Bracing rod sweetgum?

The other side of the fork is still at risk of splitting with reduction in the other side.

Will the other side catch any more wind?

How big are the trunks?
Yes, it could possibly be reduced as well. I think they’re around 8” diameter. The bracing rod being the idea that it would provide supplemental support while the central leader is putting on girth and the subordinated leader stunted from the reduction cuts. (in a theoretical world)

I’ll never forget when I first started with structural pruning I was working on a 4 inch or so diameter red maple with a text book double leader/ included bark. It was small enough that I felt confident I could just take one side completely off, so I did. But there was still minimal holding wood on the remaining leader and it just blew over haha.
 
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Yes, it could possibly be reduced as well. I think they’re around 8” diameter. The bracing rod being the idea that it would provide supplemental support while the central leader is putting on girth and the subordinated leader stunted from the reduction cuts. (in a theoretical world)

I’ll never forget when I first started with structural pruning I was working on a 4 inch or so diameter red maple with a text book double leader/ included bark. It was small enough that I felt confident I could just take one side completely off, so I did. But there was still minimal holding wood on the remaining leader and it just blew over haha.
One personal rule is I try to avoid brace rods in wood that I’d put in my chipper… saying that though when I do place rods without a cable it’s often in Japanese maples. Always a fair amount above the union.
If feasible it could certainly benefit but I rarely work sweetgums so don’t have much experience how they compartmentalize. They do seem brittle
 
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