Heymow - Lawnmower Racing Forum

Mower Building / Setup Help => Chassis => Topic started by: Tom Fox on March 13, 2007, 08:57:21 pm

Title: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Tom Fox on March 13, 2007, 08:57:21 pm
All right for all of you who make these radius rods at home without a lathe...........I got a nice shortcut for making radius rods for your steering, brake & clutch linkages.

I use 3/8" rod ends on most of my linkages and tried the ol' drill and tap of a solid piece of aluminum and found it to be a frustrating trying to get a perfectly centered and straight hole drilled into it using a hand drill and a vice. Then you tap it and see crooked the tap is going in due to the wonderful hole you tried to drill straight!

Well...Here was my solution.....

I ordered a 8 foot long length of aluminum round tube from McMaster-Carr.

This tube has a O.D. of .563 and a I.D. of .327

Cut it to your desired length and tap it...No need to drill because the I.D. is perfect for a 3/8-24 tap!

The 8' length has a price of $10.58 +shipping (Dirt cheap......cost me less than $7.00 for shipping)

McMaster-Carr Part Number 1658T47

www.MCMASTER.com (http://www.MCMASTER.com)


I can make a total of 10 radius rods out of a 8' length of this tubing for my racer.

Being a 8' length....plenty left over to make spares to bring to the races!

Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Squidd on March 13, 2007, 09:03:01 pm
Hey..I like that.. Gonna pick a chunk up on my next order...

Did they ship that UPS..???
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: rather_be_racin on March 13, 2007, 09:21:54 pm
nice tip mowmanracer  ;)
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Tom Fox on March 13, 2007, 09:23:07 pm
Hey..I like that.. Gonna pick a chunk up on my next order...

Did they ship that UPS..???

UPS!!  Ordered yesterday morning...Had a 8' long shipping tube sitting in front of my garage when I got home at 5pm today!!  

I'm very impressed with that company...I have placed many orders and have had the best luck.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Squidd on March 13, 2007, 09:25:47 pm
I reccomend them a lot...for most hardware and misc stuff...very reasonable and quick to ship...

I actually have a paper catalog here...thing is like 3" thick... :woo:
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: George Herrin on March 13, 2007, 11:02:32 pm
we use the same rod for our tie rods and linkage rods here at E.C. makes life easy for the do it yourselfer
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: mowinmachine on March 14, 2007, 11:25:48 am
Wow! great find. I seriously spent 2 hours drilling and tapping the radius rod for mine, and yes- did it with a hand drill. Almost impossible to get it centered that way. for $10... those tunes are worth every cent.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: allen minaker on March 14, 2007, 11:42:02 am
 :lol2:
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Scurry Murry on March 14, 2007, 08:17:43 pm
MOWMAN RACER, thanks for the link... Cheap shipping, where are these guys located. $6.00 dollars for shipping, I was wowed.

Thanks

Now this is happening,  :thumbsup: that is worth some karma points.
By the way I ended buying 2 8' chunks, for Team RPM's CP racers.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Tom Fox on March 14, 2007, 08:46:59 pm
They have 5 or so distribution warehouses placed around the USA.

I don't understand how they can ship so cheap!

Wait till you see the shipping tube they send your sticks in!

I think the shipping container cost more than what they charge us for shipping!
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: DanW on March 14, 2007, 09:38:08 pm
What I have done in the past is weld a flange nut to the end of a piece of decently thick steel tube and then weld another nut on the end of that for some more thread.  The things have worked pretty well for me.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Skeeter on March 15, 2007, 01:13:42 pm
Tom :+1: Karma for you buddy! Thanks for the info. Got one ordered and it is on it's way.

Scott #396
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: bpmowrsports on April 19, 2007, 10:02:17 am
Hey Guys and Gals,

Another source might be metalsdepot.com.  I got som 3/4" tubing, 1/8" plate steel and some polished diamond plate aluminum at a very reasonable price.  Shipping was by FedEX ground and again reasonable.

They specialize in small quantity orders.

Budd Porter
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: ef13 on July 29, 2007, 12:44:09 am
Boy This saved alot of time! Ordered it wed. got it on thurs., cut and tapped thurs. night, and on the mower friday.

Two thumbs up for this idea! :twothumbsup:
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Tom Fox on July 29, 2007, 12:46:28 am
Funny you brought this up....Made my spares today!
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: KartMan250 on August 02, 2007, 01:29:24 pm
so do you prefer tubular tie rods and linkages over solid ones?
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: markiemark on January 20, 2008, 08:23:40 pm
just got my piece cant wait to start making these i know it going to be so much easier. Thanks Heymow Nation.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: jerb on February 07, 2008, 09:02:03 pm
great tip tom, ordered 2 8' sticks, one for a friend monday afternoon, and had them wednesday night, $42.00, thats with shipping and 3/8-24 left hand tap,n thanks for sharing!!
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: markiemark on February 19, 2008, 10:52:41 pm
Ok Guys I Need Help I Ordered A Length Of The Tubin Then Ordered 3/8 Left An Right Hand Tap An 3/8 Tie Rod Ends An Taped The Tube An Screwed The Ends In An After A Little Bit Of Turning The Wheel An Adjusting The Rodit Seems To Rip The Threads Out Iv Done Two Rods An Took My Time Im In No Rush At All. The Onlx Thing Is I Have No Jam Nuts But Fig That Just Rip The Threads Out More With The Added Pulling Force On The Tie Rod. Can Someone Help I Spent Hours In The Shop Trying Get My Front End Prefect An Tie Rods Are Stopping Me
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: jerb on February 20, 2008, 12:33:39 am
you did use 3/8-24 taps? which is fine threaded, the 3/8-16 taps are a course thread, that could be your problem! other than that cant think of a reason it didnt work! let us know!
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: mightymowe on February 20, 2008, 06:43:35 am
Use some cutting oil it makes a lot of difference in how your threads turn out,especially when making threads in aluminum,there is cutting oil just for aluminum and different stuff for mild steel.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: markiemark on February 20, 2008, 07:39:11 am
Ok Ill Check The Hardware Stores An Tractor Supply For The Oil. Yes I Ordered Fine Thread Taps An Tie Rods 3/8 X 24
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: markiemark on February 22, 2008, 02:21:23 pm
Ok Having Hard Time Finding Alum Cutting Oil. I Found Some For Steel But Thats All Is There Anything Else I Could Possibly Do
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Squidd on February 22, 2008, 03:59:20 pm
So where did you order tube from and what is actual ID...?

Mc Master aluminum is usualy .327 ID which should work fine with 3/8" NF tap

3/8" NF tap requires 21/64ths or .332 (letter Q) Bit...

Perhaps your tubing ID is too large/out of spec..??

 
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: markiemark on February 22, 2008, 05:43:49 pm
I Got It From Them Using Part Number Off The Instructions. The Tap Is Tight In It An When I Srew The Tie Rod In It Prefect But As I Adjust It The Like Wear Out Of The Tube Intill They Just Pull Out
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: mowdak1 on February 22, 2008, 07:12:34 pm
I know it's a ridiculous question, but... How deep did you drill and tap it?? Sounds almost as if you're bottoming out on your thread and pushing them out. Should be about as deep as your hiem joints without the lock nut on it, to allow for taper on the end of the tap.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: markiemark on February 22, 2008, 07:16:40 pm
i tap it the length of the tie-rod. With the tubing there is no reason to drill as the tap fits very nice in it already.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: birdman_express on February 23, 2008, 12:04:19 am
If that bit that Squidd said to use is loose inside the tubing, you do not have enough meat inside that tube.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: markiemark on February 23, 2008, 10:45:10 am
Im Going To  Get A Q Bit An Try An See. the tubings inside is supposly .327 so i didnt think it needed to be drilled but at this point ill try anything
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Tecken on February 23, 2008, 11:31:42 pm
Rapid Tap is a Multi Purpose tapping oil, good for all common metal types. It will be your very best bet. I agree with Squidd, your threads must not be quite deep enough or perhaps your tap is flawwed. A quick test is when you thread it in about half way there should not be much play in the threads. Back and Forth and Side to Side play should be minimal. 
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Rooster on February 17, 2009, 01:02:50 pm
The best tapping fluid I have come across is Castrol's Moly Dee, slick stuff and stays with the tap.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: nor66 on February 17, 2009, 09:09:38 pm
When you adjust your ends how much of the heim joint's threads are still in the tube?
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: marcritter on August 12, 2009, 03:02:38 pm
Speedway catalog has them for ten bucks. There steel and swedged, from 3/4", 5/8" 1/2". From 9" 12" in 1" increments. 13 bucks for 13" to 20".  Aluminum ones in 7/16", 3/8", 3/16" for the same price or cheaper.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: stroked B/P on August 14, 2009, 01:53:07 am
you can also go to any dirt car parts house. here in the houston area we have 4 parts houses, an they have all the rods and rod ends you can handle. a quick note the shifter rods we use on are dirt cars work real well for steerin,brake rods. they come with right and left hand theads already, an a cool note they come in different colors red,gold,blue,mill, an the hard to find purple lol
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: goatmower on September 10, 2009, 11:09:09 am
does anyone have good pics of how they put together thier radius rods, I for some reason cannot grasp it right now... :oops:
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: rceagle1a on February 07, 2010, 10:28:12 am
I  bought two sticks of the aluminum tube from Mcmaster. I ordered it at 5:30 on Thursday evening and it was at my work place Friday at noon!!! Awesome service! Anyway I'm going the cheap lazy route and only using rh thread ends. I know I should have sprung and bought some ends from ebay that were LH and a tap but my team is in money saving mode now to try to build up some reserves in case of break downs during the season.I think regular thread cutting oil will be fine as long as you take your time tapping the threads and go a little and back it out some etc...
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Jeff Digou (Pitguy) on March 21, 2010, 01:07:37 pm
WD-40 makes a good taping liquid for aluminum    I use it when cutting aluminum all the time  Keeps the shavings from sticking to the cutters.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: bm82 on August 18, 2010, 06:55:33 pm
I've always used ATF (auto transmission fluid) for cutting oil on any type of metal. Always had good results too.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: GRUBDIGGER on December 30, 2010, 09:11:34 pm
BMI,ANY LENGTH YOU WANT. JUST CALL.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: trbinrat on December 30, 2010, 10:05:43 pm
About twenty years ago I worked in a machine shop with a lot of old time machinists and they used kerosene on aluminum when using manual machines or by hand.   Been using it ever since. 
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: turftracracer19 on January 04, 2011, 11:25:53 pm
to prevent aluminum from sticking to my cut off wheel i take a stick of candle wax to the cut off wheel, works really good
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: BlueBayou on December 04, 2011, 08:34:55 pm
With that Mcmaster company how fair is their shipping? i entered all the parts i wanted and it would give me a shipping price. Maybe i computer dumb i dunno
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: The Tank on December 04, 2011, 08:37:21 pm
Ive bought from them several times and shipping is as fair as anyone else. Its usually 10 to 15 bucks.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: BlueBayou on December 04, 2011, 08:44:34 pm
Thanks for the quick reply. I will give them a try.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Big Mike on March 07, 2012, 06:47:44 pm
All right for all of you who make these radius rods at home without a lathe...........I got a nice shortcut for making radius rods for your steering, brake & clutch linkages.

I use 3/8" rod ends on most of my linkages and tried the ol' drill and tap of a solid piece of aluminum and found it to be a frustrating trying to get a perfectly centered and straight hole drilled into it using a hand drill and a vice. Then you tap it and see crooked the tap is going in due to the wonderful hole you tried to drill straight!

Well...Here was my solution.....

I ordered a 8 foot long length of aluminum round tube from McMaster-Carr.

This tube has a O.D. of .563 and a I.D. of .327

Cut it to your desired length and tap it...No need to drill because the I.D. is perfect for a 3/8-24 tap!

The 8' length has a price of $10.58 +shipping (Dirt cheap......cost me less than $7.00 for shipping)

McMaster-Carr Part Number 1658T47

www.MCMASTER.com (http://www.MCMASTER.com)


I can make a total of 10 radius rods out of a 8' length of this tubing for my racer.

Being a 8' length....plenty left over to make spares to bring to the races!



does a .001 of the original size you used a really big difference because mcmaster only has now .328 not the .327
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Rooster on March 07, 2012, 07:04:09 pm
That is actually still quite a bit under the size the hole should be drilled for a 3/8-24 thread.
So you should be fine!
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Offroader96 on June 01, 2012, 05:33:30 pm
UPS!!  Ordered yesterday morning...Had a 8' long shipping tube sitting in front of my garage when I got home at 5pm today!!  

I'm very impressed with that company...I have placed many orders and have had the best luck.

I just order that, and 5 Steel Ball Joint Rod End Orderd wedneday night should be here in about 2 hours
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: FlatheadPuller on November 22, 2012, 08:01:15 pm
I finally used this aluminum tube and some heims from qs. Bought them from ebay. Tube from mcmaster carr. They look great on our puller.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: ccreech5464 on September 17, 2013, 07:28:02 am
Anyone know here this place I located I just ordered an 8' stick of tubing ($10 and change) and a left hand tap ($12 and change ) though to my self not to bad but then I got hit with 20 dollars in shipping just for those two items ....
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: trbinrat on September 17, 2013, 08:17:02 am
I hate to say it but that's what its going to be. I try to get a couple of people to go in with me and we try to order 3 or four pieces and then spit the shipping.

Mark
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Burwell555 on September 17, 2013, 12:49:53 pm
They have several warehouses across the US so it could ship from anywhere. Whatever is closest and has it in their stock usually.
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Jeff Digou (Pitguy) on November 24, 2013, 12:35:30 pm
LH tap and one tube cost me $60 to get to Canada.  Last time i order something to be sent across the border.  $35 for shipping and customs fees.   Ordered it thru work thinking it would cost less lol    NOPE   :bash:
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: crazycraftsman on November 25, 2013, 12:07:43 am
Shipping is only expensive for that 2 second fine line between Canada and USA.Costs me 30 bucks everytime. I just buy 5/8 solid and drill my own ends.$1 a foot.local metal shop.
owen
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: Burwell555 on November 25, 2013, 12:58:03 pm
Buy from a buddy stateside and go sucker him into buyin ya lunch on a visit to bring all your parts home.  :lol:
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: BIG AL 202 on November 25, 2013, 05:43:35 pm
Buy from a buddy stateside and go sucker him into buyin ya lunch on a visit to bring all your parts home.  :lol:
:lol:
Title: Re: Easy Radius Rods!
Post by: KEN ROBINSON on July 08, 2014, 10:11:12 am
any place else to get tubing that will work.$20. for shipping is unreal