Chevy tie rod

[dondolittle2]

Where do I get info on the 1 ton Chevy tie rod ends? I've looked every where.

 

[Cheeop]

Where do I get info on the 1 ton Chevy tie rod ends? I've looked every where.

What do you want to know? There's a ton a threads on the topic here

 

[bknbronco]

Yes tons. I like Extreme Customs but you can also get the stuff at ruffstuff. I only ordered the threaded ends, reamer, and lock nuts from extreme customs. The tubing I got drops at the local metal yard. The TRE I got at the local auto store.

Might have to do a search for "GM 1 TON" GM is more often used than chevy. Or try chebby. We sometimes say HEEP instead of JEEP also.

I did it last spring and can answer every question you can come up with. Its a super common swap, same stuff the heepers use on there rubicons also. I could answer your questions easyer than it takes to gather a bunch of info from the threads and put it all together.

 

[Bronc937]

I did the Extreme Customs complete kit on my 77 luber. Very happy with the quality and pretty easy to ream the knuckles as long as you take your time.

My only complaint is that with the 76/77 knuckles and beefier rod ends, I have to use wheels with very little backspace. I plan on swapping them out for F150 knuckles so I can get some wheels tucked back under it.

 

[bknbronco]

Ya the metal was surprisingly very soft. Even the pitman arm reamed out nicly. You gota go slow and take your time. When you get close I recommend torqueing down the TRE to make sure you don't go to far, then pull it and go a little more by hand instead of the drill. If you go to far I noticed there are different thickness castle nuts to hide your mistakes or just add a washer. Go too far and the rubber boot gets smashed to hell though. I got a little carried away with the 1/2" drill on one knuckle%) someone told me to run a file down the flutes on a new reamer to take the edge off so it don't bite as much. I didn't want to do it on a $80 reamer though. It like drilling wood with a new bit and only wanting to go so far.....that new bit just wants to dig.

That's right them knuckles have the arm pointing toward the wheels. You can use some wheel spacers I think cant you? Of course that leads to longer wheel studs, which leads to something else and before you know it your on your back dropping the oil pan!

I got a dana 30 still so my arms point inward but when I get my 44 in I have the F150 disk swap to go with it.

 

[GrillMaster]

I have 3.5" backspacing wheels, stock 68 drum spindles with a cheby disc upgrade. Can I do this GM TRO with my wheels? Any more GM parts and I am going to have a cheby. Why don't we use the 1 ton Ford rod ends? Can someone with 1.5" DOM tube measure how far it is off the front diff cover at full lock? I have a old Detroit E locker that has the electric motor on the front cover and I am worried about it hitting.

 

[Lmfp]

Im hooking up my 1 ton steering next week. I have a pretty big diff cover so if mine clears im sure yours will also. Oh and I went through ruff stuff specialties.

 

[methcat]

if by one ton, you mean the 3/4T 7/8" variety, this is a good source. They make their own, don't have the crappy plastic liners, and have a little more range of motion than the standard store variety. plus they ream the TR for you and give you jam nuts.

 

[DirtDonk]

I have 3.5" backspacing wheels, stock 68 drum spindles with a cheby disc upgrade. Can I do this GM TRO with my wheels?

I don't see why not. Yours is probably the more common setup, and at just 3.5" backspacing, those wheels aren't tucked in too tight. How much clearance do you have now between the rim edge and the steering arm?

Why don't we use the 1 ton Ford rod ends?

Probably just because nobody ever found a more compatible off-the-shelf component from Fords. Pre-'80 solid axle 3/4 and 1-ton Fords didn't have the same setup at all. Post-'80 150's and many 250's were kind of wimpy and also not an advantage that I'm aware of.

The GM "1-ton" (actually they're 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1-ton, but the 1-ton just sounded cooler) have the tapered hole which is what made them so appealing for conversions. The downside is that the hole was originally for mounting a steering stabilizer, not a draglink. It was never intended for a draglink from the factory, which is probably why it's not reinforced more and tends to bend at that point when used hard.
It's vertical orientation also allows some "twisting-English" to be imparted into the tie-rod especially when the ends wear in and get looser.

To toot our own horn, this is why we've kind of stayed away from this setup and went with a more "Ford-like" design of our own for the past few years.
We use an even larger diameter rod-end and beefier (than some at least) centerlink setup that makes it easier to put the draglink mount in a stronger section and keep the draglink at the proper angle and closer to the same length as the trackbar. http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/category/Custom_tie_rods/a
The #2351 is the full replacement setup for your rig including adjustable draglink, or the #2364 would just replace your tie-rod and reuse your draglink.
Can be flipped for TRO without needing to re-ream the tapered hole too.

Not that a longer draglink of a GM conversion can't have advantages, but keeping the same length draglink as stock can be a big advantage as well.

Can someone with 1.5" DOM tube measure how far it is off the front diff cover at full lock? I have a old Detroit E locker that has the electric motor on the front cover and I am worried about it hitting.

That's a pretty big cover if I remember. Best thing to do is to turn your own wheels to the lock, measure your rod diameter and measure what's left over. Then figure out what it would be with 1.5" tubing.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

if by one ton, you mean the 3/4T 7/8" variety, this is a good source.

Same thing. Some call them 3/4, some 1-ton. Used on certain year K5, K10, K20 and K30 trucks.

They make their own, don't have the crappy plastic liners, and have a little more range of motion than the standard store variety. plus they ream the TR for you and give you jam nuts.

Sounds good. I like Partsmike anyway, but I don't see where he says anything about the particular manufacture or performance of these particular ones (other than the reverse taper being already taken care of). Do you have a link to where this info is? Or did you talk to him about it directly?
Curious about them.

Paul

 

[methcat]

Same thing. Some call them 3/4, some 1-ton. Used on certain year K5, K10, K20 and K30 trucks.

Sounds good. I like Partsmike anyway, but I don't see where he says anything about the particular manufacture or performance of these particular ones (other than the reverse taper being already taken care of). Do you have a link to where this info is? Or did you talk to him about it directly?
Curious about them.

Paul

talked to Jeremy?(i think) there. i had actually read otherwise on pirate, put when i called last week, he told me what i posted above directly.... he seemed very proud of them....i got them last week.
*edit - these do say metal on metal design, on the individual TRE pages*

if you can swing matching your track bar to the ES2233L style, having it closer to the knuckle is probably better than having the weak spot more toward the center of the the tie rod, even if that area isn't quite as beefy. i had the 3 way adjustable with the 1"-18 ends and the DL mount more toward the center, bent right there too.

it'd be nicer if you could maybe buy the 78 style, and trim the long TR down to make it a 1" version of the ES2233L... (i think it's 1" rod, might be wrong)