Boring a tapered hole
#1
I'm still plodding away on my old Ford tractor, there's now barely a component that hasn't been dismantled and overhauled. One component that is going to need overhaul, as a replacement is not readily available, is this steering arm with the flogged-out hole where the tie rod end goes.
   
I figure I can weld the hole up and start again, but how to go about renewing the tapered hole? Can you buy tapered endmills? A tapered reamer? Make a tapered D-bit?
I probably won't get to this for a while as there is still plenty else to do, but thought I'd get the ball rolling with this question in case I need to order a tool.
Lathe (n); a machine tool used in the production of milling machine components.

Milling Machine (n); a machine tool used in the production of lathe components.
Reply
Thanks given by:
#2
What about drilling the arm so that you can turn up a bush with the correct taper and then weld it into place?
Hunting American dentists since 2015.
Reply
Thanks given by:
#3
That has merit, I could even cut the end off the arm, turn a ring with a tapered bore and weld it on the end. Would save buying any tooling.
Lathe (n); a machine tool used in the production of milling machine components.

Milling Machine (n); a machine tool used in the production of lathe components.
Reply
Thanks given by:
#4
I wouldn't cut it off. Simply drill it out and turn up a sleeve with the right tapered bore. No need to buy any tools - well none for that job but I'm sure you could use it as an excuse to buy some anyway...
Hunting American dentists since 2015.
Reply
Thanks given by:
#5
I thought about making a sleeve and welding it in as well (great minds think alike. Big Grin ). My only concern would be if there is enough "meat" on the arm to do that and keep it safe. Steering arms on tractors can take a hell of a beating. Tapered end mills are available, but are pricey and your chances of using it for something else are slim. A D-reamer would do the trick and you could make it yourself, but you would likely need to step bore the arm first to get it close to size.

Tom
[Image: TomsTechLogo-Profile.png]
Reply
Thanks given by:
#6
+1
Another vote for using a sleeve and not cutting off the end of the steering arm. I've replaced ooodles of them on passenger cars and trucks that got destroyed on paved roads. The forces encountered a tractor are going to be ten times that I would think. Cleanliness and proper torque when installing the joints goes a long way in their survival.
Willie
Reply
Thanks given by:
#7
I think I'd try the tapered D-reamer route.
Free advice is worth exactly what you payed for it.
Greg
Reply
Thanks given by:
#8
I too favor the bushing approach with one reservation.  Welding will result in warping to one degree or another.  What is the taper of the tie rod?  If it happens to be a Morse taper they are readily available and I have a set from a #1 to a #5.
Reply
Thanks given by:
#9
Thanks for those replies. I'm also concerned about the amount of material that would remain if I bored the hole out enough to take a bush. I'll have to figure out how to measure the taper, interesting thought that it might be a morse taper. I have a few morse socket adaptors, I could see if one of them is a snug fit on the male part.
Lathe (n); a machine tool used in the production of milling machine components.

Milling Machine (n); a machine tool used in the production of lathe components.
Reply
Thanks given by:
#10
I was going to suggest die-sinking end mills until I checked prices Jawdrop
Reply
Thanks given by:




Users browsing this thread: 3 Guest(s)