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Know Your Torque Rods: Inspection and Replacement

TRP® All-Makes Torque Rods are manufactured in the USA and are designed to prevent bushing walk-out and for an extended life. TRP® Torque Rod Assemblies have rubber bushings to maximize vibration absorption and extend the life of your suspension.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

  • Broad range of sizes to cover popular applications
  • Tested to exceed industry standards for quality
  • Significant cost advantage and 1 year no-hassle aftermarket warranty
  • Three different torque rod ends:
  • Straddle-mount bushing
  • Taper-mount bushing
  • Hollow-mount bushing

INSPECTION

Torque rod inspection should be part of a vehicle’s routine inspection schedule. According to TMC Recommended Practice 1506 (RP1506), these inspections should happen at least once a month.

When performing these inspections, check the following:

  • Inspect torque rod fasteners and torque rod bracket fasteners to ensure they are tightened to specification
  • Visually inspect the torque rods for bends, cracks, or other damage
  • Inspect the bushing looking for worn, torn, cut or walked out bushings
  • Check the mounting locations for elongated holes, cracks or other damage:

Damaged torque rods can result in one of the most severe Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA) violations, resulting in a 7-point penalty. Damaged torque rods must be replaced immediately.

WHY REPLACE DAMAGED TORQUE RODS?

  • Unstable steering, including shaking or swaying during lane changes and wandering when driving in a straight line
  • Increased road noise and rattling
  • Universal joint (U-joint) failure
  • Driveline vibrations, also known as driveline whip:
  • Loss of traction
  • Excessive tire wear, especially feathering, cupping, and odd tread patterns
  • Cracks in the frame or suspension brackets
  • Excessive suspension bushing wear and premature failure
  • Axle housing fatigue
  • Air spring fatigue and premature failure
  • Transmission and differential seal leaks

WHEN SHOULD TORQUE RODS BE REPLACED?

While there is not a prescribed mileage or date for replacement, routine visual inspection should tell you when a torque rod should be replaced. Replacement should occur when:

  • The torque rod is bent
  • There is more than 1/8 inch of movement in the rod end
  • A bushing is cracked, has unequal exposure, is ruptured, or is otherwise damaged
  • The mounting bolt hole is damaged: