The rod ends that are a part of the suspension under any high-performance car take a massive beating. If the rod ends aren’t up to the task it will cause a multitude of problems, but that can easily be solved thanks to Aurora Bearing Company. The RXAM-8T-3 and RXAM-8T-4 rod ends are beefy ½” bore 4-link rod ends that have been designed to deal with the most extreme applications you can imagine.

Aurora listened to its professional racing customers and used that feedback to design rod ends that would not only improve suspension performance, but would also be ultra durable. The RXAM-8T-3 and RXAM-8T-4 rod ends help racers with a consistent fit that ensures the suspension’s preload and geometry won’t change due to a rod end that has slop in it. For racers, durability was important since they don’t want to spend time doing maintenance or replacing parts constantly.

The RXAM-8T-3 rod end has a ½” bore, ¾” wide ball, and 1.750” head diameter. Aurora wanted to be sure the RXAM-8T-3 was strong, so it used 4130 heat-treated steel as the material for the body of the rod end. The body is electroless nickel plated, with ¾-16 threads rolled to UNJF standards after the heat-treating process was complete.

A larger diameter ball gives the RXAM-8T-4 a bigger footprint on the race so it can distribute loads over a much greater area. The RXAM-8T-4 has a head diameter of 2” and a larger body with threads that are 7/8-14. The RXAM-8T-4 isn’t a bolt-in replacement for conventional ½ x ¾ rod ends however, the ball width does fit into standard ¾” wide brackets. These rod ends do require 7/8” 4-link bars and have a load capacity of 55,692 pounds. The RXAM-8T-4 is made of the same high-strength material as the RXAM-8T-3 rod end.

John McCrory from Aurora explains what went into the development of these beefy rod ends.

“Top Pro Stock racers were looking for parts that would go eight rounds a weekend, every weekend for a season. Pro Mod and other high-horsepower racers were looking for parts that could handle the extreme shock loads when a car hooks up, and deal with the pounding when they experience tire shake. Improvements in track prep, tires, and suspensions alone have put more demands on rod ends, beyond the obvious effect of ever-increasing power. These products were developed in conjunction with championship-winning racers and car builders to address their concerns.”

You can learn more about the RXAM-8T-3 and RXAM-8T-4 rod ends right here on the Aurora Bearing Company website.