32 tie rod material grade

A

acchaplin

Senior Member
Can any of you '32 gurus on here just happen to know the cold roll rod strength grade 'Henry' used in making the 1930's tie rods?

NOT the ends. Just the solid rod between them.

Thanks
 
I've done several and just used common cold roll shaft/rod available at the machine shop. I think the machinist cut the threads in a lathe?
 
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I believe the 1932 thread was 11/16"x 24, odd for sure & I'm assuming the extra fine tread to provide a more precise adjustment.
 
I am told by a highly qualified welder/machinest shop that the correct cold roll rod grade for a vehicle tie rods is 1025, or better yet, 1045.
1045 cold roll grade is standard automotive type requirments. Anything lower is inferior and is prone to failure in certain cases.
I 'need' to entend the tie rod on my '32. When toe in is 'loosley' (tape measure) set, the ends of the tie rod are not threaded all the way into the tie rod end housing. (about 1/2 way. The end housing pinch slits are open, and grease easily squirts out of them instead of going in around the ball and caps.
I need to extend my tie rod length 3/4" total. 3/8" per side to correct the problem. OEM tie rod length is 43 3/8" I need 44 1/8"
Cutting, and threading (right and left threads) is NO problem! Easy work for a machinest.
What my problem is, I can't find a steel supplier that has 1045 grade cold roll rod in 11/16" dia. 5/8-3/4-7/8 inches is the normal sizes. Two suppliers 'do' offer a 1045 11/16" OD rod. But in a 12' 20' minium length order!
Several steel suppliers offer a inferior grade 1018 and below in a 11/16" diamter solid cold roll rod in 1' lengths.
I have trepidation in welding a 3/4" extention in my OEM rod because of disimiliar metals and weld cooling procedure.
I was courious as to what 'Henry' used is why I asked.
Thanks
 
Roadster Supply and Speedway are just two of several companies that will make tie rods any length you need with the correct thread and material size.
 
acchaplin said:
I am told by a highly qualified welder/machinest shop that the correct cold roll rod grade for a vehicle tie rods is 1025, or better yet, 1045.
1045 cold roll grade is standard automotive type requirments. Anything lower is inferior and is prone to failure in certain cases.
I 'need' to entend the tie rod on my '32. When toe in is 'loosley' (tape measure) set, the ends of the tie rod are not threaded all the way into the tie rod end housing. (about 1/2 way. The end housing pinch slits are open, and grease easily squirts out of them instead of going in around the ball and caps.
I need to extend my tie rod length 3/4" total. 3/8" per side to correct the problem. OEM tie rod length is 43 3/8" I need 44 1/8"
Cutting, and threading (right and left threads) is NO problem! Easy work for a machinest.
What my problem is, I can't find a steel supplier that has 1045 grade cold roll rod in 11/16" dia. 5/8-3/4-7/8 inches is the normal sizes. Two suppliers 'do' offer a 1045 11/16" OD rod. But in a 12' 20' minium length order!
Several steel suppliers offer a inferior grade 1018 and below in a 11/16" diamter solid cold roll rod in 1' lengths.
I have trepidation in welding a 3/4" extention in my OEM rod because of disimiliar metals and weld cooling procedure.
I was courious as to what 'Henry' used is why I asked.
Thanks
Click to expand...
How about buying the 3/4" diameter rod and have the machinist cut it down at each end as necessary? Actually, that will make his job of cutting the threads easier.
 
C1045 is generally Special Steel Shafting material or at least it was. My books are old but they showed it in 30 ft lengths and diameters from 1/2" to 1 1/8". The stuff was drawn and then precision ground to the required size and straightened for close tolerance. Tie rods generally have a left hand thread on one side and a right hand on the other.

If some company specializes in tie rod fabrication then it may be a good idea to go that route. Speedy Metals has that stuff in shorter lengths.
 
I guess I've been lucky. I used what was available locally and both 32 vehicles have quite a few miles on them with no problems. Biggest problem I had was finding NOS 32/34 tie rod ends.
 
I'm not sure Speedway Motors will thread the correct 11/16" X24 thread as the tie rod ends they sell are 11/16" but not 24 thread, might be worth a phone call however. It might be worth your effort to see if someone might be willing to share the cost for a 12 ' 1045 rod as well.
 
If you can't find 1045, you can always go to 4130 1/4" wall tube. Far stronger. It is available almost everywhere.
 
Kube said:
How about buying the 3/4" diameter rod and have the machinist cut it down at each end as necessary? Actually, that will make his job of cutting the threads easier.
Click to expand...

A 5/8 or 3/4 OD rod is so plain obvious something isn't right or match. Especially with the 11/16 OD drag link right on top of the 3/4 tie rod on the driver's side.
I laid a 3/4 OD tube in place where the tie rod would go. Night and day differnce.
 
rotorwrench said:
C1045 is generally Special Steel Shafting material or at least it was. My books are old but they showed it in 30 ft lengths and diameters from 1/2" to 1 1/8". The stuff was drawn and then precision ground to the required size and straightened for close tolerance. Tie rods generally have a left hand thread on one side and a right hand on the other.

If some company specializes in tie rod fabrication then it may be a good idea to go that route. Speedy Metals has that stuff in shorter lengths.
Click to expand...

Yes you are correct! "Speedy Metals" and about a 1/2 dozen other metal suppliers all over the US will supply cold roll rods in 1 foot length incriments, and diameters from 1/8 clear up to 6" OD. But,,,,, their cold roll grade is 1018 or below!

I have been told 1045 grade of cold roll is the standard requirment for automotive steering rods. Why the 3/4" OD rod idea was suggested. But two differnt sizes of steering rods used togehter do not look right.
 
RB said:
I'm not sure Speedway Motors will thread the correct 11/16" X24 thread as the tie rod ends they sell are 11/16" but not 24 thread, might be worth a phone call however. It might be worth your effort to see if someone might be willing to share the cost for a 12 ' 1045 rod as well.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea. But isn't Speedway's threads internal not external? I couldn't use the OEM tie rod ends.
 
Machining 3/4" to 11/16" the full length wouldn't be a major undertaking since you feel the appearance 3/4" would be objectionable.

But curious why the stock length is too short to work on your car?
 
rotorwrench said:
https://www.speedymetals.com/s-101-...zL4tvJgnPvJzwZ8CFQX4znqTAoA_7IAQaAuluEALw_wcB

This looks like 1045 to me. Cut the thread area on 3/4" down to 11/16" for threading but leave a radius at the inside edge of the cut on each end. This should be overkill for a tie rod.
Click to expand...

Yes it is. You are correct. There are several more steel suppliers listed that also offer 1045 grade cold roll rod at 3/4" OD.
But as I have described above, there is a clearly visible difference between the 3/4" OD tie rod, and a 11/16" OD drag link. Especially with the drag link directly over top of the tie rod on the driver's side.
 
rich b said:
Machining 3/4" to 11/16" the full length wouldn't be a major undertaking since you feel the appearance 3/4" would be objectionable.

But curious why the stock length is too short to work on your car?
Click to expand...

unh,,,,,, tell you what. Next time you just happen to be "bench racing" with a machinest. Just ask him how 'easy' it would be for him to take a 40" long, 3/4 OD....... Lets change that. Picture this. A 3' long, 1" OD rod, sticking out of a 3 or 4 jaw machinest lathe chuck, 32" away a center drill stop holding that end spinning at 600-1000 rpm,,,,,,,,,,. Even with a steady rest in the middle of all that.
There would be more set up time (couple of hours?) in turning a very long, small diameter rod down than it is worth.

I have explained it above. The tire rod threads 'into' a tie rod end housing in the olden daze. inside that tie rod end housing was a ball stud, two caps a spring and a adjustment nut. The tie rod was intended to be dissambled and rebuilt. (now it is quicker to just replace the entire tie rod end)
The tie rod housing has a 'pinch slot' and a moulded clamp. Some housing ends that clamp is a seperate piece. That clamp is to tighten the housing around the rod after toe adjustmant.
What my problem is that my tie rod is too short. Picture this. Say, the end housing has 2" of threads inside of it. The 'pinch slot' is 1 3/4" long. After toe adjustment my tie rod is threaded into the end housing 1 1/2" on each side. Leaving a 1/4" of that slot open! When greasing, the grease should be squishing around the caps and ball stud. Not following the path of least resistance and freely flowing out that 1/4" open slot. The tie rod should be threaded in past the end of the 'pinch slot' to seal it.

Just for 'shits and giggles' I googled 32 Ford tie rod lengths. Came up with several measurments/lengths listed. Two measurements listed that pertain to my situation was, 43 1/4" and 44" My OEM rod measures 43 3/8" long.
 
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