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Tube for Lower Front Wishbones
John P - 19/7/11 at 06:41 PM

I'm about to make some lower front wishbones for my McSorley 7+4 which will be slightly non-standard as I'm trying to use some Haynes upper bones which I already have with Cortina uprights.

I know it's been discussed many times but I have a couple of choices of tubing available locally.

25mm OD x 2mm Wall Hydraulic Tube
25mm OD x 3mm wall Hydraulic Tube
21.3 x 2.6 wall Steel Water pipe
21.3 x 3.2 wall Steel Water Pipe
26.9 x 2.6 Wall Water Pipe
26.9 x 3.2 wall Water Pipe

I've pretty well convinced myself the 25mm OD x 2mm Wall Hydraulic Tube would be best (although it's more expensive than water pipe) but as I'm using a Haynes style plate to mount the lower ball joint I will be welding this tube to 5mm thick plate so would the 3mm wall be better?

Any comments would be appreciated.

John.

mark chandler - 19/7/11 at 06:49 PM

I used second hand 90" landrover steering link rods, nice thick wall decent steel and very cheap as most places throw out as its cheap to buy new rods with TRE's fitted than buy new TRE's on there own and fight with taking the old ones out.

Have you 4x4 dealer near you?

Regards Mark

blakep82 - 19/7/11 at 06:52 PM

none of them. they're all made to be soft enough to be bent easily if i remember right. get to a proper steel stock holder and get the proper stuff. CDS (cold drawn seamless) is the right stuff, tho people do use ERW tube too.

SeaBass - 19/7/11 at 07:00 PM

^^^ What he said - all the materials you mention are designed to be easily bent to fit and application - eg round a corner or up a jib arm.

Get some CDS or at the least DOM.

JC

daviep - 19/7/11 at 07:03 PM

For what it's worth I used 20mmx2mm hydraulic tubing for my wishbones and they've been fine for 2000+miles.

Most hydraulic tubing is CDS by the way although I have no idea of the grade.

Cheers
Davie

phelpsa - 19/7/11 at 07:09 PM

quote:
Originally posted by daviep
For what it's worth I used 20mmx2mm hydraulic tubing for my wishbones and they've been fine for 2000+miles.

Most hydraulic tubing is CDS by the way although I have no idea of the grade.

Cheers
Davie


Its is annealed to a point where its so soft you can almost bend it by hand.

The difference was proven when I tried to have some proper CDS bent at a local hydraulics specialist. Mine kept kinking, tried some of his (identical diameter and wall) and it bent perfectly.

I've bought small quantities from these guys and its been perfect:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Ringwood-Precision-Engineering?_trksid=p4340.l2563

EDIT: Note that the do Mechanical (What you want) and Hydraulic (what you dont want) CDS

[Edited on 19-7-11 by phelpsa]

daviep - 19/7/11 at 07:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by phelpsa
quote:
Originally posted by daviep
For what it's worth I used 20mmx2mm hydraulic tubing for my wishbones and they've been fine for 2000+miles.

Most hydraulic tubing is CDS by the way although I have no idea of the grade.

Cheers
Davie


Its is annealed to a point where its so soft you can almost bend it by hand.

The difference was proven when I tried to have some proper CDS bent at a local hydraulics specialist. Mine kept kinking, tried some of his (identical diameter and wall) and it bent perfectly.

I've bought small quantities from these guys and its been perfect:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Ringwood-Precision-Engineering?_trksid=p4340.l2563



The point I was making is that CDS is a manufacturing process and not a grade, so asking for CDS does not guarantee what you will get will be suitable.

Davie

MikeCapon - 19/7/11 at 07:21 PM

What you want is CDS that is in it's as drawn state, not annealed or normalised. This is (was) known as NBK.

HTH

Mike