Tell me a story of a failed stock or updated stock vendor supplied steering linkage

[DirtDonk]

The good news about the steering linkage, is that no matter what you put on now, it can be upgraded later without working on anything else other than the linkage itself.
Might not even have to take the tires off!

So in spite of your potential damage from multiple possible sources, I would use what you’ve got now, drive it until it wears out or breaks, and then upgrade.
Your tire size isn’t severe enough to cause any problem. Not by itself at least.
But coupled with extra torque and a locking front end, you could easily torque it into submission!
And the 4x4x2 box certainly could be used to its detriment, if you ever wedge a tire somewhere and try to get it un-wedged by turning the steering wheel harder. But I would still run the current linkage.
Upgrade later when you have had time to think out what you would ultimately like to end up with.

 

[stout22]

Only time I've had the sleeve break was from a ram pushing on it with poor geometry, we welded it up and ran it. for some reason I didn't have any pics of the end result.

The failed part - repaired

 

[Shimmy]

i'd run what you have unless youre itching for a new mod

 

[skrit]

Thanks all for the replies, knowledge and your personal experiences. I will clean up what I have and use it.

 

[DirtDonk]

if you ever find that you are taking it Off Road more than you expected, even running around in what you consider mild wheeling in some sand dunes, then you might decide that’s the time to upgrade before you bend anything.
But for what most of us end up using them for, and putting in four-wheel-drive fairly seldom, you should be fine.