Make your own tie rods

[Duff 206]

Here are the parts and directions needed to make your own tie rods for 300-400 series tractors, and possibly others if they use the same style tie rods (the experts will know!).

First, the parts laid out:

The tie rod ends are high-strength ball joint ends, McMaster-Carr stock # 60645K441 ($6.08 ea)

The tie rods themselves are ASTM Grade B7 alloy steel threaded rod, 3/8-24. A 24" piece is McMaster-Carr stock #98957A805 ($5.53 ea.) Alternately, and in retrospect I wish I had done this myself, you can use 318 stainless rod, stock #93250A465 ($11.33 for a 24" piece).

The protective covering is high-strength aluminum tube, alloy 2024, .370ID and 1/2"OD, McMaster-Carr stock #1968T241 ($19.71 for a 3' section)

The lock nuts are 316 stainless, 3/8"-24.

Each tie rod takes a 7-1/2" piece of threaded rod. This gives you maximum adjustment to achieve toe-in while still having plenty of material inside the tie rod ends. A 24" piece of rod will make three tie rods (yes, I know, but it'll give you some spare material in case you bend one somewhere later on).

The trick is in the length of the aluminum tube. While on my tractors a length of 5-5/8" is perfect to give me 1/4" of toe-in, I recommend that you first build your tie rods without the aluminum tube, install them and set your desired toe-in (if any), then measure the length between the two locking nuts that lock the tie rod ends in position on the threaded rod. Once you have the measurement (and are sure of it!) cut the aluminum tube to length, then take one tie rod end off, slide the tube on (it's a nice, tight fit!), and put the tie rod end back on using the aluminum tube as your reference point for how far on the rod to thread the tie rod end.

As I said above, I used alloy steel threaded rod but now wish I had bought the stainless rod (only because I've used stainless hardware everywhere else on my tractors). Either way, the aluminum tubing will cover it, and I use Neverseize both to make it possible to remove the tie rod ends in the future and to provide corrosion protection under the aluminum tube,

The finished product on a tractor looks like this:

You could easily paint the tie rods; I just like the raw metal look!

Hope this may help someone else!

Duff :thumbs:

[420lse 18]

Nice skills for sure :thumbs:

[Anglo Traction 761]

Nice Mod Job Duff ! . Just about to check mine over to see if I need to do something similar.

[KB9LOR 4]

I know I need a new right side one for my Workhorse, and I can get the parts cheap, so this thread will be marked to save! thanks Duff!

[wheelhorse656 20]

Sweet That is all i have to say :thumbs:

[Coadster32 793]

Good idea! :thumbs:

[Kelly 1,030]

I built the same basic set up for my rat tractor, but I used regular ajustable tie rod ends, like I see you did for the outers on your tractor.

Thanks for posting this, many can benefit from it.

[dclarke 4,044]

Nice job Duff I like the way you did that.

[can whlvr 993]

good job :thumbs:

[AMC RULES 37,141]

Great reference material Duff, thanks for the tip. :thumbs:

[B-8074 19]

I made a set similar to those but used heim joints. Your way is more user freindly. I had to weld nuts to the end of the tubes for the heim joints to screw into. Nice work I may have to borrow ypur idea for the next ones.

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,508]

Nice pics and a great write up Duff .

Thanks,

Mike........

[Don1977 604]

I did mine around 1988 don't remember exactly.

[danjmah 71]

Hope this may help someone else!

Duff

Excellent instructions! This will indeed help me! Thanks.

[tophatbufflo 2]

I believe that TSC sells the ends also. allyou have to get is the threaded rod and alumniun

[sgtsampay 117]

:thumbs: Thanks you very much for the very well made guiide. I will make my tractor a new set come spring. :thumbs:

[dgoyette 12]

Looks great Duff! Curious why you chose to or had to attach it to the bottom of the spindle versus the typical attaching on top? It seems to have kind of a downward angle.

[VinsRJ 723]

Thats how I have repaired / replaced a number of tie rods on early suburban 400s. Great idea! :thumbs:

[Buzz 502]

Very helpful. This should be pinned to the "Very Useful Posts" section at the top of this section.

[boovuc 1,090]

This is another tutorial that I cut and pasted into a Word document with the pictures and saved for future referance.

Thanks, Duff and all those who contribute to Red Square. These posts are why hobbyists, collectors and WH owners come here and keep coming back.

BooVuc

Mill Hall, PA

[JC 1965 1,530]

:thumbs: Thanks for posting this Duff. I need a set of tie rods for one of my tractors. Thanks to you, I can make them myself. THANTS AGAIN !! :thumbs:

[jdpuller 2]

good stuff

Thanks :thumbs:

[HorseFixer 2,012]

Nice article Duffer! A question to all, what would be a good all around length to have on hand even if it will need to be cut or trimmed? Thought I would make a few up (even if long) keep a few in the Dukes parts dept. Ya cant have enough spares ya know! :thumbs:

[chevy030303 0]

:thumbs: very nice i would buy or make them.

[Duff 206]

Looks great Duff! Curious why you chose to or had to attach it to the bottom of the spindle versus the typical attaching on top? It seems to have kind of a downward angle.

Darren, I think you got me on this one. The old ones I took off this tractor were installed on the bottom, but I have another where they're mounted on top. In the next couple days (I'm laid up with the flu) I'll go out and check to see if on top would work better, and if so, how much it changes the measurements I gave. If top is better, I'll edit my original post so those folks who may have bookmarked this thread have the right info when they go to make their own. (Boovuc - hope you see this, and sorry, buddy, if I published the wrong info before you printed them!)

Stay tuned, and sorry for the confusion!

Duff :thumbs: