Radius rod crack?

Not motor/drivetrain/body related; but thought I'd ask anyway... I have a 23 Ford T roadster that was built in 1968. I semi-recently acquired it and am re-doing everything. Anyways, when tightening a jam-nut on a front radius rod, I noticed a split on the chrome rod, almost all the way down. I don't seem to have a way to tell if it's just the surface chrome that cracked or the actual rod itself? Anyone know if twisting a rod like this can crack surface chrome since it's pretty hard metal? I don't really want to drive it if the rod is cracked; especially since it's over powered.

 

What about the inside? Do you see the crack in the threads?

If still not sure, I would think it could be magnifluxed. If it is cracked, it will fail quickly.

 

All the way down?
Down the length of the tube? Like 30 some odd inches?
Probably seamed tube to begin with, can you look inside of it?

 

Maybe polished too much material off when it was chromed, and years later, finally cracked along the seam?

 

My thoughts exactly. I would definately suspect a crack in the tubing.

 

take it to a good machine shop, for inspection...And repair. Hopefully, it's NOT a "seamed" tube. 4TTRUK

 

i wonder if they made the radius rods out of old ford tie rods? they had a seam

pictures?

 

I didn't see any crack on the inside at all. I'm not sure about it being a seamed tube, but I hope not...
Yes, it cracked on the outside about 20 or so inches. There isn't any crack on any of the inside. It'd be too bad if it was cracked all through, they're custom sized and it's expensive to have custom length ones made... I'll look into having them magnufluxed.

 

The rod-end holes are 3/4" bore by 16 pitch thread.