Homemade adjustable strut rods

BullittFB · Nov 4, 2005

I just finished the first of my homemade adjustable strut rods, these are for my 68 FB, and the best part is that total cost was just under $50 bucks for both, that includes s&h.

Parts needed are two rod ends like these:
http://www.racepartsusa.com/shop/catalog/3_4_Male_Economy_Rod_End-p-17218.html
(left thread)

Two of these:
http://www.racepartsusa.com/shop/catalog/UB_Machine_Trailing_Arm_Tube-p-16771.html
(These have a left thread on one end and right thread on the other)
I decided to use 5 inch long tubes, since they´re hollow all the way from one end to the other, this to minimize the hollow lenght as much as possible, but you can use whatever lenght you want.

Two of these:
http://www.racepartsusa.com/shop/catalog/Rod_End_Supply_3_4_LH_Jam_Nut-p-17950.html
(Left thread)

And two of these:
http://www.racepartsusa.com/shop/catalog/Rod_End_Supply_3_4_RH_Jam_Nut-p-17949.html
(Right thread)

Those are the actual part numbers.
You also need a 3/4" die (16 threads per inch)to thread the rod itself, I got mine from an industrial tooling place for $6 bucks.
Pretty cheap huh?
Thanks to John Harvey for pointing me in the direction of the source for the parts needed.

gonzothegreat · Nov 4, 2005

sweet

Pathfinder65 · Nov 4, 2005

They look great! Good job
Dave

gsxrken · Nov 4, 2005

Cool, but how do you go from the rod ends to the frame bracket? In that third picture, you have bolt you didn't mention on the parts list, and some sort of pin going through the rod end. Thanks
Ken

jcode68 · Nov 4, 2005

gsxrken said:
Cool, but how do you go from the rod ends to the frame bracket? In that third picture, you have bolt you didn't mention on the parts list, and some sort of pin going through the rod end. Thanks
Ken

I was wondering the same. Looks like a AA battery being used for the pin Is the cardboard mockup something that you are working on to fab up in steel? Really interesting project given the price when compared to TC or GW products. Let us know how they work when installed.

1320stang · Nov 4, 2005

Yeah, I think that front bracket will fail, I'll even venture to guess it will fail once the car is sitting on the ground, if you get it that far, and a splash from a puddle or a sprinkler hitting it, cardboard will never survive that. J/K looks nice.

Glen's 1965 5.0 · Nov 4, 2005

I recomend putting some "Seals-It" on the hiem end so dirts and water stays out of the joint.

bnickel · Nov 4, 2005

looks nice. thanks for the specs and the write-up

1320stang · Nov 4, 2005

What is "Seals-It"? Last I knew, they made some seals you could put on the rod end to seal the bearing.

bnickel · Nov 4, 2005

1320stang said:
What is "Seals-It"? Last I knew, they made some seals you could put on the rod end to seal the bearing.

that is correct, there is also a company making rubber boots that go over the rod end, if you get a greasable rod end and add the rubber boots, you should have an almost indestructable rod end and it certainly would last a lot longer

BullittFB · Nov 4, 2005

I guess I´ll have to use something else instead of carboard and a battery.......The third pic is just a mock up of the bracket I need to fabricate, here´s some more. It will be made fron 1/4" steel plate, the base will be 3" x 2 3/4", the "ears" will be 2 1/8" x 1 3/4". Sandwiched between the big washer (2 1/2" diameter) and the bracket, will be a smaller washer, 1.5" diameter by 3/8" thick. This smaller washer will fit in the hole of the bracket that is mounted on the car, this to prevent any play. The bolt going through it all will be either a 2 3/4" or 3"(long) 1/2" bolt.

This is where the smaller washer will seat.

BullittFB · Nov 4, 2005

As far as testing them, it will be a while, my car is in pieces and in the beginning of a ground up restoration. And since I´m broke, I´m doing the "cheapie" projects right now.Wife says diapers and baby food are more important than Mustang parts. Where can I get the Seals it? Got a link?

bnickel · Nov 4, 2005

here is a link for the seals-it seals

http://www.theracedepot.com/product21.htm

i'm still looking for the boots

bnickel · Nov 4, 2005

here is a link to a discussion the boots. apparently you can only oder by phone (or at least at the time of this thread) the number is listed in the thread

http://corner-carvers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10077&highlight=rod+end+seals

gsxrken · Nov 4, 2005

Thanks for posting your approach. Your second post illustrates that this is not for the uninitiated. Sourcing and cutting circles out of 1/4 plate steel and welding etc will knock alot of guys out of attempting to do it from a skills, tools, and hassle standpoint. But your point that alot of money could be saved is true. TCP gets about $300 for the same thing.

ttoney · Nov 4, 2005

These guys make nice $300.00 ones as well.

Print BullitFB's pics and go to a machine shop. I think they can be made for less than that. Especially if you get all of the other parts yourself.

CochinoFilipino · Nov 4, 2005

Nice work on both examples shown.

Just an idea, not an engineer here.

For those that do not want to (or can't) cut and weld to fabricate the bracket. How about a bolt going straight through the frame rails to mount the rod end. Use spacers to locate it. To reinforce the rails, use a flat plate with four holes on each side. bolt it in at all four points, including the one for the rod end to distribute the stress. Anyone can drill holes.

BullittFB · Nov 4, 2005

CochinoFilipino said:
Nice work on both examples shown.

Just an idea, not an engineer here.

For those that do not want to (or can't) cut and weld to fabricate the bracket. How about a bolt going straight through the frame rails to mount the rod end. Use spacers to locate it. To reinforce the rails, use a flat plate with four holes on each side. bolt it in at all four points, including the one for the rod end to distribute the stress. Anyone can drill holes.

That´s exactly what these guys have been doing for a long time, they claim they haven´t had a failure as of yet, and they race their cars. I actually thought about it for a second, but since I have a welder and required tools to tackle the bracket myself, I decided to do it. Besides I kinda like the look of how the strut rods mount to the car. All you really need to fabricate the pieces is a hacksaw, drill, and a grinder, then you can take them to a muffler shop ant they´ll weld the "ears" to the base for you, I don´t think they´ll charge more than $15-20 bucks to do it.
http://www.cobraautomotive.com/Handling.htm

BullittFB · Nov 4, 2005

ttoney said:
These guys make nice $300.00 ones as well.

Print BullitFB's pics and go to a machine shop. I think they can be made for less than that. Especially if you get all of the other parts yourself.

By all means, anyone is more than welcome to use them to make their own, however, use at your own risk, if you´re the type of scmbag lawyer kind of person, all disclaimers apply.

BullittFB · Nov 4, 2005

Thank you for the links Bnickel, I´ll give them a try.

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