duragg Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Anybody ever seen a vendor that sells adjustable rods of various lengths with the spherical ends and all? I want to make a custom front Strut Brace setup with adjustable rods. If it were possible to pick them up "off the shelf" from some vendor who has them in various lengths that would sure simplify the process. Haven't seen anything yet, but not sure I am using the right search terms. #adjustable rod #custom rod ball ends (that was an interesting search thread..) #Heim joint rods? I see lots of panhard rods and tie-rods but no vendor with a drop down menu of desired length and tube diameter choices. Tom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duragg Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 (edited) Hmmm,,, well I just stumbled across this: http://www.polyperformance.com/rally/Synergy-Suspension-Universal-Light-Bar-Adjustable-Support-Kit-p-20641.html That might work fine, cut to length, assemble / weld. Just saves me the time of sourcing all the bits. My intention is to augment my lateral bar with a longitudinal bar going straight back to the firewall and a diagonal bar going to center of firewall. But we'll just see how that goes.. Edited July 30, 2013 by duragg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z240 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 You're on to the right stuff with that link. What you need are just the weld-in LH/RH threaded tube ends and then buy your tubing locally. Then you can make adjustable rods all day long. chassisshop.com has this stuff as well as others. http://secure.chassisshop.com/partlist/5928/ is one page with these weld in tube adaptors. The fine crop of race fab'ers here will no doubt chime with their favorite vendors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duragg Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Good links. Yep I can get the tube from the metal store just down the road. Thanks for the tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 You can also buy pre-made links that don't require welding, in aluminum or steel. Technically what you're looking for are turnbuckles, but in circle track land they call them tie rods. Who knows, maybe there is a car out there that takes a 50" tie rod... http://www.colemanracing.com/Tie-Rod-Aluminum-P4199.aspx http://www.colemanracing.com/Tie-Rod-Swedged-Steel-P4057.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Speedwaymotors.com 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duragg Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 You guys rock! Thats some direct hits right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duragg Posted September 11, 2013 Author Share Posted September 11, 2013 You can also buy pre-made links that don't require welding, in aluminum or steel. Technically what you're looking for are turnbuckles, but in circle track land they call them tie rods. Who knows, maybe there is a car out there that takes a 50" tie rod... http://www.colemanracing.com/Tie-Rod-Aluminum-P4199.aspx http://www.colemanracing.com/Tie-Rod-Swedged-Steel-P4057.aspx This sure looks like an easy way to go. I can't see why Aluminum wouldn't work for the Compression and Tension loads we have? Or is that being silly and just go Steel for bouncing off curbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 I ran an aluminum tap tube STB for years, worked fine. Tap tube is aluminum tube that is sized right to be tapped, probably slightly smaller than the pre-made turnbuckles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duragg Posted September 11, 2013 Author Share Posted September 11, 2013 I'm going to run one across the struts. Then one each going back to the firewall around the area where one of the intermediate reinforcement ribs is. About 6" to either side of center or wherever that longitudinal rib (is my plan...) Hoping to not just create a pivot point at the firewall. So I made a precision drawing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Sweet drawing. I don't believe that those spots are all that strong. I had my bars going there and it was tearing the firewall up where it meets the cowl. bjhines did a lot of reinforcing in this area for his, you might want to find his pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 You can also look at the pics in my gallery. As long as you plate from the top of the owl to firewall junction to the bottom of the cowl box (row of spot welds about 6" down from the top) with an .095" sheet) you should be fine for 275 width Hoosiers and 375 springs (what I ran for years) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litman Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 The two bars going straight back from the strut towers are not needed if you're running the two bars angled to the center if the firewall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 I think it needs more reinforcing than the channel across the firewall to really be stiff enough to support the loads. When you attach to the middle of a span, you're attaching to the weakest part. I did my STB to the dash bar like that and then came to this realization. Oops. If you want to see how weak this part of the car is from the factory, jack your car up on the front crossmember, then put jackstands under the TC boxes and let the jack down. Mine would droop ~1/2" or so with some pretty obvious creaking. That's with the STBs in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 Never had an issie with my early 1970. No creaking/groaning with how I built the STBs. When I put the STBs in the car I also reinforced the upper frame horn to firewall connection (1970s S30 are pretty weak right there). This allowed a 50 lb. in. increase in spring rate when lowered lap times. Before the reinforcement that same spring rate increase let to no change in lap times. The car did start cracking the chassis at the firewall, lower frame rail junction after I put in the triangualted STBs and the frame horn reinforcement. Adding subframe connectors solved that problem and allowed an additional 50 lb. in. increase in spring rate to a final number of 375 lb. in. in front. You are reinforcing the strut towers to handle greater then designed for loads. Once that area is reinforced, weaker areas of the chassis now start to deform as a result. If you ignore that then you lose some of the benefits fo the original reinforcment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duragg Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 THis the one you are referring to JohnC? I'm trying to create some meaningful stiffness and yet stay on my timeline for completion by the end of this month. So I thought maybe triangulating back to those ribs like I mocked up below might bridge the gap. I have the T/C box area all reinforced and the Bad-Dog frame rails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 On a 70 there is a rib on the right side but not the left. I believe a 73 has ribs on both sides. My firewall was splitting from the cowl on both sides. There is a seam where the firewall and cowl meet and it's a rust prone area because water gets in the cowl vents and then sits in there. I am pretty sure that putting the STB loads on there is what started separating the panels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 The vertical ribsin the cowl box don't matter. The exist mainly to keep the box from twisting. The cowl box is essentially a triangle with the base being the top 6" of the firewall. Vertically span that base with a '.095" 4130 plate and weld the tabs to it and you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hypertek Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 (edited) ANy thought on chopping some generic Ebay bars? http://www.ebay.com/itm/89-94-Nissan-240SX-S13-3-PCS-Strut-Bar-Aluminum-GM-FU-RU-RL-Combo-Full-Kit-Set-/170886313492?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3A240SX&hash=item27c99e3614&vxp=mtr http://www.ebay.com/itm/CIVIC-CRX-INTEGRA-GOLF-240SX-S13-C-PILLAR-BAR-ALUMINUM-/121133584402?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c341fd012&vxp=mtr http://www.ebay.com/itm/96-00-Honda-Civic-C-Pillar-Strut-Tower-Tie-Arm-Bars-Kit-/320706354315?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3ACivic&hash=item4aab969c8b&vxp=mtr Chop them to whatever length, the tube will need to be re-threaded .cut the mounts down and weld them. When I get a Z, i want to look into doing that way. Should be easy to re thread the aluminum. Hopefully the mounts are steel. Edited September 14, 2013 by Hypertek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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