How to straighten a Tie Rod?

[elkun1]

Evening Orezok
Sounds like Teg is gonna grab the bull and get er done. I doubt a tie rod uses regular mild steel, hopefully its a little higher quality steel, and as long as he stays below the dull red he'll be ok. One thing Teg, if your using a cutting tip, just dont hit the long handle when its gettin red.
When dealing with mild steel, I was always under the impression that all you had was low carbon mild steel, not enough carbon in it to require quenching or slow cooling. After weldin or cutting we throw the piece in a snowbank or under water and get back to fixing. Now i'm gonna have to look up and see if i need to change my ways. That was why a knife blade couldn't be made from regular mild steel. This darn internet, I'm always learning Ron

 

[GinNB]

The short answer is heat it to no more than a dull red and you avoid any complications.

Ande the question of the day is... dull red while wearing cutting glasses or dull red with the shades off?

I'm pretty sure I know the answer and the right colour, but hearing the nitty gritty from someone else never hurts.

 

[MrJimi]

I could be wrong but !!
I think our leg is being pulled here


Have fun

Jim

 

[jimmer2880]

As far as the mild steel debate goes... I once broke the tie rod on my dad's MF 1010. Because it was the weekend and work needed to get done, I welded it back together. That was about 13 years ago. It's still holding. Actually, after cleaning it up, you can't even tell it was broken.

Anyway - that tie rod was indeed mild steel.

 

[teg]

I have been known to act first... apologize second or repair second or leave the hospital second. I learn mainly from doing... or watching The internet has slowed me down... I would have just beaten that rod straight with a hammer days ago!!! Since I have another week before going to the farm decided to try and get this ONE done right. Lots of good information, but still one question; which DO I want; "...quenching it to harden it or slow cooling (annealing) to maintain ductility..." (since I have no clue as to what "annealing or ductility" is... and "Harden" sounds tough, I'll have a 5 gallon bucket of water nearby... right? )

PS. elkun1, thanks, and yes, I do know what the long handle is for (it's to make sparks fly)

Actually, I think I found the answer re-reading orezok reply, As long as I don't reach cherry red (1,333*) then I guess it doesn't matter? I'll still drop it in water to hear it sizzle )

 

[Wayne County Hose]

I have been known to act first... apologize second or repair second or leave the hospital second. I learn mainly from doing... or watching The internet has slowed me down... I would have just beaten that rod straight with a hammer days ago!!! Since I have another week before going to the farm decided to try and get this ONE done right. Lots of good information, but still one question; which DO I want; "...quenching it to harden it or slow cooling (annealing) to maintain ductility..." (since I have no clue as to what "annealing or ductility" is... and "Harden" sounds tough, I'll have a 5 gallon bucket of water nearby... right? )

PS. elkun1, thanks, and yes, I do know what the long handle is for (it's to make sparks fly)

Actually, I think I found the answer re-reading orezok reply, As long as I don't reach cherry red (1,333*) then I guess it doesn't matter? I'll still drop it in water to hear it sizzle )

Truth be known, I don't care if you heat it til cherry red, or heat it just enough to bend it without breaking it. I don't care if you let it cool naturally, or if you throw it in a vat of cold beer. If it's straight and not cracked, it will hold. Unless you do something to bend it....again!

You don't need to get fancy or technical, it's a dumb piece of steel for crying out tears. Just git er done!

 

[psj12]

I agree. I once bent a rod on a 53 chevy and received all kinds of grief about how straightning it with a torch would ruin it. That was in 1975. It is still on the car and still works fine.

 

[orezok]

GinNB - the answer is YES.

Wayne County - in the practical sense you're right and it probably doesn't matter because the rod is lightly loaded.

...and Teg a simple explanation is that quenching (hardening) will make the metal more brittle, annealing (slow cooling) will make the metal tougher. If it was my project, I would just let it slow cool in air and there should be no change in the metal structure.

I knew some day that that degree in metallurgy would finally do some good. I only worked in the field for 6 months after I got it and then got side tracked into construction management for the last 40 years.

My momma would have been proud to know that the thousands she spent finally did some good!

 

[teg]

orezok, I love the information you posted and now that you put it in english, I'll let it cool slowly, thanks. Planning to do it tonight so that *WE* can put this thread to bed

 

[tommu56]

teg

If it brakes off get a bolt of the same thread and weld on if it's a must get going job I wouldent hesiate to try it .

TOM