Torque rod/dogbone mod and removal

[plym49]

I like the plate idea. Here's a quick question for y'all. Why do ya suppose they put upper and lower dogbones on the driver side and only lowers on the pasenger side. I was looking at my truck yesterday and if I got brackets for the axle and drilled out the bracket , it seems as tho I could install upper arms on the passenger side.

Probably because they are not needed. The asymetrical design sets up a kind of triangle, the best sshape for an articulating suspension. This is even more so if my 'torsion rods twist' hypothesis is correct. Adding torsion rods would make it difficult or impossible for them to twist as they should. My advice is to leave it alone.

 

[michaelpilot1]

After reading a lot of threads about the damage they cause if they break I checked all of mine by prying on them. Low and behold even though they didn't look that bad one of them was separated. So I ordered a set of the ends from Memphis Equipment and today thought I would start out by replacing the first two but after seeing how easy it was I went ahead and replaced all of the lower ones. It turns out I had a socket the fit the outer metal ring perfectly and I pressed them into a metal pipe that supported the rod during the operation. Look and work like new, should be good for the next few years.

 

[bones1]

What am I looking at in picture #8?.

 

[CobraCDR]

Thanks for the pics, looks like you had a pretty easy job with this compared to some of the difficulties others have had with them.

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

After reading a lot of threads about the damage they cause if they break I checked all of mine by prying on them. Low and behold even though they didn't look that bad one of them was separated. So I ordered a set of the ends from Memphis Equipment and today thought I would start out by replacing the first two but after seeing how easy it was I went ahead and replaced all of the lower ones. It turns out I had a socket the fit the outer metal ring perfectly and I pressed them into a metal pipe that supported the rod during the operation. Look and work like new, should be good for the next few years.

How did you get the upper centers out? I'm having a **** of a time.

 

[michaelpilot1]

What am I looking at in picture #8?.

The last two photos are the inner and outer view of the new ends installed on the truck. I think that one is the left rear dog bone.

 

[michaelpilot1]

How did you get the upper centers out? I'm having a **** of a time.

I only did the lower 4 rods yesterday and have not tried to remove the uppers yet. My plan is to use a really good air hammer, and I welded a socket that I ground down shorter to a steel bar to use on the nuts so that I will not have to remove the springs. If that doesn't work then I guess I'll have to remove the leaf spring to gain access. What have you tried?

 

[michaelpilot1]

Thanks for the pics, looks like you had a pretty easy job with this compared to some of the difficulties others have had with them.

I have a nice place to work and lots of heavy duty tools that made the first 8 relatively easy. The uppers don't have as easy access and we will see, if I can snake them out without removing the leaf springs I'll consider myself lucky.

 

[michaelpilot1]

The uppers are now done, the process was the same as far as the presswork was concerned. The uppers were more difficult to remove than the lowers but with the use of a good air hammer it worked and the job only took a few hours. One question, the Techical Manual that I have lists the torque for the nuts at 200 ft/lb, that sound kind of low for a 1" fine treaded bolt? any thoughts?? I also replaced all of the lock washers with grade 8 replacements from the hardware store.

 

[davey8943]

Michael,

Good Work!

I did this a couple weeks ago. My biggest challenge was making a tool on the lathe that had a diameter just over the "inside" diameter of the bushing sleeve, but just under the bore diameter of the torque rod. It looks like Snap On had you covered there!

With respect to the torque on the nuts, I had the same thought. When I torqued them up it looked / felt like there was more shaft to pull into the bore. I compared the way the fit (distance of the shaft outside the bore, and threads past the nut) to the other truck, and they seemed to look about the same.

I torqued mine to 200 ft lbs, and have put ~20-30 miles on it with no problems so far!

Thanks for the pics, keep up the good work!

Dave

 

[littlebob]

The uppers are now done, the process was the same as far as the presswork was concerned. The uppers were more difficult to remove than the lowers but with the use of a good air hammer it worked and the job only took a few hours. One question, the Techical Manual that I have lists the torque for the nuts at 200 ft/lb, that sound kind of low for a 1" fine treaded bolt? any thoughts?? I also replaced all of the lock washers with grade 8 replacements from the hardware store.

Did you get around removing the spring retaining hardware?

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

I only did the lower 4 rods yesterday and have not tried to remove the uppers yet. My plan is to use a really good air hammer, and I welded a socket that I ground down shorter to a steel bar to use on the nuts so that I will not have to remove the springs. If that doesn't work then I guess I'll have to remove the leaf spring to gain access. What have you tried?

. I had to take the leaf spring top off.
Took a suggestion, use a small sledge held against the end/nut even with the end and smack the smaller sledge with a 10 or 12 lb sledge, they pop right out. Torque for all the rod nuts is350-400 ftlbs

 

[hndrsonj]

Torque for all the rod nuts is350-400 ftlbs

Curious what the correct torque is. The previous page said 200 this one 400; that's a heck of a difference.

The 20-3-2 says 350-400 ft/lbs, I'd be re-torquing those done at 200 guys. (on page 3)

 

[michaelpilot1]

The 200 ft/lb torque spec came from the TM 9-2320-361-24-1 attached are images of the three pages including dissassembly, diagram, and reassembly. The torques are listed as 175 to 200 ft/lb. If the torque is 350 to 400 I will need to retorque them. Where did those numbers come from? I looked at a 5 ton TM and their torque rod ends are tightened to 350 - 400 the 5 ton manual is TM 9-2320-211-35 I got it off the jatonka web site.

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

The 200 ft/lb torque spec came from the TM 9-2320-361-24-1 attached are images of the three pages including dissassembly, diagram, and reassembly. The torques are listed as 175 to 200 ft/lb. If the torque is 350 to 400 I will need to retorque them. Where did those numbers come from? I looked at a 5 ton TM and their torque rod ends are tightened to 350 - 400 the 5 ton manual is TM 9-2320-211-35 I got it off the jatonka web site.

http://www.jatonkam35s.com/DeuceTechnicalManuals/TM9-2320-209-20-3-2.PDF

Considering the torque it took to remove mine(needed a cheater bar in addition to the breaker bar to remove), I know they weren't 200 ftlbs! Very strange. One manual has them 200 ftlbs more. Maybe mine are overtorqued then since that manual supercedes??

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Curious what the correct torque is. The previous page said 200 this one 400; that's a heck of a difference.

The 20-3-2 says 350-400 ft/lbs, I'd be re-torquing those done at 200 guys. (on page 3)

Very strange, why would they suddenly drop the torque value by 200 ftlbs? Got me wondering what the right torque is now. The manual Michael cited supercedes the previous I assume?

BTW If anyone needs crow foot wrenches to torque the upper axle torque rod nuts and the ubolt nuts, Oreilly auto parts can get the 1 1/16 and 1 1/2 for about $25 total. EDIT: DON'T BOTHER BUYING THE CHEAP CHINESE MADE CROW FOOT WRENCHES. They round off the first time you use them. I shoulda known better. You get what you pay for.

 

[michaelpilot1]

Mine were extremely tight to remove also, infact so tight that two of the lock washers were broken in two and a third was cracked. I think they tightened the easy to get to ones with an air impact not a torque wrench, I also think the torque spec drop is strange I think I will drive mine a little and recheck the torque and if they loosen up I will revert to the old spec. Also I know a guy that works for Meritor who initially designed the setup I will contact him to see if he can dig up something on the issue. By the way, thanks for the concern it worries me to think of those things comming loose while driving down the road.

Regards,
Mike

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Mine were extremely tight to remove also, infact so tight that two of the lock washers were broken in two and a third was cracked. I think they tightened the easy to get to ones with an air impact not a torque wrench, I also think the torque spec drop is strange I think I will drive mine a little and recheck the torque and if they loosen up I will revert to the old spec. Also I know a guy that works for Meritor who initially designed the setup I will contact him to see if he can dig up something on the issue. By the way, thanks for the concern it worries me to think of those things comming loose while driving down the road.

Regards,
Mike

No worries, the axle will just flop around and the shackle at the front of the spring will crush the brake line..... Ask me how I know. Luckily it happened pounding gopher mounds in my backyard. Mine was worn bushings though. Let me know what you find out please. I torqued all mine to 375 except the top two on the axle mounts, my cheap chinese crow foot wrenches were a bust. I just guestimated them.

 

[shenkmen]

Also I know a guy that works for Meritor who initially designed the setup I will contact him to see if he can dig up something on the issue.

Michael,

Any word from the designer?

Thanks

 

[clinto]

Where do you get wedges like what is shown in post #1 (see pics below).

I have a truck I need to finish parting out.

Thanks

C