[quote] Bigger parts are almost always stronger, if that's needed. When it comes to deflection, actual axial deflections would be microscopic and of no consequence. If the sleeve 'bows out' it's toast because it introduces a bending stress in addition to the compressive stress, greatly increasing the likelyhood of failure.
If you want to go for the solid, billet, forged, heat treated, gold plated HD sleeves that's fine but it's long been my contention that the factory sleeves are a designed-in failure point and FAILURE MODE. Imagine you're flying down the road and come upon the pothole from hell and something is going to fail. If you snap off a rod end or stud on the idler or pitman your steering control is mostly or completely gone. Having a weak point made of a ductile material, like the tie rod sleeve is, you're going to get a badly toed-out situation instead of a front wheel doing whatever it wants.
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