut like the below pictured one at 40 MPH with a stock truck cause damage like this.

Additionally - a front hub nuked when stuck in snow and the transfer case is throwing codes (unable to shift out of 4WD). Also the shifter is out of alignment (shows R but would be in Park) and the driver seat cushion or gut are leaning to one side. The Truck has 7k miles on it.

This was the first time I ricky raced this truck on a dirt road. I was in Baja mode but the truck seemed slow compared to G1 and G2. I put it into off-road mode and it was made to accelerate faster. I would love to find out EXACTLY the different between Off-road and BAJA modes if anyone know the location of that.

Something seems very goofy on these Gen 3 Raptor suspension settings. I recall my G1 and G2 Raptor offroading much more nicely and predictable.

My back ground is I was a cop for 15 years so I have a lot of driving experience from that. I also raced off-road in 1400 class and 6100 Spec TT class. So I am an OK driver. I am Offroad almost every day. I live in the Eastern Sierra Mountains near Bishop.

Anyone have experience when Gen 3 bending tie-rods or other suspension setting concerns? Chime in please.

Sincerely,

Very Disappointed in my 2022 Gen 3 Raptor





And so you all know who I am this is my instagram famous pic from my 2015 crash into a newly made thunder storm create washout.

 

[relak]

max compression wouldn’t be max stiffness, it would be the opposite. Baja mode, I believe, puts the suspension into a softer compression and my guess is you just hit this “rut” at a bad angle. Can these trucks jump? Yes. But they also will break if you misuse them.

 

[HAP]

2015??

 

[GordoJay]

That doesn't look like much of a rut ... the first one, anyway.

 

[taquitos]

My theory is the tie rods are sized properly for doing these things with 35” tires but maybe a little undersized for 37s. I have a 35 and have hit larger things than that going faster than that with zero issues. Maybe it’s luck, but I have a feeling it’s tire size. The extra inch of travel can’t hurt either.

The shocks have a load sensing valve (they call it a boost valve). This reacts to large impacts even faster than live valve can. Essentially with enough flow the shock will make itself extra stiff at bottom of travel no matter what. It’s a good thing to have, but if the tie rods are already questionably sized for larger tires then an unusually high damping force could be the tipping point. That said still better than bottoming out.

It sounds like you have a bit of a lemon. It’s a shame this generation is lacking in quality. I feel like I’ve been lucky to only have warrantied all the shocks, the windshield wiper motors, exhaust installation, and needed a bunch of module updates. I would have said it was crazy to have all that for a truck that’s about a year old before.

 

[metroman]

2015??

Yes the caged/linked Raptor crash was 2015.

 

[metroman]

That doesn't look like much of a rut ... the first one, anyway.

Thats what I'm saying. I hit stuff far worse in past Raptor and not taco'd the tie rods.

 

[metroman]

My theory is the tie rods are sized properly for doing these things with 35” tires but maybe a little undersized for 37s. I have a 35 and have hit larger things than that going faster than that with zero issues. Maybe it’s luck, but I have a feeling it’s tire size. The extra inch of travel can’t hurt either.

The shocks have a load sensing valve (they call it a boost valve). This reacts to large impacts even faster than live valve can. Essentially with enough flow the shock will make itself extra stiff at bottom of travel no matter what. It’s a good thing to have, but if the tie rods are already questionably sized for larger tires then an unusually high damping force could be the tipping point. That said still better than bottoming out.

It sounds like you have a bit of a lemon. It’s a shame this generation is lacking in quality. I feel like I’ve been lucky to only have warrantied all the shocks, the windshield wiper motors, exhaust installation, and needed a bunch of module updates. I would have said it was crazy to have all that for a truck that’s about a year old before.

Ya I am feeling lemon-ish. However I have the extended warranty. SO far it sounds like Ford is going to fix all my complaints. Thanks for the shock info.

I think the tire PSI was 40+. Maybe 45 PSI. Normally in past trucks I would run at 32 to 35 PSI.

I am hearing the new Broncos and Rangers are bending tie rods like crazy as well.

 

[catinthehat85]

Sorry to hear about your tie rods, sounds like an unfortunate circumstance? I have nothing technical to add, other than I’ve taken my 37pp on 4 off road road trips and have never experienced this. There are also speed bumps I’ve taken (in Mexico of course) at over 70mph semi regularly without issue lol.

 

[DFS]

Bending a tie rod because you hit rut at a poor angle traveling too fast doesn't make your truck a "lemon". Tie rod failures do not seem to be prominent at all on this forum.. Your Gen 3 has no where near the capabilities of your 2015 based on your build.