FPS Control Arms, Need some help...

[Bob Gervais]

theres a performance rod end business here in muncie, they might be able to get a stock bolt sized rod end that will fit in the FPS arms?

Edit: I'll stop in and get their number if they are there

Doubtful if they'll be able to get anything. After doing some extensive research for a project here at work, I've found that rod ends keep consistent diameters. IE thread on the end matches the bore size. In this case, 1/2-20 thread, 1/2" bore.

Best hope would be to find some rod ends that have a metric thread to match the stock bolt size, then have the aluminum arms helicoiled to the proper metric size.

This brings up another question: Are those aluminum arms currently helicoiled? Not sure I'd trust a vital component like that with a steel thread to aluminum hole.

*edit*

If you need a source for metric rod ends, and dohcsable's guy can't get any, I've found lots of metric stuff at www.mcmaster.com. If I were choosing for my car, I'd go with their zinc plated steel rod ends, with the bronze self lubricating insert. About $20 each.

 

[zak]

Do NOT repeat NOT use Grade 8 bolts from a hardware store as suspension fasteners. Although they are strong, they are also brittle and could break instead of yeild if you hit a pothole etc..

On edit, the SHOnut spacer kit (for the old GM arms) will allow standard OEM Taurus control arm bolts to be used, and also allow you to go back to stock as needed.

 

[Bob Gervais]

Do NOT repeat NOT use Grade 8 bolts from a hardware store as suspension fasteners. Although they are strong, they are also brittle and could break instead of yeild if you hit a pothole etc..

On edit, the SHOnut spacer kit (for the old GM arms) will allow standard OEM Taurus control arm bolts to be used, and also allow you to go back to stock as needed.

Were the GM arms 1/2" holes? Good point on the fasteners.

 

[dohcsable]

Company in Muncie is QS Components if anyone is interested. Either www.qscomponents.com or www.racingrodends.com

I am most likely going to have them make a beefier aluminum set for myself.

 

[boat]

Nope. Not helicoiled. They are brand new.

Doubtful if they'll be able to get anything. After doing some extensive research for a project here at work, I've found that rod ends keep consistent diameters. IE thread on the end matches the bore size. In this case, 1/2-20 thread, 1/2" bore.

Best hope would be to find some rod ends that have a metric thread to match the stock bolt size, then have the aluminum arms helicoiled to the proper metric size.

This brings up another question: Are those aluminum arms currently helicoiled? Not sure I'd trust a vital component like that with a steel thread to aluminum hole.

*edit*

If you need a source for metric rod ends, and dohcsable's guy can't get any, I've found lots of metric stuff at www.mcmaster.com. If I were choosing for my car, I'd go with their zinc plated steel rod ends, with the bronze self lubricating insert. About $20 each.

Thanks, Zak. I thought the bolts that came with these arms were that. They are gold in color, so I thought that they were grade 8.

Do NOT repeat NOT use Grade 8 bolts from a hardware store as suspension fasteners. Although they are strong, they are also brittle and could break instead of yeild if you hit a pothole etc..

On edit, the SHOnut spacer kit (for the old GM arms) will allow standard OEM Taurus control arm bolts to be used, and also allow you to go back to stock as needed.

 

[jayro]

Do NOT repeat NOT use Grade 8 bolts from a hardware store as suspension fasteners. Although they are strong, they are also brittle and could break instead of yeild if you hit a pothole etc..

On edit, the SHOnut spacer kit (for the old GM arms) will allow standard OEM Taurus control arm bolts to be used, and also allow you to go back to stock as needed.

I definitly follow your logic about the hard bolts. I guess my question would be....what grade are the original suspention bolts?. Are they softer so they dont break?

 

[dohcsable]

I definitly follow your logic about the hard bolts. I guess my question would be....what grade are the original suspention bolts?. Are they softer so they dont break?

Hmm, you would think grade 5 would be too soft. Grade 8 would most likely be fine, and 10.9 would be far too brittle? Heck, Idk.

 

[Bob Gervais]

Metric's got a whole different set of numbers for grades. It's been a year since I installed my Ingalls arms, but IIRC they were 9.8?

I think what zak was getting at was, hardware store fasteners aren't all they're cracked up to be. Offshore manufacturing, cheap costs to make, etc. I remember reading a technical article a while back about hardware store socket head cap screws that weren't to grade 8 standards (which, they're supposed to be).

Cliff notes: If ya need quality hardware, get it from a reputable source such as Grainger, McMaster-Carr, Fastenal, etc.

 

[dohcsable]

After seeing fastenal quality in a joint venture with them, I would not recommend them to anyone.

 

[Bob Gervais]

After seeing fastenal quality in a joint venture with them, I would not recommend them to anyone.

I'm glad you mentioned that. We've got a branch here in town, but I've never used them. I'm a McMaster frequent flyer.

 

[frosho]

McMaster is great. You might pay a slight premium, but you'll get your shit the next day.

 

[Eric VerValin]

After seeing fastenal quality in a joint venture with them, I would not recommend them to anyone.

What and where? I'm curious. I always ordered cully fasteners from Fastenal. SDST 5/16 screws are by far the best screws around for hard stuff. Sharper than ****. A lot of it depends on what your doing. Installing switchgear, and working on cars are two different things for sure.


McMaster is usually fast on shipping, that's a true story there... Grainer has a ton but is expensive. But Boat... I sent Bubba there before for the stuff he couldn't find.... and I think maybe you should checkout Wayne Fasteners. They sell a lot of the same stuff the others do, but they are local, and have a LOT in stock usually.

Goshen Rd south from Coliseum , turn right at the post office. Left hand side of the road after the PO. They always had what I needed 'in a pinch'.

 

[Bob Gervais]

McMaster is great. You might pay a slight premium, but you'll get your shit the next day.

You pay an even bigger premium at Grainger. I avoid them unless I can't get what I need somewhere else!