Rear Strut Length?

TimAT

TimAT

Addict, Cruise-In Bird-Run 1 Veteran
Joined
Mar 24, 2008
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Location
Gladstone, Missouri
I'm thinking about using some DOM tubing and heim joints for the rear struts. Anyone have either an overall length of the rear struts, or the length of the tube? I'm looking at 5/8 tube with heim joints that have the 5/8 thread and a 1/2 thru bolt. I can make up spacers for the bolts so that's no deal.

On the other side, I know I can get struts with poly bushings for $109, so staying close to or under that is a plus.
 
Here is what I used.
From another thread

noonie said:
There is no reason you can't use these on the street. They just tighten up the movement and make it move more freely at the same time.
No difference in road feel at all other than the rear will feel a little tighter. I wouldn't consider anything less.
It is less expensive than anything else including stock replacements.

I assembled my own from parts from Speedway. There are also the rubber seals that will prevent any undue wear on the joints.

These are very high quality joints, don't know how they compare to the preassembled struts. Here is description of the joint.




DSC03755.jpg


If anyone is interested, here are the part no's for the rear struts. A little over a hundered bucks.

DSC03751.jpg


You can use a pipe or small strap wrench to hold the tube while locking the nuts, but some nuts welded to the tubes makes it easier using 2 wrenches.

Strut2.jpg


LowerStrut.jpg
Click to expand...
 
What brand are those rod ends? I tried to find out what they were from Speedway and they won't say.

Tim, the standard length for the sleeves with 5/8 rod ends is 13 inches.
 
They are repackaged so I don't know. They are good items at a decent price though from Speedway.

This company makes some of the best around and the engineers will talk to you and discuss your application with their expertise.

http://www.aurorabearing.com/

Here is a list of other manufacturers
Aurora
Goldline
National
Rose
Timken
SKF
Fluro
INA
LDK
Nachi
FK
Alinabal
Durbal
Lord
QA1
 
Last edited:
Thanks guys. there's a "speed" shop in KC that really caters to the circle burner guys and they carry loads of that stuff. this is on my "one-of-these-days" list. Ol' Red has new struts from a couple of years ago, so now it's time for the '77 to get new parts too.
 
TimAT said:
I'm thinking about using some DOM tubing and heim joints for the rear struts. Anyone have either an overall length of the rear struts, or the length of the tube? I'm looking at 5/8 tube with heim joints that have the 5/8 thread and a 1/2 thru bolt. I can make up spacers for the bolts so that's no deal.

On the other side, I know I can get struts with poly bushings for $109, so staying close to or under that is a plus.
Click to expand...

I wanted to maintain deep thread contact with the heim joint threads and struts, so I went with 13 inch long strut rods. They worked out fine and I did not need to trim them down for proper fit. The problem I had using 5/8ths heim ends was shims on the TA side. On one end, I had to make shims by pounding a washer to size and drill a proper hole. Good luck, you will be OK!
79UndersideRestoration078.jpg
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BBShark said:
What brand are those rod ends? I tried to find out what they were from Speedway and they won't say.

Tim, the standard length for the sleeves with 5/8 rod ends is 13 inches.
Click to expand...


they won`t say because they probably don`t speak Chinese.....
 
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