Finally! After three years (maybe closer to four years) of design, engineering, development, and testing, we have given birth to the next generation of Fusion steering. Welcome home, Fusion F-Ton steering.
Why new steering? While our previous 2.5 Ton steering was great, we knew we could design something better in every aspect. In addition, a lot of customer feedback over the years was incorporated into the design.
- Fawk Ton: What is stronger than 2.5 Ton? Per the engineering handbook we found, it is a Fawk Ton, which translates into 17% stronger forgings than our previous 2.5 Ton steering, and 25% larger ball joint ends as compared to OEM steering.
- Fawk around and find out: The more you fawk around, the more you will find out about how strong this steering is. Manage to push it too far and find out about the lifetime warranty covering bent or broken forgings or aluminum.
- Freedom: To drop F-Bombs on any rock that gets in your way.
During the design stage we identified the following goals:
- Stronger Forgings
- Significant increase in long term durability of the ball joint ends
- Built-in misalignment limitation in both the tie rod and drag link
- OE Equivalent tapers for all applications
- Improved coating on the forgings and threads
- Lower profile to provide more clearance between the tie rod and drag link
- Fitment for OEM 17" wheels
- To make the best steering in the industry
Stronger Forgings: Massive 1-1/4" shank forgings made from a unique Medium Carbon Steel followed by a proprietary heat treat process to maximize strength while minimizing the probability of breaking.
Why not chromoly or a larger diameter? All components within a steering system need to work together. We tried chromoly and it broke the aluminum. So, we tried 2" aluminum and then we broke knuckles. The optimal design is exactly what you see below.
Fully E-Coated. E-coating, or electro-deposition coating, is a process that uses an electric current to deposit a uniform, corrosion-resistant coating that is bonded to the metal. In addition, it helps to prevent galvanic corrosion by creating a barrier between the metal and the electrolyte solution. This barrier prevents the formation of galvanic cells, which reduces the chance of galvanic corrosion.
Heat treat: Easy to get wrong, which will result in brittle forgings that snap. We took everything we learned over the past 8 years and improved on it. Ideally, the aluminum will do its job and absorb energy. If pushed beyond that, the single goal is that we want the forging to bend, not break. Bent forgings get you home.
A lot of time was spent determining the optimal shape of the forging to provide maximum strength for the intended application (constant abuse in challenging terrain). Ultimately, we found the roval shape provides maximum strength.
Solid 1.75" OD 7075-T651 aluminum bar is made from high-quality, domestically sourced aluminum. The aluminum is sourced from US mills that meet our specific quality and testing requirements. This ensures that the aluminum meets the highest standards for strength, durability, and corrosion resistance. The specific benefits:
- Aluminum will flex under heavy load and then return back to straight once the load is removed, making it nearly impossible to bend.
- The failure rate is nearly zero.
- MIL Spec wrench flats, because why not?!
- 1.75" diameter, which is the ideal size for the entire steering system.
- LH thread score mark. We heard you loud and clear! No more guessing which end goes where. Also makes identification easy should you ever need to warranty a forging.
Fusion TruTaper ball studs are designed to provide superior strength and durability. TruTaper studs are made from high-quality, hardened steel and feature a tapered design that matches the OE taper for every application - no need to ream out the knuckles. This ensures a secure fit and prevents the stud from loosening over time or wallowing out the knuckle.
TruTaper studs are far stronger than straight studs with inserts. Steering systems are under constant load, which requires a secure fit provided by the tapered design. Straight studs with tapered inserts are not able to provide a tight fit. In addition, the use of a straight stud results in a much smaller diameter that is not sufficient for the application.
Long term durability. This was arguably the top priority. We wanted to design ball joint ends that would last a lot longer. We increased the size and improved the materials. This steering has MASSIVE BALLS.
Limited misalignment.We heard our customers loud and clear. Add misalignment limitation to the drag link in addition to the tie rod, and build the limitation into the ball joint so a sealed boot can be used instead of misalignment bushings that gap open, allowing dirt and debris into the ball joint. Tie rod and drag link flop are history. The limitation will stiffen the steering feel and ensure maximum load is being sent through the steering.
To say that we are excited about the new F-Ton steering is an understatement. The motivation was to provide our customer with a better product and at a better price. We believe we have succeeded in that aspiration.