I am re-designing my steering rods with heim joints, I was wondering if any one knows if the steering rods used need to be a strong steel. I went to a stock car site and they had some in aluminum which seems weak to me. I plan on driving this on the street, but also at the drag strip. I dont like turns so, the car is probably not going to see any type of cornering and it weights under 2400lbs. The aluminum is anadized which would look real nice, I'm just worried if its going to be strong enough. If I go with steel can I use just normal cold rolled steel and weld on bungs?

I use CR steel tubing and thread it. I bought 11/16" LH and RH taps (fit standard tie rod ends) and make my own. I don't recall the tubing size but I take my tap down to the steel yard and there isa size that is nearly perfct for the taps. Just need to run a drill bit through it to clean it up. No special materials required.

Wow, thats a pretty big tap. You can keep it straight doing it by hand? My heim joints are 5/8" shaft so its a little but smaller. I wonder what size tubing I would need for that. How much do you think a tap that big would cost?

5/8" is 10/16" so my 11/16" isn't that much bigger. It isn't that hard to start and run the tap by hand. Enco lists a RH 5/8"-24 plug tap for $8.34. Didn't find a LH tap but I'm sure they can supply one for a similar cost.

I got a set of 3/4" LH & RH taps off eBay for $15.00 shipped. That was half the price for just a LH tap...
For sizing check out the required drill sizes for the tap. There is a max and min size and as long as you keep the I.D. of the tubing within these specs you will be good.
Just a note: Do NOT use black pipe. Use Drawn Over Mandrel tubing. It's more expensive but the Black Pipe is very soft and will not hold up.
Mark

I found some taps 12.85 each, they have both LH and RH. But they have 3 types. Taper, plug, and inline. Any idea what the difference is?

Plug is the type you want. They are the 'standard' style that come in sets with a small chamfer on the tip to facilitate starting the thread.

thanks willy

You shouldn't have any problem with aluminum.

Is this the site you were on: http://www.colemanracing.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=2_132

They also have lengths of untapped material with the appropriate i.d. for tapping so you could make your own if you wanted. For $10 apiece though, why bother.


Wally

Speedwaymotors.com has ready swedged steel tubing in the lengths you may need..Just oder the tubes and the heim joints and away you go..For the price they want I cannot see making my own..

OMT

I used some DOM (drawn over mandrel) tubing and some Pro-werks weld in bungs with the proper thread for my heim ends. Simple fast and effective. Have one on my 63 Scout and have not bent it off raoding. I think you could also use 5/8" x .156 DOM tubing and drill and tap. Check California Custom Roadsters.