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Design flaws? Torque rod, split rims?

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1 Patriot-of-many

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Wondering what purpose does having the split rims have? Seems like another link to the road of failure. I have one tire going flat, spraying detergent and water around found it. It's the split rim.

Can't be any easier to change a tire on the split rim than a single rim.

2nd issue, this is a total failure of design IMO. The torque rods are the only thing keeping the axle in place. Who thought of that?
 

uscgmatt

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On the split rim, there is a tube thats leaking not the rim itself, its just escaping at the ring. I would imagine an engineer designed the torque rod setup with the knoledge of the day. 2cents Both work fine if you maintain them and replace worn parts wheen needed, its just dangerous changing tires without having the proper equipment. Alot of problems would be avoided if people would do the proper pmcs checks when required.
 
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AaronW

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I'll bet the going flat tire has more to with a tube than a wheel. If your running a stock set up.

or what Matt just said..
 
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porkysplace

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Wondering what purpose does having the split rims have? Seems like another link to the road of failure. I have one tire going flat, spraying detergent and water around found it. It's the split rim.

Can't be any easier to change a tire on the split rim than a single rim.

2nd issue, this is a total failure of design IMO. The torque rods are the only thing keeping the axle in place. Who thought of that?
With proper maintainence the torque rods have served the military just fine for the last 50 years . The design allows for maximum travel of the axels in off-road conditions . These trucks were not designed for daily drivers on the highway . The miltary does regular preventive maintainence on them . these trucks should receive a daily pre-trip inspection .
 

porkysplace

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I'll bet the going flat tire has more to with a tube than a wheel. If your running a stock set up.

or what Matt just said..
I belive he has a A3 with the o-ring on the 2 peice rim , not a split rim . Probably CTIS problems.
 

Keith_J

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Split rims are FAR EASIER to change tires on in the field. You can do it with a maul, pry bar and a half dozen 4" sections of 4" angle iron. The rims on the M35 are safer than traditional split rims, the outer flange is a solid ring, only the captive lock ring is split.

Back in the 1980s, we changed tires out using the maul+angle iron trick. Just hammer the angle iron sections between the flange and tire. Eventually, the tire will be forced down, freeing the flange. Drop that down, then pry out the split ring. Flange comes off, then the tire slips off. No 500 pound tire changing machine needed.

Torque rods should be checked weekly. Sure, it is a pain but like others have stated, this is an off-road design.
 

73m819

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torque rods are still USED TODAY on MODERN trucks, a good design, just rubber does not LAST 40 years without a BIT of deterioration'

Back in the late 40s/early50s when these trucks were FIRST designed, ALL big truck RIMS were SPLIT RIMS, a very good design, the one peice rim is a better design that is also designed to be broken down on a machine, this saves a lot of labor cost, it no longer takes a 250 lb man, swinging a 10 to 16 lb duck bill to break down big truck tires
 

AaronW

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Wondering what purpose does having the split rims have? Seems like another link to the road of failure. I have one tire going flat, spraying detergent and water around found it. It's the split rim.

Can't be any easier to change a tire on the split rim than a single rim.

2nd issue, this is a total failure of design IMO. The torque rods are the only thing keeping the axle in place. Who thought of that?
I think I just might have to fly out and take this "Flawed" rig off your hands! It would save you all kinds of time and trouble.
 

ranchhopper

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Back in the 70s and 80s you couldnt find a rim without a lock ring back then things required more diligance like checking for low tires before you drove away or you would spin a 25 dollar tube cutting it to ribbons or at the least ripping off the valve stem. The military needed something that could be repaired in the field anyone who broke those tires down fixing their own flats could break the tire down patch the tube and air it up in the field not such a bad set up for its day. The two piece rim can be used the same way a bit more labor intensive taking off all the nuts around the rim to pull it apart but can be repaired by one guy in the field if need be. I dont have any spare dogbones for my 813 but Im going to investigate finding replacement bushings so they can be pressed in to make them as new. Most semis and other tandem axle set ups still use torque rods to eliminate axle wrap and still allow the suspension to work in the deuce I always kept a spare dogbone for field repair if needed.
 

Bob H

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Wondering what purpose does having the split rims have? Seems like another link to the road of failure. I have one tire going flat, spraying detergent and water around found it. It's the split rim.

Can't be any easier to change a tire on the split rim than a single rim.

2nd issue, this is a total failure of design IMO. The torque rods are the only thing keeping the axle in place. Who thought of that?
The purpose of the two piece wheel is well documented. You can change a tire , put a tube in, all in the field without a tire machine.

Torque rods, design failure???????????????
So what is your new & improved design? seems like this design has served quite well for decades.
useful link to torque rod inspection
http://roscommonequipmentcenter.com/news_notes/nn14.pdf
 
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1 Patriot-of-many

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I belive he has a A3 with the o-ring on the 2 peice rim , not a split rim . Probably CTIS problems.
torque rods are still USED TODAY on MODERN trucks, a good design, just rubber does not LAST 40 years without a BIT of deterioration'

Back in the late 40s/early50s when these trucks were FIRST designed, ALL big truck RIMS were SPLIT RIMS, a very good design, the one peice rim is a better design that is also designed to be broken down on a machine, this saves a lot of labor cost, it no longer takes a 250 lb man, swinging a 10 to 16 lb duck bill to break down big truck tires
Yes Sorry, but torque rods are not the only thing holding the axle in place today, my point.
 

1 Patriot-of-many

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Zimmerman MN
I belive he has a A3 with the o-ring on the 2 peice rim , not a split rim . Probably CTIS problems.
Sorry guys my lack of proper teminology. 2 piece rim. It's not leaking at the tube going into the rim, when I spray it into the hole around the tube I start getting bubbles. The seal between the two piece rim has a very slow leak. Takes two or three days to deflate.
 

73m819

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I drive a truck for a living and every tractor I drive has two points which attach, not one.
so does the older MV suspension, the springs and pocket take care of the side to side movement, and the torque rods take care of the roll and front to back movement , you loose a torque rod (strut) on a modern truck, look what your axle does, at times it goes where no axle has gone before.
 
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