HD Tie Rod Replacement Kit | Commander

$295.49

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Part #
RTP5602501 – 2011-2013 Models
RTP5602502 – 2014-2020 Models

RT Pro’s proven design for the Can Am Commander.

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS: Click to View PDF

SKU: RTP5602501 | RTP5602502 Categories: , ,

Description

Ever break a tie rod in the middle of nowhere? If you don’t have this kit you will eventually… If you have then you already know about the problem these machines have. When you break a tie rod the factory makes you buy a whole new steering rack too. What most people don’t know is the steering rack is not the weak link. The inner tie rod joint itself is what breaks, this part can be removed from the rack and the rack will still be perfectly functional. All you need to fix the problem once and for all is this tie rod replacement kit from RT Pro. This kit replaces the weak inner pivot assembly with a custom Chromoly monoball and a custom made 300M heat treated stud held by a custom grade 12.9 cap screw in a high precision stainless steel cup. Unlike many conversions this kit will not affect the steering of your Commander at all. Using smart design, RT Pro guarantees minimal bump steer with this kit. Kits come powder coated with all necessary installation hardware and instructions.

The outer bolt which attaches to the knuckle is a 12mm bolt. Some models come with 10mm holes in the knuckle and those customers will need to drill out their holes. We considered offering adapters to make this a truly bolt-on kit for everyone but decided against it for the sake of maximum strength. The Commanders are known for tearing up suspension and steering parts so the maximum amount of strength here is required. This is why we also include extra long bolts and use double nyloc nuts to ensure maximum strength and resistance to loosening while on the trail or the track.

Standard color is black.

IMPORTANT NOTE: WILL NOT WORK WITH FORWARD A ARM KITS!

NOTE: This kit fits all models and years of the Can Am Commander from 2011-2020. You MUST select which year range your machine falls within when ordering. The only difference is the threads on the clevis that thread in to the steering rack. 2011-2013 are 14mm and 2014-2020 are 16mm. NOTE: If you are using an aftermarket rack you should check the size of the threads inside the rack that the inner pivot joint threads in to before ordering. Some aftermarket racks use a different size than what originally came on the year of your machine. Additionally, some Commanders build during the 13-14′ model year changes may use opposite threads of what we provide in the kits per generation. If you have a model built in this date range range you should disassemble one inner tie rod end to check the thread diameter. The threads will either be 14MM or 16MM. We’ve confirmed larger, 14’+ sized threads as early as 4/2013 mfg date so far. If your rack uses a 14mm thread you will need our 2011-2013′ kit. If your rack uses a 16mm thread you will need our 2014-2020 kit.

NOTE: This kit WILL work with our Commander Lift Kit but may not work with other lift kits on the market if they droop the front suspension too much lower than OEM geometry. (We have confirmed this kit will not work with the Super ATV 2.5″ lift kit.) Additionally, we do not recommend using any lift kit with more droop than these tie rods allow. Serious damage to CV joints may occur.

Replacement Parts

This is a very helpful installation video from our friend Neil at Mud and Guts Offroad. The model is different but the installation is the same. Please Note: The inner joints now ship pre-assembled to save you time!

Why RT Pro HD Tie Rods?

RT Pro HD Tie Rods are the only kits on the market which do not corrupt the OEM designed geometry! Our design keeps the pivot point of the inner pivot joint in the exact location as the OEM tie rod does. Look at every other tie rod kit on the market and see what we mean. They all machine their parts the easy way and push the pivot point way out of spec! This measurement is more critical than our competitors realize. As the original designers of HD Tie Rod kits, we make our inner joint a specific way to keep proper geometry. Not the easy way. What does this dimension control you ask? This dimension controls the steering geometry in relationship to the suspension geometry. When the suspension cycles the steering relies on proper geometry to keep the wheels straight to each other as the arms swing about a radius which changes the angle of the spindle. If the steering geometry is not correct the tires will toe in and out in opposite directions of each other causing the steering wheel to jerk sporadically and make the vehicle try pushing and pulling in different directions. This effect is called “BUMP STEER”. In the racing world this is very dangerous. In the recreational world the same rules apply! Don’t trust you and your passengers safety to inferior engineering.

The inner pivot point is the most critical point of the tie rod geometry but the outer pivot location is equally important. Again, RT Pro has always set the bar higher than our competitors when it comes to engineering and here’s another reason why. All HD tie rod kits come with “high misalignment” spacers for the outer tie rod ends. These spacers fit in to the heim joint and reduce the size of the inner hole down the the size needed to bolt the kit up to the OEM spindle. Most kits come with identical spacers for the top and bottom side. Not RT Pro’s. We use spacers specifically designed for each model UTV which place the pivot point in the exact location needed for perfect steering geometry. On the outside of the heim joint we use a smaller spacer. It cost more to make two different parts but we don’t care when it makes a better product. The shorter spacers allow us to use a shorter bolt. A shorter bolt means less leverage applied in high stress situations which increases shear resistance of the bolt. One more detail RT Pro include in this kit! Don’t trust your machines dependability on inferior engineering.