Strut Rod Question

[MikeStang 247]

I built some Solid strut rod assemblies a long time ago and when I went to have the front end aligned it was found that I needed shorter swedge tubes so I removed the rods and replaced the tubes and noticed that I had installed regular grade 8 bolts with lock washers and nuts into the splined bolt area on the LCA.

If i recall i did this because the splines were gone after I wrenched the old bolts out, so I opened the hole up a little and installed Grade 8 hardware.

I'm assuming this is ok to do here as long as the bolts are nice and tight?

 

The reason Im asking is that I also am about to install new LCA and if I HAVE to have the splined bolts I wont open the holes up in the new LCA but it will require me to cut another old set of strut rods up to get the back piece I need and re-thread them.

I was actually going to just tack weld the bolts into the rear piece of the strut rod assembly so help hold them in which is what I think the splines are for on the old hardware but i'm not 100% sure on that.

 

For anyone who wants to do their own strut rods I can send you a diagram of the frame side attachment piece and you can have both pieces made for 70-100 bucks and not use the old clevis that is shown in the DIY instructions on the net... I am sure the Clevis will work fine but having the ends made sure gives some piece of mind plus you can use larger hardware and no need for a spacer

[buening 63]

My understanding is the splines' only purpose was to hold the bolt in place while the nut was tightened.

[MikeStang 247]

10-4 That's what I thought, will proceed accordingly

[RPM 1,190]

For anyone who wants to do their own strut rods I can send you a diagram

 

Hey Mike, can you take a pic of the diagram and post it/them here?

 

Bob

Edited October 28, 2014 by RPM

[RPM 1,190]

For anyone who wants to do their own strut rods I can send you a diagram

 

Hey Mike, can you take a pic of the diagram and post it/them here?

 

Bob

Edited October 28, 2014 by RPM

[Rsanter 152]

The bolts were splined to make assembly on the line easier.

As long as the bolts fit snug in the hole then you are fine

 

Bob

[Rsanter 152]

The bolts were splined to make assembly on the line easier.

As long as the bolts fit snug in the hole then you are fine

 

Bob

[MikeStang 247]

Here is the Hand drawing I did a few years ago and what I gave the machine shop guy and he kicked me out the pieces and they fit perfectly

The 2nd page is if you want to make washers, but I had some that worked in my bolt bucket so didn't need to make any.

There is also another drawing that one of our members did on Cad with my drawing and he changed a few measurements which might be an improvement over what I had made but I cant attest to that because my pieces are built off my drawing. I believe his changes allow the use of Larger hardware

[MikeStang 247]

Here is the Hand drawing I did a few years ago and what I gave the machine shop guy and he kicked me out the pieces and they fit perfectly

The 2nd page is if you want to make washers, but I had some that worked in my bolt bucket so didn't need to make any.

There is also another drawing that one of our members did on Cad with my drawing and he changed a few measurements which might be an improvement over what I had made but I cant attest to that because my pieces are built off my drawing. I believe his changes allow the use of Larger hardware

[MikeStang 247]

Ask and ye shall receive RPM

[MikeStang 247]

Ask and ye shall receive RPM

[buening 63]

Hey that clevis CAD drawing looks familiar ;)

 

This post is ironic, as I am almost finished making my strut rods (its only been over a year LOL). I will post pictures up when I get done.

[buening 63]

Hey that clevis CAD drawing looks familiar ;)

 

This post is ironic, as I am almost finished making my strut rods (its only been over a year LOL). I will post pictures up when I get done.

[MikeStang 247]

Haha Yeah the CAD is yours Buening... I didn't put out any names on who did em wasn't sure if you wanted your business out there lol.

With the rod end that I used I installed a washer on each side of the eye along with a brass bushing in the eye its self....had to do some thinning on the shim washers to squeez them in but seems to work.... I think the bolt hardware I used is OVERKILL but hey better safe than sorry.... I would like to upgrade my tubes from the standard metal swedge tube to something with a thicker wall diameter tho.... I ended up using 11.5" long swedge tubes.

[MikeStang 247]

Haha Yeah the CAD is yours Buening... I didn't put out any names on who did em wasn't sure if you wanted your business out there lol.

With the rod end that I used I installed a washer on each side of the eye along with a brass bushing in the eye its self....had to do some thinning on the shim washers to squeez them in but seems to work.... I think the bolt hardware I used is OVERKILL but hey better safe than sorry.... I would like to upgrade my tubes from the standard metal swedge tube to something with a thicker wall diameter tho.... I ended up using 11.5" long swedge tubes.

[MikeStang 247]

I would like to fabricate some ends that bolt to the LCA tho but don't really need to

[MikeStang 247]

I would like to fabricate some ends that bolt to the LCA tho but don't really need to

[buening 63]

I bought a 2' length of 7/8" OD x 0.156 wall DOM tubing, cut it in half for the two strut rods, and threaded one end in 5/8"-18 LH thread and the other 5/8" - 18 RH thread. The ID of the tubing is just a tad smaller than the 37/64" drill size for the tap, so I had to drill it to that (which is a bit of a challenge drilling straight without a lathe). I used 4 of the welding triangle magnets atop my drill press table to keep the tubing vertical and plumb (going through the hole in the center of my table), then held the tube with my hand below the drill press table with a glove on and drilled it out. Once I had the drill press head centered over the tube it was pretty easy. Lots of tweaking till that point though.

[buening 63]

I bought a 2' length of 7/8" OD x 0.156 wall DOM tubing, cut it in half for the two strut rods, and threaded one end in 5/8"-18 LH thread and the other 5/8" - 18 RH thread. The ID of the tubing is just a tad smaller than the 37/64" drill size for the tap, so I had to drill it to that (which is a bit of a challenge drilling straight without a lathe). I used 4 of the welding triangle magnets atop my drill press table to keep the tubing vertical and plumb (going through the hole in the center of my table), then held the tube with my hand below the drill press table with a glove on and drilled it out. Once I had the drill press head centered over the tube it was pretty easy. Lots of tweaking till that point though.

[RPM 1,190]

Dang Jeremy, you've got some skills to accomplish that! And some hand strength

 

Bob

[RPM 1,190]

Dang Jeremy, you've got some skills to accomplish that! And some hand strength

 

Bob

[MikeStang 247]

Buenig- I just got the steel swedge tubes for ease of assembly but am considering buying some heavy thick wall Chromoly tubinh and welding in some rod ends and replacing the swedge tubes.

I just don't know what kind of stress the tubes can handle, and there is no way to reinforce them lol.

 

RPM - Dont ask how he got the crazy hand strength because we both know he probably got it the same way you and I did HAHA..

[MikeStang 247]

Buenig- I just got the steel swedge tubes for ease of assembly but am considering buying some heavy thick wall Chromoly tubinh and welding in some rod ends and replacing the swedge tubes.

I just don't know what kind of stress the tubes can handle, and there is no way to reinforce them lol.

 

RPM - Dont ask how he got the crazy hand strength because we both know he probably got it the same way you and I did HAHA..

[buening 63]

LOL, oh you guys! Actually as long as the tube was perfectly plumb it drilled in quite easily. It would occasionally get out of plumb and would lock up on the bit, but for the most part I was able to lightly grip it with mechanics gloves on. Actually, tapping the ends was harder than drilling it!

 

Mike the swedge tubes should be fine for street driving. Lots of people have used them and I haven't really heard of anyone bending or snapping them. I was in a fabrication mood so I figured I'd go all out and do the DOM route.

[buening 63]

LOL, oh you guys! Actually as long as the tube was perfectly plumb it drilled in quite easily. It would occasionally get out of plumb and would lock up on the bit, but for the most part I was able to lightly grip it with mechanics gloves on. Actually, tapping the ends was harder than drilling it!

 

Mike the swedge tubes should be fine for street driving. Lots of people have used them and I haven't really heard of anyone bending or snapping them. I was in a fabrication mood so I figured I'd go all out and do the DOM route.