Upgrading Gen 1 (14mm) Tie Rods to Stronger Gen 2 (16mm) Tie Rods

[superfluid]

New tie rods apparently came in sometime during MY 2023. See another recent thread (same OP, but they didn't reference it here?) (or others, search DHD). if you can't tell by looking or measuring, definitely call and they can tell by your VIN.

I forgot about that post. I linked it back to here. Thanks

Sponsored

 

[BrentInCO]

Yeah, I spoke to at least three different support reps and two SC techs to clarify my ask and figure out a game plan. My impression is that retrofitting tie rods is not SOP.

The biggest complication came from them having to research which tie rods my VIN had and determining if the new tie rods were actually bigger. Support had to ship the parts to Service who then had to confirm they were bigger. I didn't want them to put new rods on unless they were stronger than my existing rods. Service confirmed they were bigger, so we moved forward with the install.

Tip: Explain to Support and Service why you want the second-generation rods. I told them I do a reasonable amount of technical off-roading because that's what the Rivian was made for, and I wanted a retrofit because I didn't want to get stuck on a trail. They understood and loved that. As a technical manager who often gets requests from stakeholders in the form of solutions instead of requirements, I appreciate the clarity that comes from understanding the use case. Rivian Support and Service did, too!

Thanks. I spoke with Rivian Service at the main 855 #, and then the local Denver Service Center rep twice. She said she spoke with a technician, and that their stance is that it's against company policy to do this and they absolutely won't.

 

[lpez210]

I understand, but I don’t have the time skills or tools to do this. I did a little investigating / reading up and it seems that a pro should be doing it and that Rivian should do the alignment after the replacement.

Personally speaking thats just what I would do and have a professional just do an alignment after. I've been working on all my own cars anyways so that was why I said that. But your right.

 

[superfluid]

Thanks. I spoke with Rivian Service at the main 855 #, and then the local Denver Service Center rep twice. She said she spoke with a technician, and that their stance is that it's against company policy to do this and they absolutely won't.

Wow, I'm surprised and sorry to hear that. Work like this could fall into a grey area that leave SCs to decide whether they'll do it or not based on how they interpret company policy.

Something similar happened with aftermarket rock sliders. Some SCs would put slider-equipped vehicles on a lift; others would not. When I got an alignment after getting new tires tires, the SC told me, "Rock sliders should be ok. Bring it in and we'll check it out. " Turned out to be ok for them, but I don't know if that became SOP for all SCs.

 

[AuntRivian]

Didn't realize they had upgraded Gen 2, but when I first looked at my Gen 1 tierods I thought "damn those are some skinny tie rods for this beast." Quite an odd design choice...

 

[Singletracker]

Whoa! I went out and took a quick look at the tie rods on ‘23 Gen 1 R1T. Yikes! No need to measure them. Those things do look preeetty spindly. Now, I’m officially concerned about the off-roading I do.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Whoa! I went out and took a quick look at the tie rods on ‘23 Gen 1 R1T. Yikes! No need to measure them. Those things do look preeetty spindly. Now, I’m officially concerned about the off-roading I do.

What's your build date? And you do need to measure. 2 mm difference isn't obvious at a glance, but result in 30.6% increase in cross-section—i.e. significant increase in strength.

 

[BrentInCO]

Thanks. I spoke with Rivian Service at the main 855 #, and then the local Denver Service Center rep twice. She said she spoke with a technician, and that their stance is that it's against company policy to do this and they absolutely won't.

I’ve also set an appointment with the Colorado Springs Rivian Service Center and they have a similar response, ‘no-go’.

 

[superfluid]

I’ve also set an appointment with the Colorado Springs Rivian Service Center and they have a similar response, ‘no-go’.

That's unfortunate. Another option is to change them out yourself and get an alignment from the SC. I'm picking up a tie rod repair kit before heading out on the trails this weekend so I can repair them myself. No point in having spares if I can't change them!

Here's a video showing how to do a replcement.

 

[Singletracker]

Earlier Gen 1 Rivians have 14mm tie rods that are less-than-ideal tie rods for rock crawling and heavy trail use. Edit: Mine is a 2023 Gen 1 R1S.

A few fellow Lone Star Rivian Club members with earlier Gen 1s like mine broke their tie rods on the trail, which resulted in lengthy recovery times and long days. Rivian appears to know their first-gen tie rods weren't up to the task and fitted all Gen 2s with stronger ones. People outside of the Rivian community even know about the issue: On the trail a few weeks ago, a guy in a side-by-side stopped me and said, "Watch out for those Rivian tie rods. Me and 11 Rivians got stuck behind a guy who broke his." I'm heading back out onto the trails next weekend and want to avoid that situation if I can.

I looked at tie rod reinforcement options like the after-market BusterBrace, but I was concerned about the possibility of damaging the steering rack if the tie rod doesn't break when it should. Cliff told me Rivian Service recommended he update his tie rods to the second-gen rods with a much larger diameter (16mm) and beefier design. That was the solution for me.

After speaking with Rivian Support and the Austin Service Center numerous times to determine which tie rods I already had and which the SC needed to order, I got the the second generation rods installed yesterday. I also bought a spare set of second-gen inner tie rods so I could do a field repair if necessary. Parts and pricing below.

These photos show the second-gen rods' geometry and how much beefier than are than the first-gens. I'll take them on the trail next weekend and, hopefully, have nothing to report.

Major shout-out to Lee and the fine folks at the Austin SC for bumping my appointment and getting me in before I hit the dirt!

Spares for field repairs.

FIrst-gen rod for comparison.

Parts and Pricing

• Second-gen inner and outer tie rods parts and labor: ~$1,000.
• Alignment: $260
• Pair of inner tie rod spares: $344

Here's a detailed breakdown along with part numbers if you want to get this work done on yours.

Concern:
- Customer states: they would like upgraded 16mm tie rods installed
Cause:
- Customer purchase
Correction/Remedy:
- Tie Rod, Outer, LH (Remove and Replace) | Labor Code: 101010010 | 1.1 hr* | $220.00
- Tie Rod, Outer, RH (Remove and Replace) | Labor Code: 101010110 | 0.1 hr* | $20.00
- Tie Rod, Inner, LH (Remove and Replace) | Labor Code: 101011010 | 0.2 hr* | $40.00
- Tie Rod, Inner, RH (Remove and Replace) | Labor Code: 101011110 | 0.2 hr* | $40.00


Parts: Quantity: Price:
OUTER_TIE_ROD - 700 AND 900
Part# PT00042441-G
1 $162.32
NUT - M14X1_5 HX FL PTM CL10 R107G
Part# SC00023721-A
1 $5.85
OUTER_TIE_ROD - 700 AND 900
Part# PT00042441-G
1 $162.32
NUT - M14X1_5 HX FL PTM CL10 R107G
Part# SC00023721-A
1 $5.85
INNER TIE ROD
Part# PT00038426-E
1 $159.08
INNER TIE ROD
Part# PT00038426-E
1 $159.08


Hope this helps.

Some have noted that the left and right tie rods are different and not interchangeable. However, your parts list would seem to not support that theory, as the part #’s are the same for both sides. So, it appears that just one tie rod set would suffice as a spare, for either side. Maybe I’m missing something. I have a ‘23 R1T with the thinner rods. I was thinking I might grab one inner and one outer of the newer version to keep as a spare. If I ever had to use them, I could always get a second set of the newer version to put on the opposite side. I could then keep the old rods as emergency spares.

 

[Jeff B.]

Tie-rod failures also lead to other major failures on a trail that can be difficult to repair, like the CV axles. Once the tie-rod breaks, the half shaft can exceed the rotational angle of the CV joint, causing it to grenade itself to pieces. So having a beefier tie-rod is usually the best first line of defense against this most common type of trail failure. I have always carried spare tie-rods and spare CV shafts on my previous vehicles. So knowing that a stronger version is available is good info to start accumulating spare parts for trail repairs.

If people are having difficulty obtaining these Gen2 units from Rivian, tie-rod sleeves are still a decent alternative for the Gen1 units. Not fool proof, but would stop some of that flex that leads to breakage.

 

[Riviot]

Latest parts and DIY guide:

PT00038426-F
$159.08
INNER TIE ROD

PT00042441-G
$162.32
OUTER_TIE_ROD - 700 AND 900
M16 Tie Rod

SC00023721-A
$3.14
Non Reusable
NUT - M14X1_5 HX FL PTM CL10 R107G
Service Notes
|In this application, Non-reusable | In this application, Backward Compatible to SC00006949-A.

 

[superfluid]

Some have noted that the left and right tie rods are different and not interchangeable. However, your parts list would seem to not support that theory, as the part #’s are the same for both sides. So, it appears that just one tie rod set would suffice as a spare, for either side. Maybe I’m missing something. I have a ‘23 R1T with the thinner rods. I was thinking I might grab one inner and one outer of the newer version to keep as a spare. If I ever had to use them, I could always get a second set of the newer version to put on the opposite side. I could then keep the old rods as emergency spares.

Makes sense to me. I bought a set of inners as spares and gave my old rods to the local Rivian Club to help anyone who breaks a rod during a trail event.

 

[Singletracker]

To be clear, the right and left side tie rods are the same and interchangeable, correct?

 

[Riviot]

To be clear, the right and left side tie rods are the same and interchangeable, correct?

Yes.

Inner and outer are different parts that connect to each other.

Sponsored