sneaky spy shots of the new nodular Torq14

[Tacoma]

So... Got some kind of tantalizing pictures. This is the new nodular Torq-14, a sweet, way-more-affordable version of the Torq Super-14. This one will use stock 14bolt pinion supports as well, instead of the wicked awesome proprietary aluminum version on the Super14, which uses pricey custom shims. I am pretty freakin' stoked about this development, it is going to be WAAAY more affordable.-- so all of you that loved the idea of a Super14 but not the big price, stay tuned.

 

[notajeep]

Freakin awesome

 

[jeeper]

I also had a sneak.. and was going to post up!

 

[jeeper]

View attachment 75983

Judging by the red strap and worn rhino lining, I would say you and I have a friend in common

 

[STAG]

That's pretty sweet. I just bought a Sixty9 housing so I will just be happy with what I have. Of course, as soon as you buy a a new car the next model year is revealed and you're already upside down in your car loan lol. I was interested in the Super14 until I found out it was Aluminum and also the price tag so I decided Sixty9. I texted Jason Ratcliff and talked to him a bit more about it rather than what just the pirate thread shows and I am confident and sure I'll be happy.

 

[Tacoma]

The Sixty9 is fully legit, esp. if he got his foundry issues sorted. That guy has had some awful luck. That said, they're different animals..


Jeeper, I would say you're right!! hahah I'm super stoked for this. The price is going to be awesome.

 

[mbryson]

Is this for cool kids that "need" a front 14 bolt?

 

[STAG]

Is this for cool kids that "need" a front 14 bolt?

The reasons why I went with my sixty9, Vs the standard junkyard 14 bolt that I was going to run (which is why Tacoma owns my old 14b Detroit locker now)
#1 Ease of weldability to the "pumpkin"
#2 housing strength increase
#3 ability to either run high or low pinion (in the sixty9's case) because I'm not 100% sure yet with which one I will run. I don't have a horsepower pumpin V8 and usually a pretty light skinny pedal when wheeling so I'm not really worried about the gear issue people are having when running high pinion 60's in a rear application. I have the wheelbase and driveshaft length and a low enough rig that I could easily run a low pinion and all my angles would be fine but I will run high pinion if I can, to get the driveshaft up a little higher for clearance. But I do realize that this is not an option with the Torq14
#4 "pre shaved housing" … the clearance of a shaved diff but without the leakiness and work.
#5 I needed more width than a junkyard housing could offer, so I basically would have had to have the axle tubes pulled out and then new longer ones put in anyways.
#6 easy gear setup
#7 just plain cool.

I know a lot of racers lean towards 3rd member dropout axles so that if there is an issue with gears/lockers etc they could have another 3rd member with pre-setup gears ready to go and could be back racing in well under an hour versus being out for the rest of the competition. I am not a racer and I won't buy a housing to keep as a spare so that does not apply to me ha.


All just my .02 on why I decided it was worth it to buy a fabbed housing axle. Even though there are several differences between the torq14 and the sixty9. But same concept.

 

[STAG]

The Sixty9 is fully legit, esp. if he got his foundry issues sorted. That guy has had some awful luck. That said, they're different animals..


Jeeper, I would say you're right!! hahah I'm super stoked for this. The price is going to be awesome.

Yeah he has a couple of the new nodular design foundry pours back and Branik is making machining tweaks to work with the new slightly-different nodular design. He says as soon as Branik gets everything 100% worked out they will immediately go into production. He wouldn't give me a final price for the 3rd member kit but the 8620 steel design was going to be about $1300 and he says the Nodular should be a fair amount cheaper than the 8620 steel. Good enough for me.

 

[MikeGyver]

I must be out of the loop, itsa whatnow?

 

[STAG]

I must be out of the loop, itsa whatnow?

Ya know how Toyotas and Ford 9" have dropout thirdmembers and fully fabricated housings as opposed to tubes pressed into a cast iron center chunk? Well now that same design is soon available with this, but with 14 bolt parts instead. Bearings, gears lockers, etc will all be 14 bolt parts. But in a 3rd member. Same with the Sixty9, but with Dana 60 parts.

 

[Tacoma]

Is this for cool kids that "need" a front 14 bolt?

no, it's for cool kids that want a 14 bolt but don't want to deal with the crappy housing. I don't imagine this one is going to lose a ton of weight over a regular 14 bolt, but it will be super handy for links and whatnot-- no more leaking press-fit tubes! And the Super14 had almost 2" of clearance over a stocker, which is pretty sweet.

This will be affordable enough to make a big difference. As I'd put it, "Not junkyard cheap, but junkyard 60 cheap". I think this will be a great choice for privateer race teams who maybe can't spring for a $8000 full-on custom deal.

It's also affordable enough that I'm giving serious thought to a 14 bolt front just as an experiment, since I have to build a 60 anyway.

 

[Tacoma]

... running high pinion 60's in a rear application. I have the wheelbase and driveshaft length and a low enough rig that I could easily run a low pinion and all my angles would be fine but I will run high pinion if I can, to get the driveshaft up a little higher for clearance. But I do realize that this is not an option with the Torq14

it's not an option... yet.

 

[I Lean]

#3 ability to either run high or low pinion (in the sixty9's case) because I'm not 100% sure yet with which one I will run. I don't have a horsepower pumpin V8 and usually a pretty light skinny pedal when wheeling so I'm not really worried about the gear issue people are having when running high pinion 60's in a rear application. I have the wheelbase and driveshaft length and a low enough rig that I could easily run a low pinion and all my angles would be fine but I will run high pinion if I can, to get the driveshaft up a little higher for clearance. But I do realize that this is not an option with the Torq14

Plus, if/when you break your high pinion gears, you can set up low pinion gears using the same housing, locker, etc.

 

[MikeGyver]

That's pretty cool. So do you have to make your own axle tube/housing? or buy theirs? or does it fit a 9" housing?

 

[STAG]

It would be a fully custom housing like Spidertrax's axles if you've seen them. The sixty9 uses one like this:

I opted for the extra layer of protection* and with shipping I was at about $900.

*extra 3/16" plate welded on the bottom.

Id imagine the torq14 will be similiar.

 

[STAG]

it's not an option... yet.

Hgh pinion reverse cut 14 bolt gears? … gots ta be $$$$$

 

[Tacoma]

That's pretty cool. So do you have to make your own axle tube/housing? or buy theirs? or does it fit a 9" housing?

You can buy theirs, or I think RuffStuff makes some-- RuffStuff's are BURLY overkill, very nice. The Torq housings are lighter but no less abuse-worthy.


As for the high-pinion issue, that pocket bearing keeps the pinion from walking off the gear, and so far no one is having any issues in custom front 14 bolts... *shrug

 

[UNSTUCK]

This just shows how far this sport has come. Who would have ever thought you could get a 3rd that didn't require any bolts to hold in in the housing?

 

[Tacoma]

This just shows how far this sport has come. Who would have ever thought you could get a 3rd that didn't require any bolts to hold in in the housing?

This one also features the expensive "full floating gear" option.

These should be available to purchase very soon. Bunch already machined.