Need advice on the steering rods I just bought. ((Allstar Chromoly Drag Link and Tie Rod 46in Black ALL55932-46 1-1/8" sprint car steering rods are made from 4130 chrome moly .065" wall tubing. Rods have 5/8" threads and a tapered threaded end.)) They seem way to light and have a thin wall thickness but they are chromolly and use 3/4 end links . I figured if they were good enough for the abuse of a open wheel circle track race car it should be good enough for a street strip g***er but I'm second guessing myself now.
Your pics ****,not showing what your asking about for the most part. So with limited info,here goes; Steering arm on spindel is backward=was design for rear steer not front> so ackermen is out to lunch! Can't make out other things,but more pic would help every one...
It's all good. Nothing that hasn't been done before. I have to order another drag link because it's a inch too short, it could work but I'm not comfortable with it. The reason I'm asking is should I buy the same drag link or buy a thicker wall tube and weld in rod ends then have it power coated. I know the sprint cars are tough but also seen plenty of bent steering parts during contact like they are supposed to do. Not looking for that on the street.
You have to realize that a Sprint car is barely 1200lbs, soaking wet. You've got a 3200+ lb car. That's huge difference. I've got a brand new Speedway Motors G***er axle kit here right now, the drag link is 7/8" moly, directly threaded for a 5/8" thread Rod End/Hiem....so that puts tube wall thickness at .120". I don't think I could trust your swaged wall lightweight tube unless the car was 1000 lbs lighter. Mine is going under a 2600 lb car. you could check, I have no idea if Speedway sells the link separately, but they likely do or can if you call them.
Also about the sprint cars they're on dirt, That is pretty slick, not pavement. It's a lot easier to steer on the dirt than Pavement. I would get the regular steel drag links.
I don't like small diameter tierods or drag links. Those like Speedway sells with their kits that are under 1" diameter are fine for axles that are around 40" kingpin to kingpin, but for wider axles they can flex when tires hit bumps and cause death wobble, even when the axle is setup perfectly. I use 1.25" tubing and weld bungs for 5/8" heim ends to avoid any flexing on the wider axles as most cars have. I think the 1.125" tubing you have is fine IF it wasn't thin wall tubing designed for offroad use on lighter cars. But I'd suspect it will fold like a cheap suit if it ever gets stressed on a car like a Tri Five that weighs about 3500 pounds.
Looks like there is a tie rod between the red lines on the above photo. His drag link is tied to the front of the spindle but the steering arms aren’t. We don’t know the actual Ackerman but at least it’s not reverse Ackerman. I agree with @Ericnova72 , get some 7/8” x .156 wall DOM and tap it for your 5/8-18 heims.
Ackerman has zero to do with which side the drag link is on. It's about where the tierod is located and how the steering arm ends compare to kingpins. Everything can be perfect and it wont change Ackerman angles by front side or rear side steering. Can't tell for sure, but appears this is front side steering, which I prefer and always try to do so the steering box doesn't interfere with headers, or anything beside the engine. If that is the tierod in front then Ackerman angle is way off and it's going to be dangerous to drive.
When in doubt go bigger, stronger, heavier unless this is a cutting edge, limits of rules ******** racing. Lotus was "simplify, then add lightness", but a 1955 Chevy isn't that, unless it's a carbon fiber body over a moly ch***is. F1 Lotus also killed drivers. I know which choice I'd make.
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