What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

gotta shorten my draglink

GsxrMike said:
Yeah I got a welder but I was trying to stay away from sleveing it. I guess I will go by the metal store tomarrow.
Click to expand...

If that's the path you're going to take:


Cut the 3" out of the draglink, angle the cuts so you can get more weld filler in there

Slide the sleeve over the draglink, weld the two pieces of draglink back together

Grind the weld down so the sleeve fits

Weld the sleeve up
 
38377k5 said:
If that's the path you're going to take:


Cut the 3" out of the draglink, angle the cuts so you can get more weld filler in there

Slide the sleeve over the draglink, weld the two pieces of draglink back together

Grind the weld down so the sleeve fits

Weld the sleeve up
Click to expand...

This is how I was going to cut the ends that were to be welded together. I was also going to drill holes in the sleve so I could fill those with welds as well as the ends. How thick of a sleve should I get.

picture.php
 
Persoanlly, i would not sleeve it. I don't care how good you can weld it will never be as strong. You should do it the correct way and cut the 3" off the end and have someone retap the end for you. Steering and Brakes are two things that you should not goof around with. It could be a deadly result one day if the weld ever failed.
 
Have you considered calling Stephen Watson and talking to him about it?
 
4X4HIGH said:
Persoanlly, i would not sleeve it. I don't care how good you can weld it will never be as strong. You should do it the correct way and cut the 3" off the end and have someone retap the end for you. Steering and Brakes are two things that you should not goof around with. It could be a deadly result one day if the weld ever failed.
Click to expand...

I get what you're saying and its generally a good point but if you can manage to pull apart a piece of 1.25" .250" wall tube in tension I will eat my hat ;)
 
38377k5 said:
I get what you're saying and its generally a good point but if you can manage to pull apart a piece of 1.25" .250" wall tube in tension I will eat my hat ;)
Click to expand...

It's doubtful that you'll ever "pull" it apart but if you hit it on something there's a MUCH better chance of bending/breaking it for sure. The welded area would be the weakest link (no pun intended).

Maybe it's just me but i take steering and brakes very seriously especially when it could mean the lives of others or my own if it were to fail.
 
4X4HIGH said:
It's doubtful that you'll ever "pull" it apart but if you hit it on something there's a MUCH better chance of bending/breaking it for sure. The welded area would be the weakest link (no pun intended).

Maybe it's just me but i take steering and brakes very seriously especially when it could mean the lives of others or my own if it were to fail.
Click to expand...
I would think that it would be almost impossible to hit your drag link on something.
 
4X4HIGH said:
It's doubtful that you'll ever "pull" it apart but if you hit it on something there's a MUCH better chance of bending/breaking it for sure. The welded area would be the weakest link (no pun intended).
Click to expand...

Pretty hard to bash a draglink on anything.


4X4HIGH said:
Maybe it's just me but i take steering and brakes very seriously especially when it could mean the lives of others or my own if it were to fail.
Click to expand...

Agreed and I still feel sleeving a draglink is acceptable. That's just my opinion though ;)
 
I have talked to Stephan and I think I will call him again tomorrow. I don't think its worth saving money to risk losing my ability to steer no matter how unlikely it is. I am going to try to find another machine shop tomorrow to see if they have the correct tap but I doubt it. They will probably want just as much to fix as it would be for a new one.
 
I am looking for the correct tap to do this myself. The question I have is there different 7/8x18 tap likes tapered and non-tapered? If there is I need a non-tapered correct?
 
You'll want a tapered tap otherwise you'll play hell getting it started. A tapered tap just has the first few threads tapered down some to help get the tap started.
 
pictures and description

Here are some of the pictures of the process. I think this thing is stronger than it was before. I cut the draglink at a 45* angle and then again to remove 3" from it. I then beveled all the edges to get good penatration. I then slid a 6" piece of tube over the joint and placed both ends in vices. I then slide the tube over, out of the way and welded the draglink back together. Next I cleaned up the weld, removed the 6" tube and installed an 18" piece of 4130 that I had drilled 10 holes in. I lined up the middle holes on the welded joint and then drilled just a little out of the draglink where each hole was. I welded in the holes and welded the end of the tube and then intalled it.

Here is the draglink after I welded it.
picture.php


Here is the 18" piece of 4130 that I drilled holes in.
picture.php


Here is the 4130 installed on the drag link.
picture.php


Here is one of the holes before being welded.
picture.php


Here is one of the holes welded up.
picture.php


And here it is installed.
picture.php


Thanks for all of the input guys!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom