Technical STEERING, tubing question ?????

I need to make a tie rod and drag link for the A-bone I am also gonna need some for the slazzen #36 and ?? who knows what else these babys aint cheap $54 bucks for cheap ones at speedway so i asked a hamber about a tap he told me early ford tie rod ends are taped to a 8" 32 TPI tap so my question is what kind of tubing in steel is safe?? and same with stainless what do i order so i dont look like a idiot so i can make a bunch for the cost of one also do you know a good sorce for the taps i geuss i need a right and left thread thanks in advance John

 

Go down to your favorite steel supplier.
And get some cold drawn seamless tube.
I cant remember the size, but there is a tube with aroynd three to four mm thick walls.
I managed to get a tube that i just could tap as it was.
And taps you can get at speedwaymotor's
Speedwaymotors taps webbpage

 

I got a left hand tap for my tie rod from Speedway. Wasn't cheap at around $20 if I remember correctly, but it's hard to find it anywhere else. The right-hand version should be much easier to find (and cheaper)...

 

DOM (Drawn Over Mandrel) tubing is what you want for a really strong tie rod or drag link. Because it is cold-worked to finalize the ID and OD, it ends up being a bit stronger than just plain seamless. Last time I bought some it was a couple bucks a foot, my local steel supplier had a remnant piece and that saved me some money versus having to order and buy a full stick.

I'm curious why not just buy pre-threaded tubing? It can be bought in half-inch length increments in various sizes, and will probably be cheaper than buying the lefthand tap and doing it yourself, unless you don't figure in your labor time to tap the tubing.

Doc

 

thats why i am posting here thanks doc knoledge is the key and i just got some

 

i use 7/8" OD DOM tubing with .188" wall ,you can also use .156 wall. drill it out in the lathe to 5/8" for the 11/16"-18 right and left hand threads.

Speedway's price of $19.95 for the right and $29.95 for the left is acually a very good price.the 11/16-18 is a very odd size.i bought a set from them about 5 years ago and they have held up well. My first set of taps i ordered from MSC Industrial Supply Co 20 years ago cost me $125 then!

 

36ThreeWindow is right on the money with tubing size recommendations as well as the tap recommendation.
You may as well buy both taps at Speedway because the 11/16-18 tap is a somewhat rare one.

As far as I know there is no threaded tubing in that size.

As long as you're at Speedway, buy their 11/16-18 jam nuts as well.
These are a half thickness nut and available in stainless.
They're a better way to lock the adjustment in than is the slit tubing and clamp style.
Depending on where the slit is oriented on the tube, you'll pick up water and eventually tube and tie rod end will be rusted together.
Goes without saying, but I will - the ends of the tubing need to be square so the jam nut will lock properly.

Don't try to drill the tubing out with a hand held drill.
The material cut away is so little that the drill grabs and will sprain or break your wrist.

Drill the tubing in the lathe and for that matter start the tap while the tubing is in the lathe as well.

As far as tubing sizes go, buy the 7/8" in .156 wall.
No use in running the heavier stuff.
Most any steel supply house can order up a stick of it - usually comes 18' or 22' - and have it in a few days.
The whole stick isn't too expensive and you can make drag links and tie rods for friends.

That particular size also works well for wishbones.
Use a 5/8-18 thread size there.
Tap drill is 37/64".

If you're doing wishbones, 1 3/8" x .120 wall tubing works well for the end rings.
Polyurethane bushings are available for this size tubing and in fact it's a common size for hot rods.
To make the wishbone rings, cut the tubing off square and to size, chamfer the inside and outside lightly, turn the hex off an unplated grade 8 bolt, grind a shallow notch in the head and weld - TIG is best - the altered bolt to the ring.
Make a simple little jig and clamp the whole shooting match to a flat piece of steel held in the vise for the initial tack welds.
Don't forget to set up for the proper angle on the rearmost ring.
Jam nuts for this size are also available at Speedway.
The front of the wishbones usually use 1/2" bolts and the rear are usually 9/16".

You can make nice panhard bars with 3/4" tubing and 1 3/8" tubing for the rings.
Common .120 wall works ok here as the bolt size commonly used on panhards is 9/16-18 which calls for a 33/64" tap drill.
Poly bushings for the panhards is also easily available.
Use a 1/2" bolt through the bushing for the install.

Energy Suspension has the poly bushings and they're available at most any speed shop.

The Deuce Factory carries ready made poly bushing rod ends in the wishbone sizes, usually in stainless, but mild steel may be available.
I believe they also carry the panhard sizes.

I have purchased the half thickness jam nuts in a bright silver iridited finish at hardware stores.
In all sizes mentioned except the uncommon 11/16-18.

 

I didn't check, but this info belongs in Techomatic... IF it isn't there already!
This is info EVERYONE will most likely need at some point.

Bill

 

I agree this is some super stuff I ordered my taps from speedway and some tubing from the metal supply I am really excited and want to make some hair pins now too thanks for the info

 

any other tubing tech to add this could be a killer thread

 

if you need to borrow a lathe i'm down here in san jose now,not sure if i have a 5/8" drill bit though...

 

I just figured this out but dont know where to get more if I need them?? a freind gave me this old drag link off a scout and it had this ball to pin thing the geomitry was wrong so I flipped the pit man arm and the drag link no it fits great

 

And nobody commented on the..........................hehehe

Slaz, post some pics when you can.

 

here she is rolling now

 

What's that? Nobody commented on the spring nearly hitting the spring hanger post in last pic?. That what you're saying?

 

After you tap the DOM for 11/16-18,where do you get nuts to suit ?

 

I like using 4130 Chromoly tubing on all the links and bars on my stuff. My draglink, tie rod, and hairpins are 1" .095 wall. I make the tube adapters on my buddies lathe , but you can buy them from speedway or www.chassisshop.com too. I bevel the tubing a little on a disc sander and weld them up. Speedway sells the 11/16 spuds in both right and left hand thread too ...pg 410 in the purple catalog...... LUKESTER

 

Many years ago I built a tie rod and drag link for a friend's T-bucket. It had early Ford spindles. I found tie rod ends in the back of a Moog catalog where they were listed generically by taper and thread size instead of by application. I found a part number for a rod end that had the 5/8-18 thread and the correct taper to fit the steering arms. I had those taps in right and left hand already and that's a much more common thread. I used tubing that was 1" O.D. and .219" (7/32") wall thickness. The 5/8" taps screwed right in.

Square the tubing ends in a lathe and, while you're at it, cut a .030" chamfer on the ends and your 5/8" jam nuts (15/16" across the flats) will match the tube diameter at that chamfer.

 

I changed the spring since that pic was taken speedway sent me the wrong spring they sent me the right one free told me to keep the extra one

 

Whats it mean when the spring does that? I got an entirely stock model A front end that is doing that right now, with no load on it... what gives, is it a timebomb of death, will it pop out and kill somebody?

 

Spring is too long shackles should be about 45*

 

apologies for post-jackage... but the are 45 deg, just the wrong way... is it possible they just got squished down, and could be popped back up???