So i helped my little bro put a lift in his pickup this weekend. and we went out playin in the snow.. i told him he needs to learn how to drive, so i got in his pickup and gave it all it had, and got stuck. lol. he was in my pickup and i told him to give it hell and go around me to pull me out from the front, not a good idea i guess.. because he ended up getting my pickup stuck right beside his! It was funny as hell because i got his pickup with 36s farther through the snow bank than he got mine with the 44s... but any ways after we got pulled out,(my GF brought my Dads dually out to get us) we continued on our way. on the way back home, i went through the same drift we where stuck in, and came out the other side with my tire pointed to the left, and the other tire was pointed strait... It has the stock 85 f350 tie rods on it.(when it broke) so today i ordered some Rod ends to make some better tie rods.. i'll post up what i make when i get it done...
here are two pics, one of me and my bro stuck, and the other of my bro's pickup after the lift and tires..


And a pic of the broke tie rod end.

 

Well my rod ends came in today, and instead of using pipe or tubing, i'm using square tubing.. i picked up some 1 1/2x1 1/2 x1/4 tubing to day, that stuff is spendy! $103 for 16 feet! crazy!. but anyways one reason i'm using square, is on the front axle i have, the tie rod had to have two bends in it to clear the diff cover... ill just over lap them and weld it. kinda hard to explain, but when i start workin on it i'll post up some picks..

 

Now I am interested? I currently use 1 1/4" chro-mo spherical rod ends, and I use a rather large diameter Chro-mo tube (.300 wall)> this is for both my drag link and tie rod, and while I get real cose to the hand fabricated diff cover, I can still clear it.
We both run D60F's, and I am curious about the clearance issues you have.

 

mine come out of a 85.. the(factory) tie rod is not strait... it has some bends on it to push it away from the diff.. also i have the hydro assist ram hooked to the diff cover and tie rod.. with the factory rod at full turn it just touches the diff...
kinda hard to see the bend... old pic. before i added the assist


here is the rod ends i got.. http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku , http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

 

The 79 has the same bend, thats why I ask. I dont think the knuckles are any shorter for tha later axle. Hmmm, might have to take some measurements when I get to the shop, but I built a steering system for a later model axle like yours and used the same components as mine. No issues with a straight tie rod.

 

Really? i could have swarn that it needs that bend. i'll find out for sure when i get home tonight...

 

Might want to do that. I am pretty sure that it does not. COuldnt hurt to verify. Might save you some time and welding anyway.

 

Well its both Yes and No.... IF i kept the tie rod under the knuckle i would have to have a bend in it.. BUT i'm moving the tie rod to the TOP of the knuckles, so i DON'T have to have a bend in it! the curve on the diff cover is just enough that it will clear by a hair..

Have you ever welded to the knuckles before? i think it is possible, i was thinking about making the right side knuckle into a double sheer where the bolt runs through the drag link and the tie rod.. but i really don't think it would be nessasary(sp).

 

I have busted the knuckle itself while my tie rod was in single sheer. I use F9-11 fasteners on all of my steering stuff, and I heve yet to have a fastener failure.
Sure I have welded to my knuckles before. Pre-heat and post heat is critical.

 

I have the tie rods made now...



they are in the trunk of my car, i had to bring them to town to get the threads cleaned up after welding in the threaded inserts.. i'll be making my knuckles into double sheer...

Hey 75F350 do you know what the knucles are made of? is it just cast steel? or nadular?

 

Nice work. Did you end up needing a bend in the tie rod?
As far as the knuckles, I think they are steel. Should be just pre and post heat with a high nickel rod. Hopefully Ed will answer since he has welded them and can tell you what he used.

 

yes i ended up bending the tie rod.. the cylinder for my hydro assist was hitting it at full turn.. i also had to put a slight bend in the drag link due to binding at full drop.. i'll have to take some pics of them.. i have read that they are cast iron, and i also read they are cast steel.. so i'm debating on how to weld them.... if cast iron i'll have to go pickup the right rod, or wire. the pre heat and post heat isn't a worry i have everything to do that...

 

i started a thread over on pirate asking if iron or steel, and so far they say steel..