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Who has experience using the larger 11/16" tie rod ends?

Kern Dog

Life is full of turns. Build your car to handle.
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While my car is apart, I'm considering a switch to the larger 11/16" tie rod ends that the C body cars used along with solid adjusting sleeves. PST has them and they appear to be decent quality. I have one outer tie rod end that feels loose and two of the grease boots are torn so I am looking at replacing something anyway.
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I do have big torsion bars, a 1.25" front sway bar, boxed LCAs, Bilstein shocks and 275-40-18" tires. The stock 9/16" stuff is probably just fine for a cruiser but I thought if I needed to replace something that I might as well make an improvement.
 
I haven't got them but I've been considering them for awhile and will change them down the track.

The standard size seems a bit flimsy and the hardware on the PST replacements I got were a bit cheap. I ended up using some of the original hardware after I stripped a few bolts when tightening them.

I don't like the way they only seem to clamp on the final pinch - for such a critical part I've always felt they should have a more solid connection, even though they seem to work fine in practice.
 
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I run the 11/16" stuff on all 3 of my cars. I have both PST and QA1 solid adjusting sleeves. You can't go wrong with either company.
 
Pro-Forged makes a nice set too. That's what I have on mine.

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I too upgraded to the 11/16" tie rods and adjusters since I was buying new anyway. Used the "bigger is better" theory. I'm not into drifting or any of that nonsense so I really don't know how important my decision was.
 
(Joking here) Are you going with 5/8” wheel studs also? Why use that flimsy 1/2” stuff? LOL
 
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(Joking here) Are you going with 5/8” wheel studs also? Why use that flimsy 1/2” stuff? LOL
There are some that feel that some of the changes we make have no effect other than adding weight.
I won't name the guy but a dude that used to post frequently at Moparts always came down on the guys that boxed the lower control arms, welded the seams in the K member and switched to these thicker tie rod ends and sleeves. He always asked for proof that any of it was needed and bemoaned the tendency for those that responded with "I figured that it can't hurt".
I can see his point. Why add weight if it has no benefit?
If one has a street car with stock sized tires and has no interest in cornering faster than "parking lot" speeds, the enhancements may have zero value.
If you have wider tires than stock, like to drive aggressively on curvy roads and want the steering to be more precise, the added weight is worth it.
I did reinforce the steering box mounts in the K member and install a Borgeson steering box.
 
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I upgraded to them to one car, can't say if I noticed any difference but I like overbuilt stuff anyway.
 
There are some that feel that some of the changes we make have no effect other than adding weight.
I won't name the guy but a dude that used to post frequently at Moparts always came down on the guys that boxed the lower control arms, welded the seams in the K member and switched to these thicker tie rod ends and sleeves. He always asked for proof that any of it was needed and bemoaned the tendency for those that responded with "I figured that it can't hurt".
I can see his point. Why add weight if it has no benefit.
If one has a street car with stock sized tires and has no interest in cornering faster than "parking lot" speeds, the enhancements may have zero value.
If you have wider tires than stock, like to drive aggressively on curvy roads and want the steering to be more precise, the added weight is worth it.
I did reinforce the steering box mounts in the K member and install a Borgeson steering box.
KD....I did all of the above to my 72 about 10 years ago with excellent results. My TR ends are C body and PST sleeves. Also.poly bushings throughout and 18 inch wheels and tires. I did all mods at the same time so can't compare individual mods. Next on my list is the sway bar end mod from MoPar Action a few months back that basically removes the rubber bushings in between the bar ends and frame mount.
 
I put them on my 69 charger with oem type sleeves.
Not knowing where most suspension parts are actually made anymore. I figured going to the 11/16th is a no brainer. And my charger is fully loaded so I'm not trying to save weight.
 
I went ahead and ordered through PST, A FBBO site sponsor.
Inner and outer tie rod ends and steel adjusting sleeves. The aluminum ones are a pound lighter each but I trust steel threads more than aluminum.
 
Greg, are you talking about the fine gent from Trumussia? Hope he never gets in over here. What a wanker.
 
I've got PST's 11/16" sleeves. I don't think you'll be disappointed. My car is apart so I can't tell you how they drive yet, but the stock sleeves are so flimsy compared to the PST sleeves, I doubt you'd ever want to go back to them unless you're trying to save every ounce of weight.
 
From some of the stuff that I have read online, the open section between the clamps can spread open causing toe out.
Back in the late 90s, I jumped a few Darts for a home movie that I was making. I don't recall seeing the tie rod sleeves coming apart but I wasn't paying close attention to that. Crushed oil pans, bent LCAs, frame rails and K members, UCA mounts peeled away from the frame rails....stuff like that was common.
 
OK let’s see the video! Sounds like fun to make.
 
From some of the stuff that I have read online, the open section between the clamps can spread open causing toe out.

My stock sleeves were fine with at least 106,000 miles on them, but I never tried jumping the car. I can see how they wouldn't be adequate for the cornering forces generated by big fat modern tires.
 
OK let’s see the video! Sounds like fun to make.
I really should upload some segments to my Youtube channel. I barely have anything on it anyway.
 
I installed the C body tie rod adjusters on the Coronet. Also boxed the LCA's, and steering box mount on the K. Swapped in larger T-bars, tubular UCAs from PST, SFC from USCT. Stage III p/s box rebuild by FF. I did everything during the resto so I can't say which one of the upgrades works better than the other, but the car handles as well as a late model sedan.
As is always the case it's not one component, its the entire package that increases performance. Obscene amounts of HP and torque are nice for sure, but a tight handling car is such a pleasure to drive.
 
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