Uneven tire wear is often an indicator that your truck needs an alignment – and it’s a popular go-to diagnosis when the suspension has not been fully evaluated. Often overlooked parts that can also cause the same problem are worn-out torque rods and bushings.
In heavy-duty applications like construction, heavy haul, and garbage collection torque rods can take a beating! The constant change in weight bearing down on the suspension and driving on uneven surfaces means the suspension has to work harder to absorb cornering and leaning force.
While well-maintained torque rods will help maintain your overall axle alignment, control axle driveline angles, and relieve stress on the suspension components. Worn out rods can cause:
Parts failure and vehicle downtime
Worn tire tread
Decrease fuel mileage from misaligned tires
Misaligned suspension
If you’ve ever had to purchase or install torque rods, you know it’s not always a cut and dry part to deal with. You need to account for the rod type (longitudinal, transverse, V-rods), connectors, and clocking angle. ATRO torque rods take some of the guesswork out of the process with a rotating pin design that results in faster installation, eliminates bushing wind-up, and reduces stress on the entire suspension.
The unique pin design can rotate a complete 360 degrees to accommodate any clocking position. ATRO also uses a polyurethane bushing instead of rubber, giving it a longer life with resistance to common contaminants like oil, grease, diesel fuel, hydraulic fluids, road salts, cleaning solvents, and more.