TeraFlex Long Arm Bracket Break

[wayoflife]

In lieu of the TeraFlex tire carrier thread, I thought I should post this break on the forum as well. Please note that the fact it is a TeraFlex product is purely circumstantial and I am not trying to "bash" them. As in the case of the tire carrier, this was another break that I saw happen out in Johnson Valley last week and it happend on LoPo's Jeep...

Again, I am only posting this up because several members expressed a desire to see more photos of this nature. I should add that this is NOT the first time that I've seen something like this on a TeraFlex long arm kit. I will say that the primary cause of the break was due to a bad weld but, the lack of extra support in the design of the bracket didn't help anything. If you have a TeraFlex long arm kit, I would encourage you to inspect your brackets and welds on a regular basis.

 

[MTG]

I'm not sure about the bracket or the weld, but that is a sweet-ass green hat on the guy trying to get the bolt out. :thumb: :cheesy:

 

[LoPo]

My underside is now exposed on the Internet. :blush:

 

[MTG]

My underside is now exposed on the Internet....again. :blush:

Fixed it for ya! :thumb:

 

[wayoflife]

My underside is now exposed on the Internet. :blush:

:cheesy: sorry, the papparazi is everywhere

 

[TheDuff]

:grayno: not good, hope they are using stronger steel and better welding on their new axle housings.

 

[highoctane]

Along with my three Monster front track bars I've snapped, I've broken one of my rear Teraflex long arm frame side control arm brackets. On my fronts, I welded all along the outer perimeter of the bracket you posted in the second pic. Instead of my front one snapping like the pics you posted, it was getting cracks along the mount tab for the upper arm. It never broke, but I cut it off and replaced it. All 4 of them actually. front and rear. Here are pics of my broken rear.

This is where it actually snapped, not at a weld. But right in the middle of the bracket.

After clean up for a temp weld. to get it home. Pretty clean and straight break.

After that broke, I was forced to try and limp it off the trail to the parking area broken like that. In the process, it did this, ripped the welded aft end of the bracket where it attached to the frame, clean off the frame, along with the piece of the frame the bracket was welded to. This broke after the discovery of the snapped front half of the bracket. This weld broke second. Not the other way around like Teraflex tried to tell me initially when I sent them pics, and they blamed it on the welds. The front half snapped, I heard the snap, checked it out, found the front broken in the above pics. Limped it off the trail at Rausch Creek, and in THAT process, the rear broke too. Another not so fun recovery. Teraflex sent me a new set of brackets, and a kit they made to gusset the rear brackets.

 

[wayoflife]

Along with my three Monster front track bars I've snapped, I've broken one of my rear Teraflex long arm frame side control arm brackets. On my fronts, I welded all along the outer perimeter of the bracket you posted in the second pic. Instead of my front one snapping like the pics you posted, it was getting cracks along the mount tab for the upper arm. It never broke, but I cut it off and replaced it. All 4 of them actually. front and rear. Here are pics of my broken rear.

This is where it actually snapped, not at a weld. But right in the middle of the bracket.

After clean up for a temp weld. to get it home. Pretty clean and straight break.

After that broke, I was forced to try and limp it off the trail to the parking area broken like that. In the process, it did this, ripped the welded aft end of the bracket where it attached to the frame, clean off the frame, along with the piece of the frame the bracket was welded to. This broke after the discovery of the snapped front half of the bracket. This weld broke second. Not the other way around like Teraflex tried to tell me initially when I sent them pics, and they blamed it on the welds. The front half snapped, I heard the snap, checked it out, found the front broken in the above pics. Limped it off the trail at Rausch Creek, and in THAT process, the rear broke too. Another not so fun recovery. Teraflex sent me a new set of brackets, and a kit they made to gusset the rear brackets.

Unfortunately, I have seen A TON of breaks just like this and yes, I have seen them try and blame the welds all the way up to the point they came out with their support gusset. Track bars and control arms see a lot of strain and if there are any weak links (no pun intended), they will reveal themselves sooner or later.

 

[OverlanderJK]

Somebody needs a new welder/fabricator.:icon_crazy:

 

[JaySC]

The rear bracket on my Teraflex long arm kit had a pretty sizeable crack. I didn't even know about it until Mel spotted it while he was inspecting for something else. Plan on switching out the Teraflex kit once Uncle Sam decides to give me back some of the cheese they took from me.

Also, unrelated... but I've gone through 3 Teraflex steering stabilizers. Personally, I'm done with the Teraflex brand as soon as my wallet allows. Not saying their products are crap, but it's been enough for me to move on.

 

[highoctane]

The rear bracket on my Teraflex long arm kit had a pretty sizeable crack. I didn't even know about it until Mel spotted it while he was inspecting for something else. Plan on switching out the Teraflex kit once Uncle Sam decides to give me back some of the cheese they took from me.

Also, unrelated... but I've gone through 3 Teraflex steering stabilizers. Personally, I'm done with the Teraflex brand as soon as my wallet allows. Not saying their products are crap, but it's been enough for me to move on.

Man I went through 2 of those as well. I have to agree. I've broken a few Teraflex parts, and while they have always replaced them free of charge, it is a PITA to handle it on the trail, especially very difficult trails. That is the part some people don't get. I don't CARE if they replace it when I get home. I'd rather it not break on me. While it is part of the game to play and have stuff break, I'd rather it not be so often on major hard parts. I sold my JKU a month ago, but when I get home from Afghanistan, my next JK build will be with mostly Evo parts for major things like suspension.

 

[wayoflife]

The rear bracket on my Teraflex long arm kit had a pretty sizeable crack. I didn't even know about it until Mel spotted it while he was inspecting for something else. Plan on switching out the Teraflex kit once Uncle Sam decides to give me back some of the cheese they took from me.

Also, unrelated... but I've gone through 3 Teraflex steering stabilizers. Personally, I'm done with the Teraflex brand as soon as my wallet allows. Not saying their products are crap, but it's been enough for me to move on.

Yeah, I have to say that I've gotten a chance to look at a lot of TeraFlex long arm kits over the years and if the bushings weren't blown out, there were definitely signs of cracks in the mounts. This has been especially true of guys running coil overs. Of course, I don't think their kit was made for big flex like that.

Speaking of bushings, that's another thing you should be on the look out for. I see this all the time...

 

[wayoflife]

Man I went through 2 of those as well. I have to agree. I've broken a few Teraflex parts, and while they have always replaced them free of charge, it is a PITA to handle it on the trail, especially very difficult trails. That is the part some people don't get. I don't CARE if they replace it when I get home. I'd rather it not break on me. While it is part of the game to play and have stuff break, I'd rather it not be so often on major hard parts. I sold my JKU a month ago, but when I get home from Afghanistan, my next JK build will be with mostly Evo parts for major things like suspension.

As I like to say, the best kind of warranty is the one you never have to use. Unfortunately, no matter how great the customer service, it's meaningless when you're on the trail.

 

[Bullwinckle]

wow I was thinking of going with Teraflex long arms but reading this thread I may choose something different. :thinking: I think its time more off road companies make their products in the great USA.

 

[JaySC]

Yeah, I have to say that I've gotten a chance to look at a lot of TeraFlex long arm kits over the years and if the bushings weren't blown out, there were definitely signs of cracks in the mounts. This has been especially true of guys running coil overs. Of course, I don't think their kit was made for big flex like that.

Speaking of bushings, that's another thing you should be on the look out for. I see this all the time...

Thanks Eddie..I plan on running the same Evo kit you have on Rubicat. Between that, replacing my ball joints, tie rod, and saving up for Dynatrac axles, I plan on taking the little lady to a nice dinner at McDonald's for Valentine's Day. She better like it lol...j/k.

 

[LoPo]

Unfortunately, I have seen A TON of breaks just like this and yes, I have seen them try and blame the welds all the way up to the point they came out with their support gusset. Track bars and control arms see a lot of strain and if there are any weak links (no pun intended), they will reveal themselves sooner or later.

I got the rear upper gussets put on last year when my Jeep was down at ORE for some loving. They were cheap and supposedly will 'prevent' this.

 

[LoPo]

I was thinking of dropping the TF LA kit all together and going with something else after this happened last week. But I've had the kit on for 4 years now and *knocks on wood* this is the first issue I've had and hope there won't be anymore for another 4 years.

 

[jkjurny]

I was thinking of dropping the TF LA kit all together and going with something else after this happened last week. But I've had the kit on for 4 years now and *knocks on wood* this is the first issue I've had and hope there won't be anymore for another 4 years.

So, I just had mine installed two weeks ago, so really can't throw it out. How often and how hard did you wheel the last 4 years? Just trying to gauge when I can expect a failure.

My wheeling will probably be easy trails 1-4 rating) once a month. once or twice a year rate 10 trails (Rubicon and Dusy). Probably do once or twice a year, a fast desert run. Probably not for too many minutes as my body might not take it.

Thanks!

 

[rinkishjk]

I just recently replaced my bushings in all my tf upper arms cause they were blown. Not falling out like eddies pic though.

 

[LoPo]

So, I just had mine installed two weeks ago, so really can't throw it out. How often and how hard did you wheel the last 4 years? Just trying to gauge when I can expect a failure.

My wheeling will probably be easy trails 1-4 rating) once a month. once or twice a year rate 10 trails (Rubicon and Dusy). Probably do once or twice a year, a fast desert run. Probably not for too many minutes as my body might not take it.

Thanks!

There are probably a lot of variables that go into each failure. One variable for me is that I went to the EVO DTD front Coil over system almost 1.5 years ago.

The types of trails and frequency I've run vary, but mainly require lot's of flexing as much of what's around here is rocks. I can't speak to trail difficultly as many people have different interpretations of ratings. But I've put mine through lot's of rocks and high articulation. I can say since I got the EVO DTD I've probably wheeled a lot more difficult trails and more often. Probably a dozen or so times in the past 12 months, which for me is a lot. Prior to having our kid, I went out more frequently.

Here is a pic, albeit a bad one, of the rear end on mine. The angle makes it hard to see, but I can tell you there is A LOT of travel in it. So much that I've considered putting limit straps in to save my bushings/joints. The TF kit has a lot of flex in it, at least mine does.


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