1969 Imperial progress thread
- Thread starter vdk2010
- Start date
Where is the ‘69 B9 Imperial posted for sale? I’ve been looking for a 4 door in that color for a long time.
A Dodge Charger fb group, here's a creenshot of it. I've asked for a contact number for you, see if he replies. What's the red x for bud?
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@Imperialist seller's number is +17166802300.
Thanks! Red x was by mistake, sorry.
Finally, my modified Strud Rods are "done". Unfortunately, the mashinist, who modified the original strud rods, screwed up the new threads... They were cut crooked, resulting in very shallow threads towards the ends. One even doesn't have any threads on one side. And that's the part where the locking nuts are sitting, so not an option to use them as they are now.
I hope he comes up with a solution to solve that problem.
But besides that, I'm very pleased with the basic idea and the general result of my initial idea.
I bought an adjustable Strud Rod Kit for B-Bodies from QA1 (#52312)
The original Imperial Strud Rods with their big, mushy bushings are pretty inaccurate and not adjustable to correctly set up caster.
Since Imperials have a unique way to attach the Strud Rods to the Lower Control Arm, I had to use these "hockey stick ends" of the original Strud Rods and modify them to attach them to the QA1 parts.
When cutting them, I left enough lenght to mount them in the lathe chuck.
They were turned down to .625" on the lathe to accept the new 5/8-18 UNF left hand threads.
Next, they were trimmed to the final lenght. I planned for 70mm long threads to have enough adjustability later.
Fresh off the lathe, before the "crooked" threads were cut.
The QA1 center tube had to be cut down 70mm, 35mm on each side, to achieve the total lenght of the original Strud Rods later.
Because of that, new flat spots for a wrench had to be cut and the internal threads had to be extended inside the tube.
And ready, almost, are the adjustable Imperial Strud Rods!
As soon as the threads are fixed, they will get zinc plated and painted and then installed.
I hope he comes up with a solution to solve that problem.
But besides that, I'm very pleased with the basic idea and the general result of my initial idea.
I bought an adjustable Strud Rod Kit for B-Bodies from QA1 (#52312)
The original Imperial Strud Rods with their big, mushy bushings are pretty inaccurate and not adjustable to correctly set up caster.
Since Imperials have a unique way to attach the Strud Rods to the Lower Control Arm, I had to use these "hockey stick ends" of the original Strud Rods and modify them to attach them to the QA1 parts.
When cutting them, I left enough lenght to mount them in the lathe chuck.
They were turned down to .625" on the lathe to accept the new 5/8-18 UNF left hand threads.
Next, they were trimmed to the final lenght. I planned for 70mm long threads to have enough adjustability later.
Fresh off the lathe, before the "crooked" threads were cut.
The QA1 center tube had to be cut down 70mm, 35mm on each side, to achieve the total lenght of the original Strud Rods later.
Because of that, new flat spots for a wrench had to be cut and the internal threads had to be extended inside the tube.
And ready, almost, are the adjustable Imperial Strud Rods!
As soon as the threads are fixed, they will get zinc plated and painted and then installed.
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Modified QA1 B-Body Strud-Rods for 1969 Imperials
3175375
Senior Member
Great idea and it’s unfortunate that the threads were incorrectly cut. You might have to get replacement ends. Correction of the end to get the threads square with the face of the end may be impossible…Finally, my modified Strud Rods are "done". Unfortunately, the mashinist, who modified the original strud rods, screwed up the new threads... They were cut crooked, resulting in very shallow threads towards the ends. One even doesn't have any threads on one side. And that's the part where the locking nuts are sitting, so not an option to use them as they are now.
I hope he comes up with a solution to solve that problem.
View attachment 686036
But besides that, I'm very pleased with the basic idea and the general result of my initial idea.
I bought an adjustable Strud Rod Kit from QA1 for B-Bodies (#52312)
View attachment 686029
The original Imperial Strud Rods with their big, mushy bushings are pretty inaccurate and not adjustable to correctly set up the caster.
Since Imperials have a unique way to attach the Strud Rods to the Lower Control Arm, I had to use these "hockey stick ends" of the original Strud Rods and modify them to attach them to the QA1 parts.
When cutting them, I left enough lenght to mount them in the lathe chuck.
View attachment 686030
They were turned down to .625" on the lathe to accept the new 5/8-18 UNF left hand threads.
View attachment 686031
Next, they were trimmed to the final lenght. I planned for 70mm long threads to have enough adjustability later.
View attachment 686032
Fresh off the lathe, before the "crooked" threads were cut.
View attachment 686033
The QA1 center tube had to be cut down 70mm, 35mm on each side, to achieve the total lenght of the original Strud Rods later.
View attachment 686034
Because of that, new flat spots for a wrench had to be cut and the internal threads had to be extended inside the tube.
View attachment 686035
And ready, almost, are the adjustable Imperial Strud Rods!
View attachment 686037
As soon as the threads are fixed, they will get zinc plated and painted and then installed.
View attachment 686038
Correcting it is probably impossible, yes.
The machinist suggested, since the shallow threads are only at the end where the locking nuts are sitting, that he could make new tubes, slice them and mill some clamps, like on oem tie rods to lock the adjustment down. This way there would be no need for new strud rods.
330dTA
Senior Member
Excellent modification and beautifully recorded. Thank you! - The only thing I would be worried about is possible corrosion btw AL-tube and Fe-threads. Aluminum and steel do not like each other if there is any moisture at all. And in suspension components, if the vehicle is not a trailer queen only, there is always dampness around. (The added weight of steel tubes in place of aluminum ones, in this case, would be insignificant.)
That's how QA1 has built it. They used Steel bolts initially as well. They applied a generous amount of anti-seize tho.
But due to the modifications I have to make because of the screwed up threads, I went with Steel now because I don't want to cut slots into the aluminum tubes, in case I have to change something later.
It isn't the thread that's shallow. The OD of the threads is tapered.
What has happened is it was sticking out of the chuck too far and the first cut was too deep. Looking at the chatter marks, I also wonder if the cutting tool wasn't on center, possibly set too low. The "hockey stick" portion sticking out can also cause some balance issues that compound the problem, especially when it protrudes that far out of the chuck.
Cutting a part like that requires everything be right in the setup and some patience with taking light cuts, making measurements to check for taper. Back in my Toolmaker days, we would have said "you gotta sneak up on it". Hmm.. I'm now remembering the smell of the shop.... black cutting oil, beer farts and unfiltered Lucky Strikes. Smells like victory.
All that said, I think they are usable as is. You have the lock nut on the other end that will keep it from turning, so that's not a big worry. If you look at how they mount in a B body, you can see why there's a lock nut. With the "hockey stick" that end can't turn. The portion of the thread in the tube is good. I'd still use the locknut as it would take any looseness out of the threaded joint.
What has happened is it was sticking out of the chuck too far and the first cut was too deep. Looking at the chatter marks, I also wonder if the cutting tool wasn't on center, possibly set too low. The "hockey stick" portion sticking out can also cause some balance issues that compound the problem, especially when it protrudes that far out of the chuck.
Cutting a part like that requires everything be right in the setup and some patience with taking light cuts, making measurements to check for taper. Back in my Toolmaker days, we would have said "you gotta sneak up on it". Hmm.. I'm now remembering the smell of the shop.... black cutting oil, beer farts and unfiltered Lucky Strikes. Smells like victory.
All that said, I think they are usable as is. You have the lock nut on the other end that will keep it from turning, so that's not a big worry. If you look at how they mount in a B body, you can see why there's a lock nut. With the "hockey stick" that end can't turn. The portion of the thread in the tube is good. I'd still use the locknut as it would take any looseness out of the threaded joint.
That was the first thing I thought as well, but I measured the shaft and it's, within an acceptable tolerance, all the same from left or right.
I think he did not align the shaft with the thread cutting die correctly.
I've send everything back to him to change the design from the locking nuts to clamps. That should, if executed correctly, solve the problem.
Version 2 is sone now. Should be good now.
Two clamps were made from stainless steel and two new tubes from regular steel as well because I wanted to keep the QA1 tubes.
The clamps replace the jam nuts to fix the the problem with the shallow threads on the "hockey sticks". They clamp the entire lenghts of the threads to fixate them instead of just a few threads with the nuts.
It's not the most beautiful thing in the world, but it will be secure.
Two clamps were made from stainless steel and two new tubes from regular steel as well because I wanted to keep the QA1 tubes.
The clamps replace the jam nuts to fix the the problem with the shallow threads on the "hockey sticks". They clamp the entire lenghts of the threads to fixate them instead of just a few threads with the nuts.
It's not the most beautiful thing in the world, but it will be secure.
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