Design flaws? Torque rod, split rims?

[DUG]

Your torque rod DESIGN did not fail you, your lack of torque rod pre trip inspection failed you.

Everything you need to do PRIOR to rolling is in the manual. And the manual was available to you prior to purchase. If you think the mil spec design of the truck requires too much pre trip inspecting and service to roll over gopher holes, you should have bought something else.

It's a proven design. It's also proven (regularly) that rubber doesn't last forever.

Expect what you inspect.

 

[DUG]

One failure of a rod leads to catastrophic failure.

This site has MANY cases of documented torque rod failures. How many of them have documented catastrophic failures?

 

[doghead]

Many people have welded a bolt over the end of the bushing to eliminate the possibility of a total failure.

One member posted a great thread on his own idea of drilling and tapping the center of the bushing and used plates to add a second measure of security.

Maybe your thread would be going better if you explained what your trying to accomplish(bash the government, bash the builder of the truck, criticize the design, show a potential brake line failure, or improve the bushing safety).

Maybe your a bit short tempered if this discussion has you worked up.

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

You want ten grand for a POS truck designed and built by the lowest bidder that you admit is full of design flaws?

No animosity from me. I'm just trying to run an efficient and useful forum.

Then why did you give me a hard time about linking it? I'm not here to F with people, just find answers. Frankly I do believe there is animosity here. It shows.


Poor design is what it is. It is a failure waiting to happen. No different than drilling, tapping the rod ends for a piece of metal to hold the rod on the bushing just in case.

 

[AaronW]

And Hey....Speaking of all these flaws....I'd like to know. One thing that always has amazed me about the M35 series trucks are the lack of locking differentials in both the axles and the transfer case.

 

[doghead]

And this is why the proper forum etiquette is, to continue a thread(especially your own) on the very same topic, so as to not need to repeat everything

If you consider that quote as "giving you a hard time", well, I can't help you there(I have ideas but it would be rude to say them here). That was sound advice and fact, nothing more.

Until you posted the link, I had no idea what you were getting at or referring to.

We've discussed dog bone failure many times, and possible solutions.


As for the idea that one item failing could cause catastrophic failure, ever wonder what would happen in a modern car if a ball joint fails? same thing, broken brake lines, loss of control, etc...

There is always something...

 

[R Racing]

The only animosity I see on here is from you. The same rod is used on the A2 and has been thru many years of sevice. the same design is also used on the 5 ton. I don't remember hearing of any failures with them . Everything can fail if its stressed enough. You have no idea what or how ur truck was used for before you owned it. Your rod may have even been manufactured wrong.Perhaps you just have the same bad luck I do ? The titanic was the unsinkable ship yet do to lack of inspection and bad luck it sank.

 

[73m819]

HOW can say a POOR DESIGN , was/is still in MV use from the late 40s, with VERY LITTLE change, don't you thik that in all these years that if a change was needed, it would be done by now, the torque rod (strut) is a OLD tried and true design used from BEFORE motorized vehicles to present. What the design needs like anything else is maintenance.

I lost a torque rod on my 819, not because there was a design flaw, but WORE out, old rubber insert, this is why in the TMs there is a procedure to check them as part of the PM, a go (truck is ready) no go, (dead line the truck) also check for cracks, and bends, this is also part of the PM check

 

[Warthog]

You could also say the same thing about the human heart. One failure and you have catastrophic failure. Without proper maintenance it can fail at any time.

 

[73m819]

Not talking about older MV system, talking about now. W'ere only talking about 11 years.
Normal truck
http://imageserv8.team-logic.com/store-logic/categories/5/778/532.jpg

You have the leaf spring with two contact points, and the middle supported by 4 bolts with possibly some torque bars. With the M35, you have a reversed leaf spring, NO contact points other than the spring pressure and one or two torque bars. The design is inherently less stable and susceptible to catastrophic failure

I just reread this again, YOU are talking about a TWO axle truck , whare the rear suspension is set up like the front ( a bobber).
the discussion is about THREE axle trucks which have a totally different rear suspension

 

[phil2968]

...........One failure of a rod leads to catastrophic failure.

Maybe my multifuel should have four rod bolts, not just two.
Just sayin'.

 

[jaxsof]

So many simple failures in life lead to a catastrophic failure. Regardless of age or neglect/misuse, mechanical contrivances fail. If your flywheel comes apart, it potentially destroys something even more immediatley catastrophic than a stinking brake line. Yes, perhaps it (the brake line) should be moved. Perhaps PV1 Smith really shouldn't have washed off the truck he was turning in with quite so caustic a cleaner, but hey, it wasn't going to be his problem anymore, now was it? You really should do a thorough inspection of the rest of the truck, now that you know that it has had a major failure such as you have had. And I dont mean the daily in-bound or out-bound, but a real annual inspect and lubricate. I will not appologize for my (our) peers, but it really did seem like your tone escalated first.

Please, am I missing something, but I seem to remember they corrected the single circuit brakes on the A3 so it wouldn't be quite so exciting if this did happen?

Please not, the attached pic is a 2003 Pete suspension. Notice the lower link, upper link, and a single spring press point?

 

[tco3129]

WOW, my head hurts!!

 

[Recovry4x4]

This design on the deuce has been used for 60 years now. I'm surprised that after all that time, all the gov't specs, all of the engineer reviews, all the updates that no engineer has found this flaw until now. I fret to think about how many millions of miles the G742 trucks have logged safely with these flawed parts. Your part wore out. Bad vucanizing? Maybe. Bad batch of rubber? Maybe. Wrong chemicals around the truck? Maybe. Defective part? Probably. Design flaw? I'm not convinced.

BTW, the powerpack is only secured with 4 bolts.

 

[Bob H]

I don't know Kenny,
I bet the designers did not plan for GL forklift operators in their original design.
This was also overlooked in the many engineering reviews of the componants.

 

[porkysplace]

Just because a truck looks to be in "minty condition" dosen't mean it is mechanicly safe to be on the road , nice paint dosen't mean much except for pictures . The old harley guys have a saying " chrome don't get you home " refering to the guys that stick all their money in chrome and paint instead of rebuilding the motors and trany's .I'll take a old rat truck or bike thats been maintained over a parade truck or show bike that only gets shined.

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

WOW good deal. I can only hope or not you guys don't have the same failure when your brake line is crushed at the wrong time. GEEZus. Take a forking look if you have a duece and deduce what will happen if the bottom drivers side torque rod fails when you're bouncing around and drives the leaf spring forward while your axle is flopping around.

GOOD LUCK with that when you you are behind a little car.

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Just because a truck looks to be in "minty condition" dosen't mean it is mechanicly safe to be on the road , nice paint dosen't mean much except for pictures . The old harley guys have a saying " chrome don't get you home " refering to the guys that stick all their money in chrome and paint instead of rebuilding the motors and trany's .I'll take a old rat truck or bike thats been maintained over a parade truck or show bike that only gets shined.

Guess you didn't read the thread or the TM......

 

[KsM715]

BTW, the powerpack is only secured with 4 bolts.

Don't do that. Now he's going to ask what the power pack is.



After reading this and the other thread, it is appearing that the torque rod "may" have been knocked loose by a forklift prior to the gopher hole stomping.


I say may have been, because there have been no comfirmation as to whether the OP inspected these parts at anytime between getting the truck from GL and now.

 

[1 Patriot-of-many]

I don't know Kenny,
I bet the designers did not plan for GL forklift operators in their original design.
This was also overlooked in the many engineering reviews of the componants.

There's no sign of forklifts considering the truck was driven 80 miles home with no hitch except when I filled the expansion tank with 1 gallon of 50/50 anitfreeze. Nice you guys gang up when someon deflates your preconcieved notions.