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Is the R1T tie rod integral to the steering rack?

R1Tom

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Funny how on one hand they say it has a trophy truck suspension and thus make noise....but then a dirt road with pot holes did $5k in damage.....
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Dark-Fx

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Funny how on one hand they say it has a trophy truck suspension and thus make noise....but then a dirt road with pot holes did $5k in damage.....
I've driven through plenty of dirt roads with potholes at trophy truck speeds. There's gotta be more to this story.
 

Lpotter86

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Pictures of the damage? Letā€™s hear the whole story.
 

R1Tom

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I've driven through plenty of dirt roads with potholes at trophy truck speeds. There's gotta be more to this story.
Good to know. I don't slow down for railroad tracks and started to worry....
 

Kuro-Rivian

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No. I'm not gonna pull off my boot to prove it but there is both an inner and outer tie rod. Like every other car on the road. Whoever is telling you the tie rod is integral is full of shit.
Rivian R1T R1S Is the R1T tie rod integral to the steering rack? 20230425_080411
 

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Zoidz

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Not sure what to make of this issue. RIvian's rack appears to be pretty similar to a typical Rack and Pinion system. It's most likely OEM'd by a major supplier. Inside the bellows (longer bellows in the picture) is a joint. If the rack has to be replaced, it was a pretty hard shock to damage something beyond the joint. The tie rod should be designed to fail before anything else, sort of like an electrical fuse.

I would definitely want them to show me in person and explain why.

Rivian R1T R1S Is the R1T tie rod integral to the steering rack? 1682428015621
 

Dark-Fx

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Not sure what to make of this issue. RIvian's rack appears to be pretty similar to a typical Rack and Pinion system. It's most likely OEM'd by a major supplier. Inside the bellows (longer bellows in the picture) is a joint. If the rack has to be replaced, it was a pretty hard shock to damage something beyond the joint. The tie rod should be designed to fail before anything else, sort of like an electrical fuse.

I would definitely want them to show me in person and explain why.
I don't have my truck here to look at right now but I'm wondering if there is a physical stop on the control arms for a situation where you have the steering at lock. I don't recall seeing any. Could be whatever they were doing yanked or pushed the steering past lock and damaged something in the rack itself as well.

Personally if I were in the OP's shoes facing that bill, I'd either be trying to get them to sell me the parts so I could do the replacement myself, or talking with my insurance company about making a claim.
 

Zoidz

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I don't have my truck here to look at right now but I'm wondering if there is a physical stop on the control arms for a situation where you have the steering at lock. I don't recall seeing any. Could be whatever they were doing yanked or pushed the steering past lock and damaged something in the rack itself as well.

Personally if I were in the OP's shoes facing that bill, I'd either be trying to get them to sell me the parts so I could do the replacement myself, or talking with my insurance company about making a claim.
Good point, I can visualize that hitting the curb or a pothole at steering lock could potentially cause rack damage without a stop bumper.
 

WSea

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Check salvage for the part. Dirt road like our local forest service ones?
 
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Quick question - longer story to follow: is the R1T tie rod integral to the steering rack? I bent a tie rod last week - and I am being told by the Rivian service team that it requires replacement of the entire rack ($4957) rather than just swapping out the rod (at most a $500).
Little update: I sent an email to the Rivian Guide and after a few days got directed back to the service center. Spoke with the service manager. Had a bit of a bizarre conversation that I think was to cover for his mechanic / advisor who were overzealous:
"We recommend that you replace the steering rack because whatever bent your tie rod could have damaged the rack".
"Do you actually know the rack is damaged?"
"No - but it could be and we won't know until after if we just repair the tie rod."
"So let''s replace the tie rod - and save me $4000 - and if we need to go back in and swap out the rack that's on me"
"OK"
<inner and outer tie rods replaced plus alignment for $1357 and truck drives fine>

Broader issue is that I really didn't hit anything substantial - so I personally consider this a weak point that would be worth looking for stronger aftermarket options. Of course maybe that will put too much stress onto the steering rack itself...so I certainly would welcome expert input and any aftermarket suggestions. Including photo of the tie rod for y'all to see.

When is the hybrid Tacoma coming out?

Rivian R1T R1S Is the R1T tie rod integral to the steering rack? IMG_0206
 

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usofrob

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Has anyone else experienced a bent tie rod like that in another vehicle? I'm just trying to imagine ways that it could get enough downward force to get the bend moving. Turning the steering wheel should move the force straight through the rod. Could it really be hitting a deep bump while turning harshly? Maybe the ends were already causing some downward force? Seriously, how would that happen?
 

MountainBikeDude

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Mind telling us exactly what happened to cause the damage?
"It's bent" and "I didn't really hit anything substantial" doesn't really let others know what to avoid etc
 
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Mind telling us exactly what happened to cause the damage?
"It's bent" and "I didn't really hit anything substantial" doesn't really let others know what to avoid etc
There is a 2 mile dirt road between my house and the trail head - so taking multiple trips down the dirt road which has various sized potholes (sorry, no pictures :)

Was not taken off road or doing anything more than substantive than just hitting a pothole. The most likely explanation is that I hit a pothole while in a turn - which gave a lateral hit to the rod.

I was so annoyed at the whole service center experience that I did not get the damaged rod - so if anyone knows how to get the specs I would appreciate that so I can source aftermarket - and then just carry a few in the truck for a backcountry fix as needed in the future.
 

WSea

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Didn't slide into a curb?
 
 




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