Anyone ever replace QA1 Rod Ends?

[cavero]

I've got a front end shake/clunk I couldn't seem to track down, and I figured I could take advantage of the shop's free multi-point inspection that they do with an oil change to help me pinpoint it.

They proved me right on the strut mounts, definitely clunking. But they also said my driver's side heim joint was making noise when they put it on the lift. I got clarification that they were referring to the rod end that's part of my QA1 bumpsteer kit I got from BMR.

Kelly at BMR thought they were XMR10 ends, but pointed me to the QA1 guys to be sure. Those guys were stunned that the rod ends would wear out after only 5 years/ 58000 miles. So much so because they have to dig for the part number -- said they've NEVER had to sell replacement rod ends for that kit, they just seem to last forever.

Who's crazy here?


On a side note, before I took it in, I called Steeda about a rebuild kit for the HD upper strut mounts, and they had the same kind of impression: "Really?? Under 60k on them? Those things are bullet-proof...that's not right." I told them about what the shop said, explained the symptoms, and provided the receipt when I bought the mounts from TillmanSpeed, and they said OK, and are sending me a rebuild kit, free of charge! (I would have just sent it in but it's my DD and I can't have it down for a week). These guys are awesome. Steeda, BMR, QA1. All great customer service and stand by their products.

Any way back on topic (for side note), if the Steeda mounts wore out so much faster than they expected, I guess it's not unreasonable for the tie rod ends to wear out too. I don't feel any play in them when I yank the tie rods though.

Shaking the wheels side to side gives me some play in the wheel movement, but I don't see play in the rod ends and think that could be the original inner tie rods too. It would explain some of the vagueness and drifting I've been feeling in the steering. Got some new ones from MOOG on the way since they're only $60 shipped for the pair from Rock Auto and I've got to get an alignment done for the strut & strut mount replacement anyway.

Damn that's a long post for 1 question: How feasible is it that the rod ends could need replacing that fast?

 

[BMR Tech]

Thanks for the compliment, I appreciate it! I will side with QA1, being that the XR/XM series rod-ends typically don't wear out on a bumpsteer application. Well, they can/do....but I think you may be the first person to have this occur (that has called me)
They typically last 5 years or so on LCA - which sees WAY more load and abuse than a tie-rod end.

I do know that they are a 5/8" Rod End - I just was not 100% sure on the exact part #. Did QA1 give you the part #?

If you want, and have the time, you can remove them and send them to my office. I would be happy to inspect them for you! If one or both are bad, I probably have some in stock that I could re-install on the collars and send back to you. I know you may not have the time for the car to be down, but I will gladly help if you need assurance on what choice to make.

 

[Whiskey11]

I don't have as much faith in QA1 as you do Kelly. UMI uses them in their swaybar endlinks up front that Strano sells. No disrespect to Strano or UMI but those rod ends barely lasted 3500 miles and a half seasons worth of driving before they were so loose they clunked CONSTANTLY. Swaybars do see some pretty quick jolts but I didn't imagine them barely lasting 5 months before going tits up. No idea which QA1 rod ends they are but they are junk and really tainted my opinion of the company.

I got a year and a half out of the original Aurora's on my Fays2 Watts link and they were still tight, just squeeking and I hope the new FK replacements Jim sent me last just as long and that is a part that sees a lot of lateral loads!

That said, sphericals and rod ends are wear items. If you get more than a year or two out of them driving the car daily then you should be thrilled because that is pretty impressive!

 

[BMR Tech]

Interesting Whiskey. Does UMI not offer a warranty on them?

I assure you, we would not use those parts if we had to perform warranties on failed pieces, on a regular basis. I would have to chalk that up to possibly being a bad batch of rod-ends that had too much tolerance from the get-go. We sell thousands of these XM/XR style ends from QA1, Viking, FK - etc....and they seem to last pretty long.

We offer a 2-year warranty on every BMR Product. Unlike many companies, that warranty ALSO covers the "non" BMR Product on our parts, like the Rod-Ends on a large portion of our components.

FWIW, we are running our TCA020 LCA on our car, since November 2010. These feature (4) separate QA1 XMR12 Rod-Ends, and all (4) were inpected by myself two weeks ago, still tight as new.

 

[Whiskey11]

Interesting Whiskey. Does UMI not offer a warranty on them?

I assure you, we would not use those parts if we had to perform warranties on failed pieces, on a regular basis. I would have to chalk that up to possibly being a bad batch of rod-ends that had too much tolerance from the get-go. We sell thousands of these XM/XR style ends from QA1, Viking, FK - etc....and they seem to last pretty long.

We offer a 2-year warranty on every BMR Product. Unlike many companies, that warranty ALSO covers the "non" BMR Product on our parts, like the Rod-Ends on a large portion of our components.

FWIW, we are running our TCA020 LCA on our car, since November 2010. These feature (4) separate QA1 XMR12 Rod-Ends, and all (4) were inpected by myself two weeks ago, still tight as new.

I don't know if they do nor do I really care at this point. The "gains" that came with the added sound and headache were not worth it. I swapped in a set of 2011 factory swaybar endlinks and couldn't be happier with the setup.

 

[cavero]

Thanks for the compliment, I appreciate it! I will side with QA1, being that the XR/XM series rod-ends typically don't wear out on a bumpsteer application. Well, they can/do....but I think you may be the first person to have this occur (that has called me)
They typically last 5 years or so on LCA - which sees WAY more load and abuse than a tie-rod end.

I do know that they are a 5/8" Rod End - I just was not 100% sure on the exact part #. Did QA1 give you the part #?

If you want, and have the time, you can remove them and send them to my office. I would be happy to inspect them for you! If one or both are bad, I probably have some in stock that I could re-install on the collars and send back to you. I know you may not have the time for the car to be down, but I will gladly help if you need assurance on what choice to make.

Kelly, I'd be all for that but I can't go that long without my car. If we have a good week weather wise, I could try to ride my bike to work, it's 12 miles though and if it rains, its 30 year old electrics probably wouldn't agree with it too much.

 

[cavero]

Interesting discussion. FWIW, the bumpsteer kit didn't add any extra NVH. I know its a component that's not subject to the same level of impact and forces as control arm or strut mounts though, so I wouldn't expect it to transmit extra feedback through the chassis