To clarify - I'm not saying the threaded portion of the rod shouldn't be thicker! I of course know why THEY are thicker. It's the last 3 inches or so on the ends closest to the center of the truck where it threads into the center link that makes me curious. That short section is about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches in diameter with a threaded nub (that of course matches OEM) sticking out.

Also, make no mistake, I believe you guys when you say they don't hit, otherwise I wouldn't have bought them.

It's the outer tie rod ends that fail. For the threaded portion to fail, the center link itself would have to fail. If it does bend, it bends further inboard than where the inner tie rod ends connect.