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All 5-tons: Heavy Duty Torque Rod Ends
- Thread starter MyothersanM1
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red
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Any update to a cheaper source on these?
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- 6,426
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- Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Is the torque rod a "dogbone"?
This is for the Deuce ROK version KM250, disallows dogbone coming apart on failure.
They could have a solution for the 5 tons too, K711?
Some should maybe look that up.
View attachment 714485
and post 9+11 in here
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?169261-Kia-Military-Vehicles
This is for the Deuce ROK version KM250, disallows dogbone coming apart on failure.
They could have a solution for the 5 tons too, K711?
Some should maybe look that up.
View attachment 714485
and post 9+11 in here
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?169261-Kia-Military-Vehicles
red
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Still the failure prone rubber design (just a backet added for when it fails).
Been searching trying to find a cheaper distributor for these metal ones with no luck. Simp, care to inform the rest of us on your supplier and testing results? Been awhile.
74M35A2
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After having 3 fall apart on 2 off-road trips, I have resorted to parking the truck until I can replace all 12 (well, 11 now since I renewed one so far). I have been fortunate in that the ones that failed on me have been passenger side lower. If driver side lower, the axle can shift enough to cause damage, and if upper, the axle will rotate and break everything attached to it. The rotational force of braking is much higher than acceleration in these vehicles, so it seems these usually will pop off during on-road braking, or off road uneven surface.
Best ballpark pricing I have seen so far appears to be about $50ea for stock replacement, and $100ea for the ball-joint type. The ball joint type do have a flange on their back side to retain the control arm firmly, only question on them is ability of the ball-socket to stay in place.
My choice is going to be all new stock replacements, drilled and tapped 1/2" thread in the center on lathe before installation for securement of a large metal plate, in essence same as the M35 posted above. If the rod end hits during full articulation, the round plates can easily be removed, cut down into rectangles, and reinstalled.
I have been fortunate enough to be able to use large ratchet straps to hold the axle in proper place for a 1 hour freeway drive home @ 60mph, both times. Re-tightened and check each mile for the first 3 miles, then go. Problem-free.
High-5 to SwampDonky for the shallow-angle tool he fabbed to work the pass side top-center castle nuts. No spring pack work necessary. I eBay'd a 2-1/4" socket to make the same tool.
The cotter pins basically do not come out. I simply turned the nut with them in place and sheared them off. I think even then they may not be able to be pin-punched out. Some have drilled, but in my case, I am not re-using, so whatever.
I hate tapered joints, but was surprised how easily they did come apart. I just followed the wood splitter wedge trick posted, whacked the axle side metal a few times, and off it came.
Best ballpark pricing I have seen so far appears to be about $50ea for stock replacement, and $100ea for the ball-joint type. The ball joint type do have a flange on their back side to retain the control arm firmly, only question on them is ability of the ball-socket to stay in place.
My choice is going to be all new stock replacements, drilled and tapped 1/2" thread in the center on lathe before installation for securement of a large metal plate, in essence same as the M35 posted above. If the rod end hits during full articulation, the round plates can easily be removed, cut down into rectangles, and reinstalled.
I have been fortunate enough to be able to use large ratchet straps to hold the axle in proper place for a 1 hour freeway drive home @ 60mph, both times. Re-tightened and check each mile for the first 3 miles, then go. Problem-free.
High-5 to SwampDonky for the shallow-angle tool he fabbed to work the pass side top-center castle nuts. No spring pack work necessary. I eBay'd a 2-1/4" socket to make the same tool.
The cotter pins basically do not come out. I simply turned the nut with them in place and sheared them off. I think even then they may not be able to be pin-punched out. Some have drilled, but in my case, I am not re-using, so whatever.
I hate tapered joints, but was surprised how easily they did come apart. I just followed the wood splitter wedge trick posted, whacked the axle side metal a few times, and off it came.
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Lukes_deuce
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Any pics or a link to the tool for the upper castle nuts? With my luck, mine will fail and I rather make the tool than disassemble half the rear end suspension to change them out.
74M35A2
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I guess it is not a Chinese secret since he posted it. It is one of those posts that are valuable, yet hidden in the bowels of the castle. Kind of like the Volvo charge air cooler 4xDesign added to his 8.3L (a perfect, factory like fit around the stock radiator).
Wrench build pics: Post #4929 here: https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showt...have-you-done-to-your-5-ton-this-week/page493
Wrench build pics: Post #4929 here: https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showt...have-you-done-to-your-5-ton-this-week/page493
The process of getting the "HD inserts" thru a parts supplier I use said I would have to order atleast 10 sets of 12 in order to get a "cheap price" @ $80 each. I only have 2 of the HD ones on my truck on the upper arm for the front tandem. I run just regular old ones as my other inserts go. They are all at least 8 years old or older. I replaced the HD ones cause I had 2 laying around when I did the wrecker spring swap and threw it on. In my opinion, they aren't worth it. Some of the tub grinder towing trucks have them and on tight turns with a load on them the axles don't seem to lateral move enough to not over bind like the stock inserts do. I try not to over turn my truck with a load in the bed just to not put too much stress to make one tear. But with that being said, I put more wear and tear on them than anyone here between the things i tow around on the trailer and in the bed of the truck with the impacts on pot holes and bridges and some offroad time while loaded and the stock ones hold up just fine for me. I would just add the weld across the back for a fix if you feel cautious about them. otherwise just update them with some new ones if yours are getting old.
My only opinion on the HD ones would be to install them on both upper arms since when those come loose they do some damage and can be a real chore to get the axle back up under the truck or into position again. Especially on the road. The lower inserts popping off isn't going to do much other than inconvenience you. With the washers or rebar on the back of them, no worries. To me they aren't worth the extreme cost at Erik's and I am not the type to dish out around $8000 and hope i sell em all or have buyers lined up for them.
My only opinion on the HD ones would be to install them on both upper arms since when those come loose they do some damage and can be a real chore to get the axle back up under the truck or into position again. Especially on the road. The lower inserts popping off isn't going to do much other than inconvenience you. With the washers or rebar on the back of them, no worries. To me they aren't worth the extreme cost at Erik's and I am not the type to dish out around $8000 and hope i sell em all or have buyers lined up for them.
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Can you get a typical boxed end wrench on these, or maybe a striking wrench with there better offset, or is there something else I’m missing?
74M35A2
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Yeah, you’re missing numerous things...
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Don’t make me do it...
That doesn't happen on a stop. Only when you take off. The axle shifting forward would not pull the splines out. You either didnt feel the little push when you stopped which should have as it feels like a 20,000lb trailer just shoved you when you applied the brakes. Then you either took off and that happened or tried to limp it and didn't know to drive with light throttle and use your emergency brake to stop as well as override your spring brake. The axle only shifts when the brakes are applied.
Judging by the mud i think they are all worn out.
These pics are the result of uppers failing. This was at 10mph. The lowers i could care less about. The uppers being the stronger inserts would benefit the most
Uppers will generally only pop on a hard brake. I have had a few lowers pop at 55 to 60mph hitting bumps. You feel that your alignnent is off pretty quick.
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Full story is I pulled out of the yard, made a left, went 500 ft to the stop sign which was down a steep hill, the air over hydros are touchy and they locked up for a second pulling the rear axle back enough to pull the drive shaft out. I got out looked and saw the DS laying there and the spring pack about to fall off the perch, so I backed up and braked to slide the whole thing forward that worked. I continued to back up back to the yard as slow as possible with the shaft flying around...I tried to ratchet strap the drive shaft under it so it could spin freely, but ended up catching and breaking the 20k strap...lol anyway at that point i said screw it and just slowly backed up with it flopping around, the front yoke was destroyed, so i grabbed a new setup from easternsurplus, they had it to me in 2 days no fuss no muss (i know theres cheaper places to get stuff, but sometimes you can beat ease of purchase and shipping) and replaced the broken end with the HD'sThat doesn't happen on a stop. Only when you take off. The axle shifting forward would not pull the splines out. You either didnt feel the little push when you stopped which should have as it feels like a 20,000lb trailer just shoved you when you applied the brakes. Then you either took off and that happened or tried to limp it and didn't know to drive with light throttle and use your emergency brake to stop as well as override your spring brake. The axle only shifts when the brakes are applied.
Judging by the mud i think they are all worn out.
These pics are the result of uppers failing. This was at 10mph. The lowers i could care less about. The uppers being the stronger inserts would benefit the most
Uppers will generally only pop on a hard brake. I have had a few lowers pop at 55 to 60mph hitting bumps. You feel that your alignnent is off pretty quick.
74M35A2
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Yep, another one.
I parked my truck until I can replqce all 12 of mine. I’ve had 3 pop off in a row now. Luckily nothing broke, and was able to drive home with heavy duty ratchet strap control arms.
I parked my truck until I can replqce all 12 of mine. I’ve had 3 pop off in a row now. Luckily nothing broke, and was able to drive home with heavy duty ratchet strap control arms.
I thank god i wasn't going fast lol, anyway I'm not going far or fast until i replace them all. 10 more to go FML...lol
Mos68x
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Really wish I could unsee that lol
74M35A2
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OK gents. I'm getting ready to order 11 replacement new torque rod end links. I want to be able to use my truck, with confidence, off-road, otherwise it is pointless. There have been enough scary stories about axles coming loose or even off and damaging a lot of stuff, so I consider myself to have been lucky so far with zero damage through 2-3 released joints. I am spending $78 per through TNJ Murray, as they currently have the best price. My $48 lead through eBay is out of them, and I want it done soon so I can do the engine/trans swap. I also need to make the swampdonkey socket to access the upper center nuts without needed to disassemble the spring pack. Acquired the 2-1/4" socket, just need to spend 15 minutes with some steel stock and the welder.
Today I took one of my old removed end links, and chucked it up in our lathe at work, to see if the center can be drilled and tapped, as I had twelve 1/4" thick 6" diameter steel disc plate washers already made to be fastened to the back side of each as a retainer. I will install them, drive it for a while, and then check to see if any are rubbing. If so, they can all be easily removed, sliced down into rectangles, and reinstalled. I drilled and tapped the old end link for a 1/2" hardened bolt and washer. It went without issue, so we should be good to go on doing this to the 11 new ones I get, before I install them. The 12th I just replaced last fall, I will hand drill and tap that one in the torque rod (dog bone), vs removing it, etc......
Of course, it did not happen without pics. The outer shell is gone because this one actually fully detached, leaving the outer shell in the rod:
Typically, a bolt into steel only needs thread depth same as the diameter, 1/2" in this case. I'm not doing a bottoming tap or any of that stuff, so I'll probably drill a full 1" deep, and tap about 3/4", since the first portion of a conventional 1/2" tap is tapered.
Today I took one of my old removed end links, and chucked it up in our lathe at work, to see if the center can be drilled and tapped, as I had twelve 1/4" thick 6" diameter steel disc plate washers already made to be fastened to the back side of each as a retainer. I will install them, drive it for a while, and then check to see if any are rubbing. If so, they can all be easily removed, sliced down into rectangles, and reinstalled. I drilled and tapped the old end link for a 1/2" hardened bolt and washer. It went without issue, so we should be good to go on doing this to the 11 new ones I get, before I install them. The 12th I just replaced last fall, I will hand drill and tap that one in the torque rod (dog bone), vs removing it, etc......
Of course, it did not happen without pics. The outer shell is gone because this one actually fully detached, leaving the outer shell in the rod:
Typically, a bolt into steel only needs thread depth same as the diameter, 1/2" in this case. I'm not doing a bottoming tap or any of that stuff, so I'll probably drill a full 1" deep, and tap about 3/4", since the first portion of a conventional 1/2" tap is tapered.
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