I ordered a couple of these to extend my steering rack and have been told that the shop can't get any and looking around no body seems to stock
them, yet people do stock the rod which poses the question 'how do they join the stuff?'. Can anyone shed some light, I guess I'm gonna
have to buy some pre-made just want to make as much as I can by myself, boasting rights you see
Not sure if I understand what you are looking for?
M14 lefthand and righthanded threaded rod?
No I bought some M14 rod in order to extend the steering rack slightly and I was after the connectors to, well, connect the rod to the rack but no one does them it seems.
Oh I see. You need female (tapped hole) threaded hex bar.
Try Cat Motorsport or GTS. They both do widetrack kits for Westfields which need these extensions.
http://www.catmotorsport.co.uk
http://www.gtstuning.co.uk
Also, threaded rod generally isn't very high tensile, not sure if it'll be OK.
£20 from GTS although thats for the WF extension, not sure if it'll be the right length for you.
[Edited on 21/12/06 by the_fbi]
If I understand you correctly, you need a piece of bar with a tapped M14 thread.
John
quote:
Originally posted by John Bonnett
If I understand you correctly, you need a piece of bar with a tapped M14 thread.
John
^ Thats it^ Just thought I'd rather knock summat together myself, keep it Locost, rather than buy the extensions.
I think this is one of those jobs when a lathe is handy, although they can be drilled with a pillar drill.
If you have to buy a tap then it may be almost as cheap to buy them, but personally I still prefer to make if I can.
I did use a roll pin in mine to stop the studding turning when screwing it into the tre's. (see pic)
Paul G
Rescued attachment lotus pics 087.jpg
The GTS extensions are way too long for use with an escort rack. ISTR they are designed for use with a cut down sierra rack.
see my track rod extentions post. If you have amter with a lathe, you turn down one end and drill another; cheapest way for me was to use a m25 
bolt, long enough to make both. then tap and put on a thread.
locost-ish but take a Look at RD extensions - they do 2 - one is longer than the other.
in my case I needed very short ones and had to shorten the rack a bit.
re: those roll pins!! mu reaction is I hope you are using a lock nut to stop them undoing (having said that, there is a cup in the steering rack
that is held in place by one so should be ok.
ADDED: my locak fastener place sell the stud things, hex with a threaded hole; M14 as you know is not a standard size (M12 and M16 are). I can ask if
they have M14 but I doubt it - can you not use M16 or M12?
BTW Ford use ISO M14 so that makes it easiere to find, not that you will ofcourse 
[Edited on 22/12/06 by 02GF74]
@ 907,
Paul, Why not use some massive iron
Use the lathe to make at one side thread on and the otherside thread in?
I personal don't lik that roll-pin.
But i'm making probably everything too stiff 
Hmm. I suppose I could use the m12 ones and drill them out then re tap them but I reckon it'd be cheaper to buy them than to do that. Does no one sell the correct length ones for Escort rack and Sierra width bones that anyone knows of?
quote:
Originally posted by t.j.
@ 907,
Paul, Why not use some massive iron
Use the lathe to make at one side thread on and the otherside thread in?
I personal don't lik that roll-pin.
But i'm making probably everything too stiff
quote:
Originally posted by mistergrumpy
No I bought some M14 rod in order to extend the steering rack slightly and I was after the connectors to, well, connect the rod to the rack but no one does them it seems.
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
quote:
Originally posted by mistergrumpy
No I bought some M14 rod in order to extend the steering rack slightly and I was after the connectors to, well, connect the rod to the rack but no one does them it seems.
****WARNING *****
Standard M14 threaded stud bar is definitely not suitable for making steering components.
It is low grade low tensile steel and the threads are badly cut.
Hi All
On reflection I shouldn't have posted my light hearted response. Sorry.
BT is right. Cut price shops, garden centers, and the like, sell studding that might as well be made of rubber.
OK for bolting together a garden shed but not for any serious applications.
Mine came from an engineering supplier and is grade 8.8 (DJ Evans, Bury St Eds)
On my extensions the body is turned, bored and tapped all the way through.
The stud is cut 20 threads long and the ends chamfered.
It is then screwed into the threaded tube 9 threads and the purpose of the roll pin is to hold it in place
while the other end is screwed into the track rod end, again 9 threads.
The two are then locked up using spanners on the tre flats and the flats I machined on the tubes.
The pin enables me to be 100% sure I have an equal amount of thread in both components.
The pin serves no other purpose and is not part of the structural integrity of the joint.
No need for a lock nut as they lock together as a lock nut would.
The rack end (track rod) is then screwed into the female end of the extension, with it's lock nut, in the normal way.
I didn't make them from one piece of steel as this would create an issue where the male thread meets the shoulder.
Anyway, I can't cut a thread as good as a rolled thread, not with a die on my lathe.
I hope this clears up any misunderstandings.
Paul G
[Edited on 23/12/06 by 907]
quote:
Standard M14 threaded stud bar is definitely not suitable for making steering components.