steeering rod ends

[peter lena 8,620]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08V4VZ2WP/ref=pe_843010_736638240_em_1p_0_lm   pete

[ebinmaine 67,455]

Look like decent stock replacement types.  

 

I've switched over to using McMaster Carr HEIM JOINTS on ALL our builds now. 

Extra heavy duty.  

[Lee1977 6,657]

Heims joints is the only way to go if you plan to keep the tractor.  Your not saving anything by going cheap, I'm still running the heims joints I put on the C-120 in 1989 and they are still tight.

[JoeM 7,873]

34 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

McMaster Carr HEIM JOINTS

those and some high grade 7/16 threaded rod work pretty good.

[JoeM 7,873]

hey @ebinmaine look at this 1/2" tie rod I took off of an 522xi.

Wonder if the air bags came out?

I did straighten it out but took a while. 

[ebinmaine 67,455]

5 minutes ago, JoeM said:

those and some high grade 7/16 threaded rod work pretty good.

Agreed.  

I've had good luck so far having others assist me with boring and tapping 7/8 diameter rod too. 

Make a durn beefy lookin' steering rod.   

[ebinmaine 67,455]

Just now, JoeM said:

hey @ebinmaine look at this 1/2" tie rod I took off of an 522xi.

Wonder if the air bags came out?

I did straighten it out but took a while. 

 

WOW.  

[Handy Don 12,216]

48 minutes ago, JoeM said:

hey @ebinmaine look at this 1/2" tie rod I took off of an 522xi.

Wonder if the air bags came out?

I did straighten it out but took a while. 

Takes a pretty hefty amount of force to do that. Airbags indeed?!

 

Son and Daughter used to have a pretty sturdy lawn tractor at their camp. One day a “guest” driver caught a front wheel on a tree while going at a good clip. Tie rod and spindle both bent and the steering arm on the spindle ripped off. We got it repaired but it never worked the same after that. When the transmission started being balky I was able to convince them to invest in a Wheel Horse. Last time I was at the camp, the WH towed the “other” unit ½ mile out to the main road where we put a “Free” sign on it. It was gone in two hours!

Edited July 28, 2023 by Handy Don

[peter lena 8,620]

@ebinmaine agree with others on the heim joints , have been bombproof for me , only suggested those rod ends for anyone that needs the, replacement , anytime I  get a  want to keep it original  response ,  it probably won,t get swapped out at all ,  pete

[ri702bill 8,316]

And that is why I went away from using 1/2" round stock and now use 5/8" mild hex stock.

Three beffits - stronger to resist tweaking like the picture.

Hex shape makes it MUCH easier to die cut the male threads.

The hex flat gives a built in spot for an open end wrench to hold the tierod and tighten the joint and jamnut......

 

[JoeM 7,873]

2 hours ago, peter lena said:

those rod ends for anyone that needs the, replacement

Yep and they work well at a good price.

 

You can see from the pic how tough those standard ends hold up. Maximum abuse for sure.

 

The updated hem joints do reduce drag and will ease steering especially some of those newer ones with internal bushings. 

 

Though the years I have found out when beefing up one area it transfers a problem to another. Sometimes harder and more expensive to repair. 

[peter lena 8,620]

@JoeM  excellent point, interesting thing about horses , is that there are a  nomber of those areas  on board .  think pto attatchment drives is a perfect example , if there is a drag related point anywhere , it quickly multiplys  into shreaded belts , screaming bearings , and wobbly pulleys . learned to go over every related movement point , definetly  not a one and done , pete

[ebinmaine 67,455]

8 hours ago, JoeM said:

Though the years I have found out when beefing up one area it transfers a problem to another. Sometimes harder and more expensive to repair.

Agreed. That can be a tough line to follow sometimes.  

 

My Cinnamon Horse '74 C160-8 runs heavy all the time.  

 

I went to all heim joints after I blew threw the stock type in just a couple years. 

 

But..... I also changed over to the 5 lug hub front end with trailer spindles.  

 

[JoeM 7,873]

23 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

lug hub front end with trailer spindles

I like putting those on the FEL machines. I use trailer grade tires too. 

 

[Lee1977 6,657]

1 hour ago, JoeM said:

I like putting those on the FEL machines. I use trailer grade tires too.