The IFS system that GM employs on their trucks and SUVs delivers a smooth ride with excellent driving dynamics and control in most situations. Unfortunately, owners have found a weak link in the steering system. In particular the tie rods can easily bend in high-load situations including off-road, sled pulling and drag racing. Solutions including complete steering linkage replacement exist, but the team at Merchant Automotive wanted to provide customers with an effective and safe solution that was easy to install, economical to purchase and would last the life of the truck without question.
Precision machined high-quality stainless-steel Tie Rod Sleeves that are as affordable as they are strong are the solution that the Merchant Automotive team originally developed for 2001-2010 GM 2500HD and 3500 4WD pickups. Later after production changes at GM they developed a set of sleeves for the 2011-2019 GM 2500HD and 3500 4WD trucks. The newest edition to the MA Tie Rod Sleeve family came when GM launched the second-generation Colorado and Canyon pickups with the 4-cylinder Duramax diesel engine that uses similar suspension design on a smaller scale. Merchant Automotive released a set of stainless-steel Tie Rod Sleeves for 4WD 2016 to current Duramax powered Colorado/Canyon pickups.
All the Merchant Automotive Tie Rod Sleeves are sold in pairs to complete one truck, backed by Merchant's Limited Lifetime Warranty and offer easy installation that will outlast the truck. Using high-quality stainless-steel in constructing the Tie Rod Sleeves ensures long-lasting good looks but more importantly allows for easy serviceability down the road. Since tie rod sleeves must be loosened to make toe adjustments when aligning the vehicle it is important that they be made of material that will not rust and stick to the tie rod—the stainless-steel used by Merchant Automotive serves this purpose fully.
When the MA Tie Rod Sleeves are properly installed it makes it virtually impossible to bend or break the tie rod even in the most demanding off road or race/competition situations. Flat sides are machined into the sleeves to make tightening and loosening them as easy as the factory jamb nut while providing additional strength that only a sleeve can deliver. Operating a high-power Duramax diesel truck with larger than stock tires, in off road conditions or in competition with unprotected stock tie rods can be a risky venture that is more likely to leave the truck stranded and damaged than it is to yield success. Installing a set of Merchant Automotive Tie Rod Sleeves will protect trucks from potential tie rod induced damage.
“I installed the MA tie rod sleeves on my 2018 diesel ZR2. The install was very easy, they went on no problem. You can tell just by handling them that these are quality, they aren't selling junk. I feel better knowing I'm not going to break a tie rod when I'm off in the dirt exploring.”—Joseph via Five-Star review on the MA website.
“Tie rods are a major weak link in the GM IFS design, but rather than reinvent the wheel, we opted to enhance what’s there with a simple yet effective precision-machined stainless-steel sleeve!” Said Eric Merchant, Merchant Automotive Founder. He continued, “Our Tie Rod Sleeves provide excellent strength without breaking the bank for our customers.” For more information, call 616-772-9551 or visit www.merchant-automotive.com.