74 Weld Steering Rack (SAVE YOUR CASH)

[userdude]

I dunno, I always assumed they meant the parts they manufactured. I don't know it occurred to me the bar could be broken, though, so perhaps hype overwhelmed rational thinking here. I know there's no way to prevent all failure (and not being able to get internal parts separately is the biggest cost here, with 74W unhelpfully charging you the full HD rack cost again I assume).

Really, I guess 74W just builds parts for deep pocketed people with the idea failure can be avoided, even if we know that's false...

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[Fordified1]

Yes it’s expensive and probably @74Weld won’t cover the Hoss 3.0 internals (if you manage to break them). But if you read what the 74weld housing does internally which is way above the minimal support the 3.0 housing gives, it eliminates a lot of internal deflection which theoretically allows the internals to live through way more abuse than the stock 3.0 housing does, and supposedly substantially above what just the billet end housing does.
(I need to go back and read all the improvements internally which many of us on the fence should also do).

Until there’s a few examples of breaking the 74weld rack, and how 74w responded to attempted warranty claims, I will remain open minded.

 

[userdude]

@ScLeCo What's the story on breaking the steering bar? What broke, the teeth (pictures?)?

 

[userdude]

Yes it’s expensive and probably 74w won’t cover the Hoss 3.0 internals (if you manage to break them). But if you read what the 74weld housing does internally which is way above the minimal support the 3.0 housing gives, it eliminates a lot of internal deflection which theoretically allows the internals to live through way more abuse than the stock 3.0 housing does, and supposedly substantially above what just the billet end housing does.
(I need to go back and read all the improvements internally which many of us on the fence should also do).

Until there’s a few examples of breaking the 74weld rack, and how 74w responded to attempted warranty claims, I will remain open minded.

Yeah, I tend to agree; you can't prevent all failure (this is a well known risk management principle, prevention as a treatment is almost always impossible). I think Quinn's been a little cagey in a "choose your own adventure" way, choosing hype over clarity at times. But my belief (I have the 74W rack) at the time I bought it was that this rack eliminated enough of the risks of harder off roading that it was worth it, since I'd be unlikely to ever push it that hard.

The reports of the oil impregnated bushing getting shredded, some motor failures and now this, a do over I'd save the money and just get the HOSS 3.0 with spares. This kinda stuff is more for those who can afford that (non-negligible but not huge IMO) engineered savings.

 

[Fordified1]

Yeah, I tend to agree; you can't prevent all failure (this is a well known risk management principle, prevention as a treatment is almost always impossible). I think Quinn's been a little cagey in a "choose your own adventure" way, choosing hype over clarity at times. But my belief (I have the 74W rack) at the time I bought it was that this rack eliminated enough of the risks of harder off roading that it was worth it, since I'd be unlikely to ever push it that hard.

The reports of the oil impregnated bushing getting shredded, some motor failures and now this, a do over I'd save the money and just get the HOSS 3.0 with spares. This kinda stuff is more for those who can afford that (non-negligible but not huge IMO) engineered savings.

You paid for some peace of mind and there’s nothing wrong with that for those who can afford it. It will be a few years before we beat on ours enough that anything above a 3.0 rack is needed and by then there may be other options. The 6G Bronco aftermarket is just getting going.

 

[userdude]

Also @ScLeCo, I have the original 2.0 rack as a spare right now. I wonder, is it possible to use this for parts instead of buying another rack (74W's route I assume)? @BigMeatsBronco Do you know if this is possible? It seems a waste to have to get a whole rack just for a single part. Do you still have your old rack?

 

[ScLeCo]

Maybe I missed it, but did you break your 74weld rack housing and/or Hoss3.0 internals?

the "fuse" becomes the steering rack itself (the actual steering rack bar specifically).

@ScLeCo What's the story on breaking the steering bar? What broke, the teeth (pictures?)?

It bent causing the teeth to rub against the housing. 74 weld did not take any pictures for me.

Also @ScLeCo, I have the original 2.0 rack as a spare right now. I wonder, is it possible to use this for parts instead of buying another rack (74W's route I assume)? @BigMeatsBronco Do you know if this is possible? It seems a waste to have to get a whole rack just for a single part. Do you still have your old rack?

I gave my old rack to Snacktime. I would think that since the rack is the same in 2.0 and 3.0 that you could buy a used 2.0 rack and just swap it out.

 

[userdude]

the "fuse" becomes the steering rack itself (the actual steering rack bar specifically).

It bent causing the teeth to rub against the housing. 74 weld did not take any pictures for me.

I gave my old rack to Snacktime. I would think that since the rack is the same in 2.0 and 3.0 that you could buy a used 2.0 rack and just swap it out.

What were you doing when it bent? What precipitated the breakage?

And you know what this means...

"ALL NEW!!! Billet 7074 Steering Bar! $3200 for REAL Peace of Mind!" (Assembly not included.)

 

[ScLeCo]

What were you doing when it bent? What precipitated the breakage?

And you know what this means...

"ALL NEW!!! Billet 7074 Steering Bar! $3200 for REAL Peace of Mind!" (Assembly not included.)

Hit a rock in a ditch at about 25 mph.

Only $3200? Shit I'll take two.

 

[BigMeatsBronco]

the "fuse" becomes the steering rack itself (the actual steering rack bar specifically).

It bent causing the teeth to rub against the housing. 74 weld did not take any pictures for me.

I gave my old rack to Snacktime. I would think that since the rack is the same in 2.0 and 3.0 that you could buy a used 2.0 rack and just swap it out.

How do you know the bar is actually bent? I took a grinder to the outside of the teeth and ground down every single one of the teeth because from the factory the OEM design is that there are burs from the original teeth being cut out. So naturally I deburred mine before doing the installation especially after seeing the brass shavings coming out of others

 

[BigMeatsBronco]

Hit a rock in a ditch at about 25 mph.

Only $3200? Shit I'll take two.

So that seems like an accident more than a four-wheel drive event? I mean I can go through the Copart auctions and see all kinds of carnage on steering racks from different impacts but that doesn't make it a real world situation... the goal here is to make it four wheel drive proof not necessarily idiot proof

 

[ScLeCo]

How do you know the bar is actually bent? I took a grinder to the outside of the teeth and ground down every single one of the teeth because from the factory the OEM design is that there are burs from the original teeth being cut out. So naturally I deburred mine before doing the installation especially after seeing the brass shavings coming out of others

They rolled it on a flat surface. Bent. That and the fact that it was grinding against the housing when turning left.

So that seems like an accident more than a four-wheel drive event? I mean I can go through the Copart auctions and see all kinds of carnage on steering racks from different impacts but that doesn't make it a real world situation... the goal here is to make it four wheel drive proof not necessarily idiot proof

Fair point. If stupid was a dollar I'd be a billionaire.

 

[userdude]

So that seems like an accident more than a four-wheel drive event? I mean I can go through the Copart auctions and see all kinds of carnage on steering racks from different impacts but that doesn't make it a real world situation... the goal here is to make it four wheel drive proof not necessarily idiot proof

I think there's a gray zone where they overlap. Obviously folks are driving high speed off road (Braptor and all). I've gone maybe 20+ through a rubble field before that was off road access only. Definitely testing the extent of the protection. Does seem like speed is the operative indicator of failure with a lot of off road. ("No really, I was just sitting there and SNAP!!")

The trifecta of off road redneck shiny objects: Speed, mud and water.

 

[Snacktime]

My take away is buy Hoss 3.0 and when it's done get another.

 

[ScLeCo]

My take away is buy Hoss 3.0 and when it's done get another.

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