Purchasing tubing...questions

[BrettM]

I also asked about a piece of 1.25 x0.281 x 4' DOM for a tie rod and was quoted $110 for that.

i know the guys at WFOconcepts (.com) and they make tie-rods from the same stuff. call them up and you should be able to get it made with it tapped left and right threads 7/8 with flats milled at the end of the tubing, all for under that price. give em a call 530.268.9494

 

[Lincoln]

Well, I got a quote of $50 for DOM and something like $136 for chromoly. This is for 5' of 2" x 0.25 wall. Apparently, the chromoly price is way up there, but how about the DOM? Looks like $10 per foot and available now. Jeff[/QUOTE

Well, I was giving prices by memory and I was WAY off on the price for the chromoly. My quote says $340!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I also asked about a piece of 1.25 x0.281 x 4' DOM for a tie rod and was quoted $110 for that. Both the 1.25" and the 2" DOM are for HOT Rolled too. Jeff

OUCH! I bitched when I paid $7.00/ft for 1.25"X.288 DOM. (2001 )

Seriously though, I wouldn't use that heavy on your tie rod. I did and I'm always worried about breaking something else before taking out the tie rod. I would rather bend the drag link than break the sector shaft. I can jack it off the ground by the tie rod and barely get any flex out of it. 1/4" wall is more than enough. If your looking for something to tap to 3/4X16 I found some 1.125X.22 that would work great and at the time would have cut the price by 20%. Are you still using GM TRE's? I would almost bet they would let go before the .22 wall stuff.

You didn't mention what the 2"x.25 was for hot rolled DOM. I was planning on using 1.75x.25 for mine. Haven't checked prices in a while since it makes me cry like a baby.

 

[Matt S.]

I use 1.25"x.288" DOM drilled to 11/16" ID to accept a 3/4" tap. I dont like tube inserts. Tap the material!!!! I run 3/4" hiems and dont worry about breaking my steering. I just try to be careful on how hard i use it. I dont want to break boxs or my frame.

 

[Roxtar]

You guys need to reread his first post.
He's making control arms.

 

[Dirk Pitt]

You guys need to reread his first post.
He's making control arms.

And a tie rod.

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Yeah, I am making control arms, but I did also throw some inf. in there about tie rod material. I originally used some 1.0625 DOM I found in the used steel place and I either drilled it a little bit and then tapped it OR I tapped it directly. In any case, I've bent this unit numerous times and it's really not looking all that good. So, I thought perhaps I would move up to something a bit beefier that can be tapped directly. That's why I asked the steel place for a price on 1.25x.288 wall. Also, I built my drag link from a cut down 80's chevy truck tie rod and bent one of the ends of this tube, so it got replaced with 1.5" OD DOM tapped to 7/8-18. Now THAT is a HD drag link!!! I'm running different Chevy tie rod ends on the tie rod that are 3/4-16 Right and Left thread. Oh, I do have a bunch of 1.25x.188 wall DOM that I could use for the tie rod, but then I have to buy weld in bungs from Spidertrax and when you figure in the cost of them plus shipping, I might be better off getting some different tube that can be tapped directly since I have the 3/4" taps. Jeff

PS, I got another quote from the internet for the 2" x 0.25" wall Chromoly DOM. $145 plus UPS from FACTORYSTEEL.COM in MI. Jeff

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

I was in Crandon yesterday and talked with a guy at a local metal fab place and it turns out he is/was into the CORR and desert race scene some. He told me that the trophy trucks use 2" OD x .120 4130 for their suspension links and he thought my 0.25" wall desires were WAY overkill! Most of the lower classes run smaller diameter .120 DOM tubing for their links. He also told me about a shop just north of the race track where Baldwin Racing builds all their trucks...including the desert race units. I've seen the place, and it looks NICE from a distance. Jeff

 

[C-ROK]

I was in Crandon yesterday and talked with a guy at a local metal fab place and it turns out he is/was into the CORR and desert race scene some. He told me that the trophy trucks use 2" OD x .120 4130 for their suspension links and he thought my 0.25" wall desires were WAY overkill! Most of the lower classes run smaller diameter .120 DOM tubing for their links. He also told me about a shop just north of the race track where Baldwin Racing builds all their trucks...including the desert race units. I've seen the place, and it looks NICE from a distance. Jeff

If you're only needing to consider suspension forces, yes that's fine.

We need thicker material because of the propensity to hit a bunch of rocks with the links not because of suspension reaction forces.
My old front links were 2"x.250" DOM and I DID bend one.

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

If you're only needing to consider suspension forces, yes that's fine.

We need thicker material because of the propensity to hit a bunch of rocks with the links not because of suspension reaction forces.
My old front links were 2"x.250" DOM and I DID bend one.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I told him. However, those trucks really see some forces travelling at the speeds they do over the ground they do. He did see my point when I mentioned that the whole truck might end up sitting on the side of the arm while crawling in the rocks. Jeff

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Some further inf. from Midway Steel who quoted me the $50 for 2" OD x 0.25" wall DOM HR. He said the stuff is made from 1026 and falls under ASTM A513 Type 5 which is somewhat stronger than standard mild steel. Is this the stronger DOM which was referred to as cold rolled DOM or is this the weaker hot rolled DOM? Jeff

 

[Roxtar]

Some further inf. from Midway Steel who quoted me the $50 for 2" OD x 0.25" wall DOM HR. He said the stuff is made from 1026 and falls under ASTM A513 Type 5 which is somewhat stronger than standard mild steel. Is this the stronger DOM which was referred to as cold rolled DOM or is this the weaker hot rolled DOM? Jeff

I wouldn't worry about it either way. Both should be plenty strong for what we're doing.

 

[Captain Ron]

Like you said, it is per ASTM A-513, Type 5. This is pretty much the vanillia flavored DOM these days. You could only do better in carbon steel with ASTM A-519 Cold Drawn Seamless, which is limited in wall thicknesses available.
--ron

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Thanks for all the responses. I purchased a chunk of the vanilla DOM from Midwest Metals in Withee WI for $44. Should work well. Jeff

 

[dizzymac]

Lost me back at "Hey I want to pick up some"........

 

[Mr.OverKill]

Like you said, it is per ASTM A-513, Type 5. This is pretty much the vanillia flavored DOM these days. You could only do better in carbon steel with ASTM A-519 Cold Drawn Seamless ect...ect...ect...
--ron

just currious how you would learn all that stuff off the top of your head!! well i guess some people just have it, i know alot about a whole lot of things but not enough about any one thing to be an expert i guess, except mabi actual metal work ( not the science of it but the art/ shapeing of it ) being a Master Manipulator of Moltan Metals ( welder/ fabricator ) that is.:laugh3: