What the? Bought an M18 1.5 tap to run through the top wishbone (and it weren't cheap, £31, be returning it on Monday) as by the book and I've just tried it and its like a woman of the night, don't even touch the sides! Thinking about it, it wouldn't would it. 25mm 2mm wall leaves 21. Whats going on?

Have you put the tap into the tube for the bushes?

Made my tubes from bar and drilled with the correct tapping drill for the thread. 2mm wall deffinitely no good for this part!

Caber

Well book says to use 25mm 16 gauge for the bush tubes and threaded tube. 16 gauge is about 1.5 - 2mm and M18 is 18mm innit. (This is what I found out by searching last night) So I'm still lost. Is that bloody book wrong again

I made mine with solid bar first time . but on making another set I just bought it ready tapped from Lolocost(are they bust too?). After welding had to tap through again at engineering shop( favour). Bloody locosts mutter mutter
Alex

Lolocost are still going I believe and I've just seen the pre threaded ends. £4 each and £4 p&p. That thread tap'll be going straight back!

I should hang onto the tap as you'll need it to clean the threads on your tubes after they've been welded and changed shape. I got one for £7 + £4 p&p off ebay. I thought the book said to use 25mm bar drilled 16.5mm for the threaded tubes, the 25mm 16g tube is for the Triumph bushes if you use them instead of poly bushes.

Bollocks! It says bar on the page before you're right. On the drawing it just shows 25mm tube. I'll return the tap as I got it because I wanted to use it this weekend and I reckon that I'll be able to persuade someone to quickly run it through again if needed.

careful cos not many machine shops carry that tap!

Use it and flog it to somebody else on here after!

Handy hint, try Farnell for taps. They seem to stock some good quality stuff for quite reasonable prices (well, reasonable for Farnell anyway). M18x1.5 is about a tenner+vat from them IIRC.

Some garages will have a tool for clearing spark plug holes which is basically the same tap. A lot of mechanics with fancy Snap On kit may have one.

Alex

I bought lolocost tubes and had to junk them as they were badly tapped and worse finished! before welding it took a pipe wrench to thread a ball joint on!
First attempt with tap got junked as well as the tap veered off vertical and stuck in the hole anout 2/3 way down!

Caber

They don't usually go deep enough to go all the way through as they have a hexagon in the middle and M11 thread on the other end. They are alright if the thread is damaged near the ends.

Bloody hell Caber. That sounds like the kind of parts Landrover supply
Alex