Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

So when we had the troll in the air we noticed that the "rear" drag link (the one that is basically behind the front diff under the shocks) on my GQ was bent in an almost V shape.........

Now my question is whether this is normal or not? on Oellie's GU it is as straight as an arrow.

Could it be that it was bent when doing the upgraded suspension or did I bend it at some stage .....

Tx

This link is used to adjust the toe on the car and could be bent by the link hitting a rock or if the toe out is forced i.e. right wheel wedged and driver keep turning the steering wheel left even though he feels a fair amount resistance.

If your alignment was done and there was enough adjustment with the rod like that (it's now shorter) then it should be ok. but if it was bend after alignment you will be runningtoe out. You can remove it straighten it , maybe add/ weld a strengthen piece in.

That is the tie-rod. The drag-link connects from the steering box to the wheels.

Nope, it should be straight. The wheel alignment is effected by this rod. Thus, if the rod is bended, the RHS wheel's toe-in angle will be incorrect. This can of course be adjusted and corrected, as the alignment is determined by the fixed distance between the two ball-joint connectors, irrespective of the shape or size of the rod that act as the distancing piece.

When off-roading, there can be immense sideways forces on the wheels, hence the shock-absorber, or steering damper, fixed to the drag link.

If the tie-rod is bend in the "V-shape" as yours, these sideways forces can cause the bend to either increase or decrease, depending if it is axial compression or tension forces exerted on the tie-rod. This will have to effect that the alignment be out again, increasing tyre wear and fuel consumption. the fact that yours is bend upwards can be one of two reasons: An obstruction like a biggish rock bend it upwards (but somehow the axle cleared it??) or it was deliberately bend upwards to push it out of harms way. In case of the latter, not such a good idea because of reasons stated before.

Maybe take it off and see if an engineering shop with a press can straighten it?

Drag link / tie rod

the long bar that goes from the one shock to the other one...

Anyway, conclusion it should be straight and not bent, maybe better to get a replacement from David in Bella Bella than try and bend it??

Probable cause - River trip - getting all 4 wheels off the ground and landing pretty hard when going over "smallish" river dune

Steering wheel also skew after trip and handling of the Patrol definitely worse, more "loose" on the road...

Will replace and then do wheel alignment.

Hmmmm.... me thinks the latter Mr Dirk

Phone dawid he has one to sort it out.....before you stuff up your tires......he can drop it by me or graham then its easy for you to pick up saves a trip to warmbad