Has anyone ever tried to reinforce their steering center link? I just replaced my idler arm and noticed that my center link, between the frame rails has bowed upwards. Luckily I have another, but I was considering reinforcing the new one before I put it in to make sure it doesn't happen again. I was thinking about welding a bar or two on top and below it that goes the length of the link. I doubt it'll hurt the center link, I just wanted to make sure I'm not going to damage anything else. Has anyone else tried this?

 

I don't see why that wouldn't work; seems like a logical idea

though it's strange, normally the idler arm will pretzel (for lack of a better term ) before something as thick as that bar will

 

Put the damn front skidplate back on howboutit, that should prevent a rock from bending the centre link. If it bend from wear, that is extremely unusual. There was a Relay Rod Recall where the centrelink cracked where the inner tie rod connects due to heat treating problems.

 

Looks like Total Chaos sleeves theirs with tube...

http://www.chaosfab.com/toyaccess_4wd.html

 

Its practically got a second centre link attached!



Total Chaos also has a vampire-fighting kit. Check it.

 

wth is that??

 

Steel stakes, and shoulder pads obviously.

 

I always run the skid plate, it bent from wear.



I replaced the idler arm because the lower bushings was half gone and the idler arm itself was bent to the point where it was hitting the frame...



I'll post picture of the center link tomorrow when I pull it off.

 

Wow, your idler should have bend or your tie rods buckled far before the centrelink bends.

 

is your alignment off at all???

 

Surprisingly no, these Toyota's never cease to amaze me. I have a lifetime alignment with Firestone and they manage to get it within spec every time. I get a printout each time I take it in.


Any ideas what type shape metal would be best for strengthening the center link?

My ideas
-round tubing with an inner diameter just larger then the center link. Cut it in half and weld 3/8 of the circumference to the top and 3/8 the circumference to the bottom.
-2 pieces of angle iron, one on top and one below the center link

Either way I'd run a bead the length of the piece. Considering I only have a 4.5" angle grinder and a 3" cut off tool the angle iron would probably be easier to do and would also look better (not that it really matters). Plus if I can't cut the tubing straight it would probably be harder to weld and since I'm contracting the work out, it'd probably cost more to do.

 

You don't need the bead to run continuous. 1" stitches with 2" or so in between will be fine. You break 1" of proper weld and you got bigger problems to worry about.

Not sure if the relay rod is cast or forged ... it definitely has a parting line, so it's one of those... to be safe, I would treat it as cast and do the preheat/postheat, careful with the weld HAZ thing...

 

 

Here's a picture of the bent center link

 

nah, that's not bent . . . it's high clearance