Building on the 2nd gen TorqueLink, the final iteration of the ultimate leaf-spring pickup truck traction bar is finally here, once again eliminating that annoying clutch chatter. Solid axle trucks are mostly gone now because let’s face it: The massive hunks of cast iron were just too heavy, inefficient and difficult to manage from a suspension perspective. But they’re nearly indestructible and will last forever with an occasional oil change, so pick ur poison.
They don’t do well on lifted trucks with lots of power due to a phenomenon called axle wrap, where torque literally twists the leaf springs causing wheel hop and other un-desirable effects. Combined with an early hydraulic clutch and balky Getrag stick inspiring songs like Gear Jammer, pulling out through 1st and 2nd gear could be tricky. Anything less than precise engagement going into 2nd would hop the back wheels clear off the ground under power and chatter like a mariachi dancer at anything less if you weren’t real careful with it.
TorqueLink-I & II solved the forward axle wrap problem nicely, but it was a regression back into clutch chatter on the 2nd go. 3klb die springs solved that. More than a few grease monkeys like me made the mistake of bolting something like this more-or-less hard into the frame, not taking into account fore/aft suspension flex of a half inch or more. Die-hards claimed the longer you made them the less of a problem it was. Scary creaking and crunching noises were common and cracked frames not unheard of.
That ’07 got a set of custom Caltracs and was quite happy with them. But it’s an automatic – whole different animal. I only just recently found out you can get lifted trucks as dealer installed options these days. Oh well, it was fun anyway.
