Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi all,

I am trying to enlarge a tapered hole on my pitman and steering arm to allow use of larger / stronger tie rods ends, has anyone managed to do this and if so how? I have spoken to about 10 engineering joints and they all can't help me for some reason or another.

Cheers izy

the tappered hole is usually a pressed in sleeve. So you should be able to have it pressed out.

You know that modifying steering links is illegal tho?? You may just have to find an engineer that will do the work for you, then sign off on it too.

you need a tapered drill, of course!

izy wrote:Hi all,

I am trying to enlarge a tapered hole on my pitman and steering arm to allow use of larger / stronger tie rods ends, has anyone managed to do this and if so how? I have spoken to about 10 engineering joints and they all can't help me for some reason or another.

Cheers izy

its important if you do this to make sure that the surfaces will still lock together. otherwise you would have been better off leaving it. there are plenty of high steer set ups going around that have pretty dodgy tapers. someone will probebly chime in on how they did it with a dremel but that sort of thing worries me.

Gutless wrote:the tappered hole is usually a pressed in sleeve. So you should be able to have it pressed out.

You know that modifying steering links is illegal tho?? You may just have to find an engineer that will do the work for you, then sign off on it too.

This one is actually straight into the cast arm...

Gutless wrote:the tappered hole is usually a pressed in sleeve. So you should be able to have it pressed out.

You know that modifying steering links is illegal tho?? You may just have to find an engineer that will do the work for you, then sign off on it too.

It's for a vehicle that isn't going to be registered, so this isn't a problem.

CRUSHU wrote:you need a tapered drill, of course!

Thats what I am chasing but I just can't seem to find one that is the right angle and size.

Need a Ream to match the depth and taper you want to create.
Layto....

izy wrote:

CRUSHU wrote:you need a tapered drill, of course!

Thats what I am chasing but I just can't seem to find one that is the right angle and size.

Try tooling mobs, like Guhring in Moorabbin VIC or Chipping Norton in NSW.

The engineering joints won't help for some good reasons;
Theres barely enough meat left in the standard arm to start with- machine some out and there's no point 'gaining' the extra strength of the bigger tre's
Not sure of the surface of the arm is hardened- but you'll be taking it off if it is.
The fit has to be exact or it'll start to be strong- the wrong taper will let the tre turn(and fail pretty quick)
The workshops don't care if you only use it offroad-steering's still pretty important.

I got mine redrilled with no taper and use salon car tie rod ends. By memory there about 19mm. An engineering place did it for me

As stated, what you are after is a tapered "ream" to match the tie rod.

Unlikely anyone will have one the right taper. Therefor custom made is the only way to go.

I have heard of one custom ream the has been made and the number of $800 was be thrown around!!!!!

You still keen?

Gutless wrote:the tappered hole is usually a pressed in sleeve. So you should be able to have it pressed out.

You know that modifying steering links is illegal tho?? You may just have to find an engineer that will do the work for you, then sign off on it too.

The tapered hole is actualy machined into the arm and you will need a tepered reemer to enlarge it.
Depending on how far you need to enarge it you may need to get it x-rayed but for arguments sack if you are trying to use a toyota joint then you wi be fine.
SAM

ps we have a reemer to do the job if we can help

I got mine from i think bunnings for about 12 bucks about a year ago.
Its a sheet metal hole enlaging tool, just happend to be the right tapper.
Ive used it to flip my ball joints on a vitara. Will open a tapper up to about 19mm. Best done in a drill press slow. By hand it chatters abit, take it easy and slow and itll do the job.

Liam wrote:The engineering joints won't help for some good reasons;
Theres barely enough meat left in the standard arm to start with- machine some out and there's no point 'gaining' the extra strength of the bigger tre's
Not sure of the surface of the arm is hardened- but you'll be taking it off if it is.
The fit has to be exact or it'll start to be strong- the wrong taper will let the tre turn(and fail pretty quick)
The workshops don't care if you only use it offroad-steering's still pretty important.

Thanks for the insight, but there is like 15mm of casting left around the current taper and I'll only be taking it out around 2mm diameter so in my books that’s still plenty of casting left.

Yeah I am aware that it has to be the correct angle etc, that’s why I started a thread to see if someone else knew how this could be achieved precisely.

Rhett wrote:I got mine redrilled with no taper and use salon car tie rod ends. By memory there about 19mm. An engineering place did it for me

Where did you purchase such a tie rod? Does it flog around or how has it been restrained?

RoldIT wrote:As stated, what you are after is a tapered "ream" to match the tie rod.

Unlikely anyone will have one the right taper. Therefor custom made is the only way to go.

I have heard of one custom ream the has been made and the number of $800 was be thrown around!!!!!

You still keen?

After doing some further investigation, I have found a place in Brisbane that will sell me a blank ream (about $110 for the size I want) and then machine it to the exact angle I require to match the tie rod for $48. So for $158 I could get the ream made, however there is a 1-2 week turnaround on the item so I was still going to have a look for another option, possibly a pre-made ream with the correct angle.

TEAM KNECK wrote:

Gutless wrote:the tappered hole is usually a pressed in sleeve. So you should be able to have it pressed out.

You know that modifying steering links is illegal tho?? You may just have to find an engineer that will do the work for you, then sign off on it too.

The tapered hole is actualy machined into the arm and you will need a tepered reemer to enlarge it.
Depending on how far you need to enarge it you may need to get it x-rayed but for arguments sack if you are trying to use a toyota joint then you wi be fine.
SAM

ps we have a reemer to do the job if we can help

Cheers mate, i'll send you a pm if I require it

petah from oz wrote:I got mine from i think bunnings for about 12 bucks about a year ago.
Its a sheet metal hole enlaging tool, just happend to be the right tapper.
Ive used it to flip my ball joints on a vitara. Will open a tapper up to about 19mm. Best done in a drill press slow. By hand it chatters abit, take it easy and slow and itll do the job.

Hmm, thats rather interesting, this is the sort of thing I was hoping to find out. Might have to make a trip down to bunnings tomorrow for a look-see.

Cheers