Almost destroyed my truck..

[Recovry4x4]

As many deuces as a re getting bobbed, the market should be flooded with core dogbones. I have 6 nice ones I saved from a bob job.

 

[treeguy]

Right, 4x4, but where are they and more importantly, is the rubber worth their own weight. I mean, are they just as dried out and used like the ones we are trying to replace. I guess they would be a good back up for a quick fix. I've seen some new ones for sale but they seem expensive esp. to do all of them for piece of mind.

 

[BlizzardX23]

glad to see you care about your truck .
I see posts about bobing and scraping way too much .
And yes I was a smart a$$ .
just testing the waters hoping there were still a few people trying to save the deuce

hah..ok..yea, I enjoy the BIG 6x6...definitely not going to bob it! OR part it out..this truck is in excellent condition (except for the things I personally break) lol...It's a keeper



As for the hi-lift, yep...the big red...I had to use it just a few minutes ago so that I could lift the body high enough to get the dog-bone past the bump stop...


Im not sure what you mean about twisting the axle back with it though? I was going to use it underneath (horizontal) and use it as a "spreader"..since the bottom of the axle is locked into the good dog-bone, I was going to spread the top to rotate the axle, but I have no room to move the handle

 

[Recovry4x4]

Right, 4x4, but where are they and more importantly, is the rubber worth their own weight. I mean, are they just as dried out and used like the ones we are trying to replace. I guess they would be a good back up for a quick fix. I've seen some new ones for sale but they seem expensive esp. to do all of them for piece of mind.

You are 100% correct. Thats why I refer to them as cores. Rebuild them as you get them so you have one or two ready to go.

 

[BlizzardX23]

OK...UPDATE!! I finally found a way to rotate the axle...and fairly effortlessly as well! I will post pictures to show how I did it in a few minutes


Now, everything is aligned, and my axle is back to its normal rotation...the gap between the tandem is back! I just cant get the torque rod end back into the dog-bone lol...but thats ok...I'm going to get new ends anyways


UPDATE again - Im calling around but no one has these torque rod ends in stock. And...Napa's heavy duty department is closed on Sundays...I wanna get this fixed TODAY!!! So I can paint the truck green and get it back on the road...hmm, well...I'm gonna go pressure wash the rest of the truck

 

[treeguy]

Try Memphis or Eastern Surplus. I can't remember where I saw them, maybe here, no wait, it might have been C&C equip. on ebay.

Thats what I ment about big red, long bar horizontal, clamp axle, and push up or down. You seem familiar with the jack, could use a short bar to operate jack. I'm glad to hear you got all the hardware back in the right place. I don't envy you having to do this job. My local fire dept. had to do it and the mechanic said that they had to remove the spring pack to get to some of the upper ends. Nice sounds like great fun! NOT! It sounds like a lot of hammer time.

 

[Recovry4x4]

The same jack can be used to press the dogbone back on the faulty rubber to get you home.

When all else fails or if you want to do one stop shopping, call my friends at White Owl in Kinston NC. Not only is their inventory complete and customer service top notch, they have always been competetive on price. If I need something I no longer even ask price because I know Mr Kivett and crew will be fair on price and shipping.

 

[goodguyzy]

i have free parts if your in the meford oregon woods

 

[BlizzardX23]

Im actually in Sacramento, California..but thanks for the offer! Would you be willing to sell/ship them?

 

[m16ty]

The ends can be tough to press in and out without damaging the new ones. I find it helps alot to heat the dogbone and freeze the ends before pressing. Also, when you press them in don't press on the center or you'll destroy them (press on the outside edge).

I don't think this is that big of a design problem. I think it's more of everybody running around with 30 year old dogbones. Rubber parts usually don't make it that long without comming apart.

 

[BlizzardX23]

This is going to be expensive. After spending 3 hours of ONLY pressure washing it...(seriously...I spent 3 hours just spraying the truck...)...I've found that most of the torque rod ends need to be replaced as they have almost all deteriorated...oh boy!

 

[BlizzardX23]

The ends can be tough to press in and out without damaging the new ones. I find it helps alot to heat the dogbone and freeze the ends before pressing. Also, when you press them in don't press on the center or you'll destroy them (press on the outside edge).

I don't think this is that big of a design problem. I think it's more of everybody running around with 30 year old dogbones. Rubber parts usually don't make it that long without comming apart.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[wdbtchr]

Do you have a Hi-lift jack? With the clamp end on it, you could clamp the square axle tube and try to twist it. (like a giant lever)I've done this before with beams in my house, just a thought, I don't know exactly how you axles are situated right now.

Also, the torque rod ends, does it seem like a design flaw? If they are prone to popping out like we have all seen, why isn't there a bar or giant washer welded on them normally out of the box (opposite the threaded stud). I know that this is a way to quick repair to limp home, but wouldn't it make sence if they were fabbed this way to act like a keeper so this wouldn't ever happen?

Wouldn't welding on the the new insert just destroy the new rubber? What is the point of changing the insert just to damage the new one?

As far as moving the axle, use a come a long ore chain block to the rear frame to pull it back, or a porta power between the alxes to push them apart. With a porta power you don't have to worry bout anything in the way.

 

[Gunnar1071]

OK...UPDATE!! I finally found a way to rotate the axle...and fairly effortlessly as well! I will post pictures to show how I did it in a few minutes

Did I miss them?

 

[pwrwagonfire]

Ouch, had that happen doing roadwork with a M51a2 a couple years ago...that sucked!

 

[BlizzardX23]

Sorry for not posting the pics...I'll do that right now!




UPDATE - ok here they are! Im missing a picture though...of the dog-bone above the ripped out end link...it was up against the rubber bumper...but wouldnt slide past it until I lifted the body up a little with my hi-lift.

I tried the come-a-long which you can see in the first picture, but it wasnt moving...

Heres how you do it...(for the 3rd *rear* axle..if the TOP dog-bone is bad)





1) Jack up the rear axle and set it on two jackstands (as close to the ground as possible without touching it - for safety)

2) Then place the jack on the dog-bone mount and lift up to relieve some pressure

3) Simply place your hands on the rear tire, and rotate the suspended wheel in the same direction you'd like to rotate the axle

4) Lower Jack, rotation complete...continue with project and replacing parts!

 

[treeguy]

I wasn't talking about personally welding onto a new end! Ya that would probably kill it. What I was getting at is why are the ends not designed better by having some sort of keeper on the outside so that when the rubber fails you don't end up disabled. If there were a keeper like a washer or bar (factory original) then you could limp home. Just a why not kind of question. But like others have said, these trucks have way exceded their intended life span so I guess it is just trivial. Are these rod ends still produced today or are the only ones available NOS, so the rubber is still 40 years old?

My high-lift jack idea was to create a lever to make a twisting motion for the axles. In Blizzard's original pic's, it looked like the axle needed to be pulled back AND twisted/rotated to get it home.

 

[pwrwagonfire]

Sorry for not posting the pics...I'll do that right now!




UPDATE - ok here they are! Im missing a picture though...of the dog-bone above the ripped out end link...it was up against the rubber bumper...but wouldnt slide past it until I lifted the body up a little with my hi-lift.

I tried the come-a-long which you can see in the first picture, but it wasnt moving...

Heres how you do it...(for the 3rd *rear* axle..if the TOP dog-bone is bad)





1) Jack up the rear axle and set it on two jackstands (as close to the ground as possible without touching it - for safety)

2) Then place the jack on the dog-bone mount and lift up to relieve some pressure

3) Simply place your hands on the rear tire, and rotate the suspended wheel in the same direction you'd like to rotate the axle

4) Lower Jack, rotation complete...continue with project and replacing parts!

Thats EXACTLY how we fixed it too! Good work, what a PIA it was when we did it...I bet your glad thats over with

 

[Recovry4x4]

New mfr ends are available

 

[BlizzardX23]

having a **** of a time busting the torque rod ends out of the truck...the dog bone is off... but both ends are still in the truck (ripped out of the dogbone)