Thread: Any metalurgists out there ????

Originally Posted by 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

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

Originally Posted by rovercare

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

what he said...

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

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.

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

Originally Posted by 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

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.

Originally Posted by 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.

Weld?? just boreing and taping

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

Originally Posted by 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 .......

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