For some time I have been wanting to add faux truss rods to a bike. So I have poured over many of the forum posts about making truss rods. My recent acquisition "The Swamp Tiki Cruiser," has front forks with the perfect attachment point. So I am giving it a try . . .
Today I ordered a 6' length of 3/8" stainless steel tubing. Other choices were brake line, fuel line, conduit and etc. The price of the 3/8" SS was too good to pass up.
Here is the link to Zoro where I got it for under $9 and under $15 including shipping.
https://www.zoro.com/zoro-select-tubing-welded-38-in-6-ft-304-ss-3ade8/i/G0777761/
I have seen lower attachments like the diagram below. I figure with my bench vise and/or a hammer I can achieve this . Also plan on using the grinder for rounding the corners.
What about the upper attachment? I have this bracket that is intended for baskets I think.
Depending on how hard the 304 SS is to bend I make be able to mount to the existing outer holes. Or add a piece of angle stock like this. I think there is a post here on the RRB Forum where someone flattened one of these same brackets and used it that way for truss rods.
Here is one way I am thinking about the upper attachment.
By using the existing holes with a hard bend or the angle stock with a mild or even no bend I could attach the rods, might even be able to use acorn nuts by grinding the thread length, (that is something I have been very successful at doing.).
Does my plan sound feasible? I am trying to do this with hand tools, a bench grinder and a vise. I do not have a welder. I have read that the SS tubing is hard to thread without a lathe.
Thanks for any help. When the rod arrives I think I will chronicle the process here.
Today I ordered a 6' length of 3/8" stainless steel tubing. Other choices were brake line, fuel line, conduit and etc. The price of the 3/8" SS was too good to pass up.
Here is the link to Zoro where I got it for under $9 and under $15 including shipping.
https://www.zoro.com/zoro-select-tubing-welded-38-in-6-ft-304-ss-3ade8/i/G0777761/
I have seen lower attachments like the diagram below. I figure with my bench vise and/or a hammer I can achieve this . Also plan on using the grinder for rounding the corners.
What about the upper attachment? I have this bracket that is intended for baskets I think.
Depending on how hard the 304 SS is to bend I make be able to mount to the existing outer holes. Or add a piece of angle stock like this. I think there is a post here on the RRB Forum where someone flattened one of these same brackets and used it that way for truss rods.
Here is one way I am thinking about the upper attachment.
By using the existing holes with a hard bend or the angle stock with a mild or even no bend I could attach the rods, might even be able to use acorn nuts by grinding the thread length, (that is something I have been very successful at doing.).
Does my plan sound feasible? I am trying to do this with hand tools, a bench grinder and a vise. I do not have a welder. I have read that the SS tubing is hard to thread without a lathe.
Thanks for any help. When the rod arrives I think I will chronicle the process here.
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). Don't worry about threading it, as there isn't enough meat in that tubing for any standard sized thread...if you end up using JB weld (or equivalent), let it set for full day or two before putting in torque to it. A better solution would be to use a 3/8" bolt and find someone with a lathe to turn down one end to .335", and then press it in with some threadlocker for press fits (603 or 680).
