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I forgot to mention that these replacement torque rod ends SIGNIFICANTLY reduced the amount of "bounce" that the truck had while driving. Really made a huge difference in the ride of the truck.
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jdknech
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I have 2 bad Torque Rod Ends (thanks haspin rally! lol) one of them is a upper rod end. i was reading the TM, and it says to remove the spring pack so you can get to the nut.. but it looks as if you were able to do it without removing the springs? if so, how? thanks- Josh
jwaller
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Yup, that weld is going to fail the first time it's tested. There is no penetration anywhere.
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I ended up just unbolting mine. Some have said it can be done in place, but it was a PITA for me so off it came. Actually, I kind of laid it over to its side and was able to get to the upper nuts with ease.
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In hind sight it would have most likely been easier to disassemble the springs out of the way, however the old nut had to be torched off and being in NY sate and the associated rust, it seemed easier (not always the best choice) to leave the spring. Putting it back together meant turning the nut at a rate of about 1/16 at a time, but it went in and sufficient tightening was possible. I used a Harbor Freight open end wrench, do not use an impact as this is a tapered seat fit and you will over stress it quickly with an impact. If it were me, and I were you, if you are going to take it apart that far, replace both front and rear uppers at both ends as they are on the same side and you would only have to remove the spring pack once in a lifetime most likely. The bottoms are easy but those two tops are def not fun.
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It wasn't pretty but it allowed me to drive the truck over a hundred miles without incident. All of the force of these ends are fore and aft, and those bars only kept it from sliding back off the bushing. And they even stayed on during the press out of the old ends, so it was as the saying goes, "good enough" for a field repair.
jdknech
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That is almost the same way we welded mine to get me home.. No problems on the trip home, and I was pulling a 30k pound trailer.. I was sweating most of the way home..
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Hello, reviving this thread. When taking the spring pack apart on the passenger side of the truck. Without having to buy and make a special wrench, I think unbolting would give the best access to the ends of the upper torque rods for me. If I have the rear of the truck supported by jackstands on the axles on each side, wouldn't unbolting the spring pack cause the axles to push up to the frame, since the axles are being supported by the stands, and freeing the leaf spring from the trunnion by unbolting the U bolts from the bottom would cause the axles to raise up? Same scenario if the 4 wheels were on the ground, correct? Maybe I'm missing something here.
Also, if I manage to get the U bolts removed, the pack is held together in the center by a long skinny bolt. Is there a nut on the bottom of this that will fall off when I remove it to remove the upper section of the pack, and be impossible to find again without completely removing all the leafs, and out of the truck, or am I missing something here also? Or does it thread into the pack or the trunnion lower bracket?
Thanks for those that are still here...
Jackstands under the axle. Remove the u bolts. Remove the upper lift sling bracket. It is held on by the u bolts. You can access the nut with it removed and that is it. Pack will stay together. Head of the spring pack bolt rests in a recess in the trunion. Top nut rests in the hole in the center of the lift bracket.
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Ah I see...thank you. So you don’t even need to mess with the spring pack bolt. And the axles won’t come flying straight up. Good to know. And if you did have to pull the spring pack bolt, the nut is on top for easier disassembly. I’m assuming the head is in a hex-shaped hole to hold it in place while you remove the nut?
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silverstate55
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Wes nails it.
If you insist on removing the center bolt holding the spring pack together, be sure to clamp the leaf springs first...each spring is heavy & has a guidance system built in for your toes/feet/ankles. They are unwieldy at best once the center bolt is removed.
Take a good look at your U-bolts when you remove them...if they have any wear at all from corrosion, have them replaced with new ones. There are several heavy truck & equipment suspension repair places around you that can make new ones for you.
If you place blocks or jacks underneath your center trunnion, be sure that these don't crush the zerks/grease fittings on the bottom of the trunnion...not all of them are flush, and wood does compress into tiny spaces when weighed down...please don't ask me how I know.
If you insist on removing the center bolt holding the spring pack together, be sure to clamp the leaf springs first...each spring is heavy & has a guidance system built in for your toes/feet/ankles. They are unwieldy at best once the center bolt is removed.
Take a good look at your U-bolts when you remove them...if they have any wear at all from corrosion, have them replaced with new ones. There are several heavy truck & equipment suspension repair places around you that can make new ones for you.
If you place blocks or jacks underneath your center trunnion, be sure that these don't crush the zerks/grease fittings on the bottom of the trunnion...not all of them are flush, and wood does compress into tiny spaces when weighed down...please don't ask me how I know.
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Thank you Warren. I’m new to the 5T world. I’ll definitely take this to heart. I was only looking to remove a few leafs to get a clear shot with a BFH to pop out the threaded ends of the inserts. Removing just the carrier will get me to the nuts better. With all the airlines and stuff in the way under the truck, I’ve been successful (on a M35 at least) tapping in a wedge and then a few good hits with a BFH on the threaded ends to pop them right out on the upper dogbones.
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topo
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I have used a air hammer from Lowes give enough vibration to free the top torque arms on two of my trailers .
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I'm preparing (mentally) to remove and replace all four dogbones on the passenger side of my truck. I'm going to jack it up, remove the tires, and use my forklift to remove the springs. Wes told me to soak the castle nuts in something, I can't remember what, to dissolve the paint. I may try and use gasket remover. Not looking forward to this project at all.....
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The lowers haven’t been bad. I haven’t started the 2 uppers yet. Tomorrow is the day. For paint on the threads I just burned it off with a little mapp gas torch. Once it gets brittle and toasty a wire brush, then you can see some of the cadmium plating on the end threads. Luckily there is only about 2-3 threads exposed. The 2 upper cotter pins on the trunnion are a pain.
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74M35A2
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I'd get the offset wrench I mentioned. Don't have to jack anything up, remove the tires, or take the spring pack apart and off. But, I'm lazy. Did all 12 ends of all 6 rods in a single evening, with retainer plates. I didn't even pull the cotter pins, just turned the nut right through them and sheared all 12 off. Zero issues, no thread damage. You can spend days just trying to pull/drill those seized cotter pins. Plus I think it is safer this way. Truck and suspension stay together, all wheels are on, safe to crawl under, etc....
Image or part number of the offset wrench, please?
74M35A2
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https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?167166-All-5-tons-Heavy-Duty-Torque-Rod-Ends/page11
Post #103 is where I add retainer plates to the new end links before installing them, wrench is post #112.
Post #103 is where I add retainer plates to the new end links before installing them, wrench is post #112.
Your inbox is full. Here's the gist of my message:
Ok, I've read your thread. Nice work.
I am not comfortable cutting or modifying tools because I worry that I'll weaken them to a failure point, but I trust your wrench because it has been tested multiple times.
When the time comes (this fall/winter most likely), do you still lend your wrench out for a deposit?
Also, you mentioned possibly selling bushings with the safety plates already drilled, tapped and bolted on. Do you do sell them?
I have the facilities to work on a level surface with the rear of the truck exposed for purposes or using a come-along or vehicle with a strap to break the nuts free.
74M35A2
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I'd be happy to loan the offset wrench I have made to anybody, but would need an uncomfortably hefty returnable deposit ($200), because of all the tools I have ever loaned out, not a single one was returned without me having to ask for it back. This is why my father just outright tells people no, as using tools were how he made his living for the first portion of his career.
I don't sell the torque rod bushings, but I would be happy to drill and tap them for anybody same as I did mine, for free, for anybody wanting such. We have the lathe and mill at my work, and it only took me a single lunch break to do all 12 of mine. One would just need to have them sent to my work address when buying them, and then pay the outbound shipping cost from here to you, and they are heavy chunks. Much lower shipping price if ships out of here to a "real" business address (not home based business). The plates I custom ordered from a steel supply company off eBay, they simply cut the discs to my spec and sent them to me. You could do rectangles if you were concerned about rod twist contact. Fasteners are fasteners.
I don't sell the torque rod bushings, but I would be happy to drill and tap them for anybody same as I did mine, for free, for anybody wanting such. We have the lathe and mill at my work, and it only took me a single lunch break to do all 12 of mine. One would just need to have them sent to my work address when buying them, and then pay the outbound shipping cost from here to you, and they are heavy chunks. Much lower shipping price if ships out of here to a "real" business address (not home based business). The plates I custom ordered from a steel supply company off eBay, they simply cut the discs to my spec and sent them to me. You could do rectangles if you were concerned about rod twist contact. Fasteners are fasteners.