Technical Sourcing four bar stainless tubing

Pete and Jake (specifically, JIM Jacobs) pioneered their established 4 bars (mild steel tubing, 7/8" O.D.) and then offered them in polished stainless.
These were also 7/8" O.D., BUT: thinwall with welded stainless bungs in one end, solid welded 'loop' on the other.

Ed Moss (TCI) did essentially the same, then both made contacts to have them mfd. offshore.
Same specs, same thinwall, welded-in bungs, rolled threads.
TCI offered longer bars for highboys.
Can't imagine somebody doing them in 'solid'... defies engineering standards. Maybe stagecoaches...

 

No personal experience with the offshore parts but not all stainless steel is created equal.
Though I was a machinist for thirty years, I not only did not work with a lot of it but I have forgotten more than I learned.
This is very informative reading.

http://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...less-steel-faq-why-my-ss-exhaust-rusting.html

 

Thanks for all your input guys. Valuable info, a lot to think about.
Starting to lean towards the DOM.
Got me thinking about those Speedway ends too. Could they be a weak link? You wouldn't think a major supplier like Speedway would offer a potentially dangerous product, or am I being a little naive?

 

I have a TCI Stainless 4 Bar on one of my cars - It is heavy wall taped tubing - not thin wall with bungs and Ed Moss assures me that it is ALL US sourced steel in their chassis and components and I watched them welding them in Ontario CA.

 

SS has been used by more than a few reputable manufacturers for years - Kugel, TCI, Pete & Jakes quickly come to mind. I have used SS suspension components for at least 20 years now in both my own and customer cars and have never experienced a failure including haveing built my own 4 links and panhards out of SS tubing. I've never had a galling issue when tapping or in use, it's just a matter of using the proper lubricants and anti seize. There is NOTHING wrong with SS in suspension components if they are engineered properly. Juts my experience and opinion.

 

its all easy not much different from tool steel.

 

Machined Stainless for 30 years making a living for machines that were food grade cup machines. Once you know the proper way ( feeds and speeds ) to machine it, it's not much different than 1018, 1020 steel. Hand machining is along the same lines, except you can't teach touch to someone else, some have it and many don't.

 

Yes you are, - Ford Pintos, Lawn Darts, Samsung Galaxy S7 Notes for the rebuttal. And if you want some interesting reading, Google "Austin Magic Pistol".

 

I MUST take exception here - the Pinto got really bad press, but the fact is there were other cars with Much worse fire danger than the poor Pinto, It was significantly better than the Datsun 1200/210, Toyota Corolla and VW Beetle which were the same class of car and the 73-87 Gm trucks were WAY worse than the Pinto. As for Lawn Darts, well, that is just Darwinism at its finest

 

To help run this thread further off the rails:
You left out the old Honda ATC three wheelers, I bought a brand new 250R in 1981, never stepped foot on an ATV before. I had the most fun trying to kill myself on that thing.
Kind of like the rich kid whose dad bought him a new Corvette, just cause you can start it doesn't mean you should drive it.

 

I LOVE the three wheeled ATC's! I met my wife riding them (She had a 250R as well). I even built one with a Yamaha 500 single running on Alcohol. We survived YEARS of riding in Glamis on them, and the only injuries were fueled by a different type of Alcohol - Courage in a can we used to say!

 

Update:
Hey guys, I decided to return the speedway parts and get different rod ends.
I went with stainless again tho, Art Morrison supplied 3/4-16 x 5/8 urethane bushed ends. I figured if Art puts these things in his full on street and race car frames and subs then my straight six won't stress them too much.
Also decided to go with 1" DOM tubing.
Thanks for all your input!
P.S. absolutely no problem returning parts to Speedway, quite painless.
Jeff

 

Good call, I'm using the same ones from AM, neat pieces.
My ladder bars have them on the rear and a rod end on the pivot end.
Here is a tip:
After welding is done run the tap again through the tapped end and coat the threads with anti-seize compound.

 

I have a set of polished SS tri-angulated 4 bars from Brookville Roadster....haven't used them yet, but nice pieces

 

You can gain strength in tubing by going to larger diameter. You can go larger and thinner wall. You will need weld in tapped ends.

 

I don't think any welding will be needed as the size DOM tubing and rod ends should be a direct tap the tube.