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| CFB Member Since: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire Posts: 803  
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Managed to bend the steering bar on the 110 yestderday doing a spot of off-roading, knew I should have fitted a steering guard
Only a small kink in it but as a consequenece the steering is all over the place. Question is can it just be bashed straight or will it be weak and thus need a replacement?? Andy |
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10th May 2010 9:15am |
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| Grockle Member Since: 24 Nov 2008 Location: Peak District National Park Posts: 2266 
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staighten it in a vice carefully
 2.4 90 XS
1968 1/32 scale Britains 109 Pick up. |
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10th May 2010 10:14am |
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| CFB Member Since: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire Posts: 803
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Is it a hollow tube rather than a solid bar? Never taken one off so unsure? Andy
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10th May 2010 10:25am |
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| alantd Member Since: 14 Dec 2008 Location: Northamptonshire Posts: 1513 
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Personally I'd replace it. The steering's bad enough and you'll be forever questioning whether it is down to your bent rod (*ahem*) or an inherent trait of the vehicle.
Lesson for us all - steering guards are a must have. One that started out as a 2.4 TDCi 110 XS + New Defender 110 First Edition |
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10th May 2010 12:17pm |
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| CFB Member Since: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire Posts: 803
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I've seen a few 'heavy duty' ones advertised but at nearly a hundred quid!
I think a new standard bar with a steering guard must be a better option? Andy |
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10th May 2010 12:26pm |
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| Glynparry25 Member Since: 16 Feb 2009 Location: Miserable Midlands Posts: 3015  
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I have the HD ones on my off-road discovery- they are solid steel bars that you can't bend- they say you don't need guards with them because of this. I have both on it as I like to be extra safe as it is a pure off-road toy. Lesson to many owners to not just give lip service to under-body protection  Looks like you had a lucky escape as I have seel loads of people actualy snap them and end up stranded.
If it is a slight bend (jut a cople of degrees) you can get away with doing tracking and carrying on....but if it needs straightening I would just get a new one, as said befor it is jus a little bit of flimsy steel tube that is only designed to have a lateral force on it so it may even have cracked underneath paint. Glyn |
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10th May 2010 12:55pm |
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| 110SEB Member Since: 29 Jan 2009 Location: Essex, England Posts: 1444 
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Our Rebel 4x4 steering gurard was relatively cheap and is as solid as a rock. Splashed out on a QT diff guard though. Worth it simply for peace of mind if your truck does venture off the black stuff (which all of the forum's trucks do I imagine).
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10th May 2010 1:14pm |
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| scatt Member Since: 24 Aug 2009 Location: nottingham Posts: 103  
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I bent a heavy duty track bar and thought it would be fine but it started to eat my tyres because it was scrubbing badly!! just change it, thats the only way you can be 100% sure everything is correct |
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10th May 2010 5:35pm |
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| Coolcamper55 Member Since: 22 Apr 2010 Location: Inverclyde Posts: 45  
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Do not be tempted to use heat to help straighten it, it will be spotted on the MOT when it comes round, it is a failure issue, and it weakens the strength of the rod / tube.
I did it to my TD5 replaced the whole thing including Track rod ends, best as someone says safe rather than sorry. Tommy Tommy 110 XS TDCi |
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11th May 2010 4:30am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8582
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An in the field solution is a strap around the bar and a gentle pull as a get you home solution.
Long term solution is a replacement one especially as they are not that an expensive part. To protect or not? Depends what type of driving you do. Only occasional gentle green lane then maybe not. Choices of protection are dan/sumo bars which strengthen existing bars. Ensure they have grease nipples on. Protects both forward and reversing Steering guards. A large selection, steel, alloy, recovery eyes, no recovery eyes, 2" receiver, galvanised or electroplated. Then there is the argument of steering guard being a plough especially when reversing in deep gloop. One reason why the comp boys are not so keen on them! On our red 110 we have belts and braces 
Galvanised or electroplated? Electroplating is cheaper and has a much thinner coat on and passes a much shorter salt water test. They will start to rust after a while especially from the edges. That is the type we have on our Disco! Steel v alloy? Weight v cost! Recovery eyes or not? Easier to get to then Jate rings especially when you are in deep gloop. Good recovery points bumper mounted even easier! 2" receiver means recovery billet can be switched to a tow ball if needed. The weak point are track rod ends. Steering guards/dan bars do not fully protect these. However steering guards limits do offer some limited protection as they limit the gap available. Do not buy cheap ebay specials though. A friend of mine did, after less then a year and about 6 recoveries at local club RTV's this was the result  Click image to enlarge On both sides! None of the recoveries had been 'hard' recoveries! Buy cheap pay twice over HTH Brendan |
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11th May 2010 8:34am |
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