Any metalurgists out there ????

[lokka]

I have a question which would be beta for making steering linkages solid 32mm 304 grade stainless or will the 32mm od 20mm id 4140 chrome molly be tougher im leaning towards the solid stainless as it should be strong enough but would like some opinions please

Thanks in advance

[rovercare]

I have a question which would be beta for making steering linkages solid 32mm 304 grade stainless or will the 32mm od 20mm id 4140 chrome molly be tougher im leaning towards the solid stainless as it should be strong enough but would like some opinions please

Thanks in advance

The stainless wont be real good for the threads on the tie rod ends:o

[incisor]

The stainless wont be real good for the threads on the tie rod ends:o
what he said...

nothing grabs worse than stainless, it would cause all sorts of grief...

[harry]

go with chrome moly tube.
tube is stronger than bar and use 4130 aircraft tube.
and expect to pay for it.
get a real qulified welder, not anyone that says they can weld
and of course you will get engineering approval for it, or void your insurance if it fails.

[JDNSW]

Most grades of stainless are quite unsuitable for any steering components, as it work hardens and cracks - they also work harden when doing machining such as thread cutting, making this operation much more difficult.

The solid/tubular is a different question. The solid will be stronger, but the difference is probably insignificant for the dimensions given - the middle bit does not add a lot to strength in compression (it will fail by Euler buckling), or in bending given a blow from a rock or stump, which are the probable failure modes.

John

[Bigbjorn]

I have a question which would be beta for making steering linkages solid 32mm 304 grade stainless or will the 32mm od 20mm id 4140 chrome molly be tougher im leaning towards the solid stainless as it should be strong enough but would like some opinions please

Thanks in advance

Call Mal. Leslie at S.G.Leslie and Sons, 15 Mologa Rd. West Heidelberg 3081, 03 9459 2859. He does severe service tie rods and track rods for LR/RR. I sold him the special taps and dies. If doing them yourself I would use the chrome moly. tube. Stainless is a fair B. to thread, being very tough and habving four times the co-efficient of friction of mild steel. Easy to break threading tools on it, and it also wears them out.

[rovercare]

go with chrome moly tube.
tube is stronger than bar and use 4130 aircraft tube.
and expect to pay for it.
get a real qulified welder, not anyone that says they can weld
and of course you will get engineering approval for it, or void your insurance if it fails.

Weld?? just boreing and taping;)

[lokka]

Ok looks like the stainless is not the way to go then i understand how hard stainless is and i know it work hardens i just thought it would be ok to use in this application thanks to all who have posted its good to get a few different opinions and as for welding them i wont be doing that tho if i had to im more than qualified for welding just about anything :D:D:D:D:D

[JDNSW]

Ok looks like the stainless is not the way to go then i understand how hard stainless is and i know it work hardens i just thought it would be ok to use in this application .......

Just think about the hammering it gets as a wheel goes over, for example, corrugations. And visualise a crack starting from a thread root........

John

[lokka]

Just think about the hammering it gets as a wheel goes over, for example, corrugations. And visualise a crack starting from a thread root........

John


Yep i understand were ya coming from john ive worked with stainless for quite some time now and i understand how it becomes brittle and can fracture just didnt think that it would in this case tho ah well il hunt down some chrome molly tube or solid bar insted andithink the solid would be the stronger option tho probably dearer than tube :D:D:D:D

[JDNSW]

Yep i understand were ya coming from john ive worked with stainless for quite some time now and i understand how it becomes brittle and can fracture just didnt think that it would in this case tho ah well il hunt down some chrome molly tube or solid bar insted andithink the solid would be the stronger option tho probably dearer than tube :D:D:D:D

Yes solid will be stronger, but you would probably be surprised how little extra strength it adds. The critical strength dimension is bending, and this is determined by the average diameter and wall thickness - making it solid effectively increases the wall thickness to half the diameter, but it also decreases the average diameter. Stronger, but not very much if you start with fairly thick walls.

Increased diameter is more effective than increased wall thickness on a weight for weight basis, but eventually the wall thickness gets so thin that it is too easily damaged, or, as in this case, the track rod rubs against the nose of the diff.

The other consideration, of course, is if you make the track rod so strong it doesn't bend - what does? Something more expensive I suspect!

John

[Bigbjorn]

Unless you are doing something non-standard, the thread is 11/16" x 16tpi NS, left hand and right hand. I would contact Mal Leslie first for a quote. It might be a lot less trouble getting one ready made. If making them yourself, use an intermediate tap for the internal thread as this gives a slight taper and thus less chance of a crack developing than if you finish with a bottoming tap.

[cal415]

Unless you are doing something non-standard, the thread is 11/16" x 16tpi NS, left hand and right hand. I would contact Mal Leslie first for a quote. It might be a lot less trouble getting one ready made. If making them yourself, use an intermediate tap for the internal thread as this gives a slight taper and thus less chance of a crack developing than if you finish with a bottoming tap.
The ready made ones being the other option, i have found snake racing do them including heavy duty rod ends for 295 - same for the front steering link
http://tinyurl.com/2jhzlc


anyone else know of others who HD steering gear for good prices? my draglink bent like it was made from rubber thanks to the 37s driving in some ruts,, just to much for the stock gear,, chris's snagged a tree or 2 so we are both up for new ones! just gota weigh up if its worth the effort vs cost of premade ones..

[lokka]

Unless you are doing something non-standard, the thread is 11/16" x 16tpi NS, left hand and right hand. I would contact Mal Leslie first for a quote. It might be a lot less trouble getting one ready made. If making them yourself, use an intermediate tap for the internal thread as this gives a slight taper and thus less chance of a crack developing than if you finish with a bottoming tap.

Thanks for the info and advice brian il give mal a call in the morning as for the boring and tapping il be geting them done on a lathe so they come out right ive got a few mates in machiene shops who can do lil jobs like this for me :D:D:D:D:D

[rick130]

The ready made ones being the other option, i have found snake racing do them including heavy duty rod ends for 295 - same for the front steering link
http://tinyurl.com/2jhzlc


anyone else know of others who HD steering gear for good prices? my draglink bent like it was made from rubber thanks to the 37s driving in some ruts,, just to much for the stock gear,, chris's snagged a tree or 2 so we are both up for new ones! just gota weigh up if its worth the effort vs cost of premade ones..

pre made is easier. 5 years ago I was going to make my own (a friend in Sydney had the taps) but it was just too much hassle, so bought Maxi Drive ones.
Interestingly the ADF Perentie ones are stock ends sleeved by heavy wall tube and welded. Obviously they still need a tap run through them after welding.