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All 5-tons: Heavy Duty Torque Rod Ends

gstirling

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
143
17
18
Location
knoxville tn
will have to say replacing all the ends has turned into quite a job. the lower 4 were no problem just a few hours, one of the uppers was just harder, add another 6 hours. but this last one center end is kicking my butt, nut is loose but not off (cant come off till either the spring strong back is removed or the torque rod end is loose and can move back against the frame). put my whammpy-dine new 4 ton mini ram on it and - no joy. you'd think 4 tons would pop that puppy loose and allow removal of the nut. On the up side I now own more tools...LOL and removing the tires and spring strongback to get the nut off and allow a good straight hit with the sedge hammer to the old torque rod end will be a good learning experience i'm sure.
 

74M35A2

Well-known member
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Location
Livonia, MI
Keeo your micro-press on it full force, then heat the retaining bracket with a propane torch. Then strike bracket with large hanmer.

Love the more tools joke.
 

Carmancraig

New member
23
8
3
Location
Colorado
How come my 813a1 only has 6 torque arms? There is no brackets attached to the drivers side axle for them, but there are frame holes available. I am curious if you know
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
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Mason, TN
Well for a point on the subject. You can wear em out. Around 70,000 miles and this one upper rod with 2 of the heavy duty inserts is toast. I have 2 torque rods that have rubber inserts that have been on the truck longer and have no movement.

I put the 2 upper torque rods with those inserts in around March 1st of this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsmTGo6cOo4
 
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simp5782

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70k seems to be a fair amount of time?
I would expect them to outlast the standard rubber ones that I was running for a year prior to installing those.

Especially given the fact they are designed for extreme offroad and heavy loads. I do the heavy loads but it is all on-road use so they should hold up i would think.
 
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simp5782

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Talked to Erik's today about them and said they had zero complaints or failures. So I ordered 2 more and told them I would send the worn out ones back to them for analysis. Even greased up it still have a good bit of twist movement.
 

74M35A2

Well-known member
4,145
326
83
Location
Livonia, MI
Have somebody else call next week, and see if they still say no reported failures. That's usually the case. You're kind of rough on stuff though, and I think those are Chinese (Newstar)?
 

simp5782

Feo, Fuerte y Formal
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Mason, TN
Well i replaced the Front tandem Upper rod today with 2 more heavy duty ones for a final test phase... It had gotten bad enough that I could feel the axle shift on brake and throttle. Plus it acted like the front axle was always under load. The Upper on the rear axle is getting to be loose as well. This is using synthetic grease as well that they wore out. The lower torque rod i have with the joints seems to be hanging in there quite well and isn't loose or moving at all.

I ended up having to cut the torque rod in half since the upper behind the spring was pretty seized. and the insert just had so much play i would hit it with a sledge and it would just bounce everywhere. Even though i used copper anti seize was just pretty bad off. I was however able to get the upper nut off without removing the springs. I found that wrench at a local place for $20 and I ground the sides of it down a little bit and it slipped right in there behind the wrecker springs. I was able to get a quarter of a turn out of it. Nut broke right loose as well striking it with a hammer. Wrecker springs suck cause you gotta remove the axle holder/clamp assembly for the torque rod to get it out since the bump stops sit under the frame there rather than on top like the cargo and tractors

so i am going to press the one out of the rod and cut it open with the band saw. and I am going to send the other on the small end back to eriks for them to see a worn out one at 7 months.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj104aILafs
 

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8madjack

Active member
416
78
28
Location
Gold country Ca.
Here is the problem. When we articulate and go to extreme, the housing (of the bone) twists sideways. The rubber is supposed to take that compression (one one side of the shaft) and tension (on the other side) and return to it's straight position. As the rubber gets old, it doesn't take much to tear it and let in water, etc. Articulation being a twist action has a lot of side force.

There would seem to be a problem with having a full side-plate when you have the rear in a twist. Guessing, that twist from axle to frame might be 35 degree and the edge of the bone's joint would push out on the plate and break off or pull out the bolt. Twisting the bone is a lot of leverage to push against the plate.
I thought the same thing, I'd install it with a spacer. Thankfully mine tested good when I checked them a couple months ago, I do need to drive mine more though. I may look into installing plates while on the truck.
 

74M35A2

Well-known member
4,145
326
83
Location
Livonia, MI
There are no signs of contact after having installed my plates. I was going to do a valve spring between each bolt and plate to address, but there was another member who saw no contact after doing so as well. The plates are spaced out to begin with (like my sister). Also, with articulation, each torque rod absorbs half of the amount of twist on each end. It does not all get fully absorbed in one end only. A 20 degree twist is 10 degrees on each rod end.

Third, you can make your plates as rectangles, so there is clearance at the top and bottom, if you wish.

I’ve had 2 rod ends drop off while off-reading. It feels great with full confidence knowing I will never look in my side view mirror and see a shifted wheel ever again. The few people that have had an upper let go broke all sorts of stuff upon doing so. Brake lines, U-joints, and driveshafts, as the axle housing rotated and takes everything with it.
 
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8madjack

Active member
416
78
28
Location
Gold country Ca.
I've been reading and researching on these bushings and I'm leaning towards the ones with the preinstalled safety plate. Like the korean deuce thread style.

The HD style look interesting due to the lack of rubber to deteriorate on a truck that admitedly sits a lot, especially during summer when the water tank is full. I just don't like putting around off the property with 7 tons of water.

I would love to hear some thoughts or opinions, especially from experienced folks like simp.
 

gstirling

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
143
17
18
Location
knoxville tn
torque rod ends

I've been reading and researching on these bushings and I'm leaning towards the ones with the preinstalled safety plate. Like the korean deuce thread style.

The HD style look interesting due to the lack of rubber to deteriorate on a truck that admitedly sits a lot, especially during summer when the water tank is full. I just don't like putting around off the property with 7 tons of water.

I would love to hear some thoughts or opinions, especially from experienced folks like simp.
Simp is a great source, my 2 cents is the HD all metal joints are super expensive, and the rubber ones lasted 30 yrs, so not sure the metal means longer life. one thing i read while i was selecting what to do with mine. the metal are actually hyme-joints if i understand it correctly which allows the rear to move in any direction but not to "spring" back neutral so to speak. this will allow the rear to behave a bit differently than the rubber ones which the rubber "springs" the joint back to neutral. there are some threads here on SS about this, not sure what they finally found out. I'd recommend rubber with safety plates.
 

8madjack

Active member
416
78
28
Location
Gold country Ca.
I agree, the original lasted a long time, even simp said he has 2 still original on his truck!

The safety plate saves me some work doing it myself and obviously makes the problem less severe if they do let go.
 
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