I bought 3” springs and a trackbar for my ‘13 RAM to make it level. I don’t drive the truck a lot, so only logged about 8500 miles and the frame side bushing had some play. I contacted Thuren and they said that the bushing had failed and needed to be replaced. Seems like a pretty short life: OEM was fine for 140k, Thuren failed at 8500. So I bought the replacement and installed today. It’s a different design - thinner plastic, thicker steel bushing. No instructions - I even asked support for guidance - nothing. It’s pretty straightforward and a VERY tight fit - I used a ball joint press to coax it into place. Verdict is out on the part so far.
My review is only two stars for the following reasons:
1. Support was not helpful in providing info on how to ensure reasonable longevity outside their rather obvious and ambiguous suggestion that “proper installation and maintenance” can maximize lifespan. Original part was installed per instructions that came with the trackbar.
2. The significant design flaw: even though there is a zerk fitting, the bushing is not grease-able; the bushing is so tight that grease cannot be forced into the joint - no grease will enter the bushing. The old bushing had been greased several times, and was utterly dry upon removal. This design flaw is likely the reason for premature failure of the bushing.
3. No instructions - IF YOU INSTALL THIS PART, GREASE EVERYTHING DURING INSTALLATION, it’s your only hope for any lubrication!
Thank you for the review! I don't remove bad reviews, as often, as in this instance, it's a nice chance to correct people that think they know better than I/we do. At 8500 miles there is almost no way the bushing is worn out. Anything can happen you never know, but if the bushing was actually bad in that short of time, something must be defective and we would send a new one for free. We ship 100+ a week of these bars(6000+ a year), and don't have issues. There is no design flaw...... As noted clearly in the instructions if the bushing does not flow grease, it is tight and good to go. That is a good thing! That also indicates your bushing was not bad???? Something to think about.... Don Thuren
I installed my Thuren track bar within a few months of buying my Ram 3500 new in 2017. Did the first bushing replacement in 2019 right at 50k miles. Just broke 100k miles in January 2024 and replaced them a 2nd time. Both times prior to replacement I noticed the truck steering feeling a bit off and the truck starting to want to wander a bit. Another sign was a noticeable "clunk" sound from the front axle when I was backing into a parking space. I could also see movement at the bushing when rocking the steering wheel back and forth. Previous paint pen marks on the bolt and flag nut showed no sign's of movement/loosening. It was time for a new bushing kit. Thuren got my order out the door and to me quickly (Thank you Andrew). Prior to install I clean out the inside of the track bar end after removing the old bushing & grease zerk. I also apply grease to the two delrin halves and the steel bushing before pressing them in (you can use the track bar bolt and nut to do this with the bar still bolted to the axle. I have never had much luck pumping grease through the zerk fitting due to the tight bushing tolerances. I use a cheater bar to really "snug" down the bolt and remark with a paint pen. Good-to-go for another 50k miles. My truck is tracking straight and the steering feels noticeably firmer. Never have had any squeaks or issues. Like with all of my other Thuren components - they work and perform better than what originally came on the truck.
Sent me the exact part that I needed in a couple days. Excellent customer service. Excellent quality super excited for the great experience I had with this company.
Their excellent quality bushings fix issues every time.
Great customer service. Got me all set up with no issues.