Rat Rod Forum Advice Needed For Building Truss Rods from Scratch
- Thread starter Kevin B
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Thanks Sandman,
Well it is done unless I paint my fabricated bracket black and just leave the acorn nuts chrome. I think if I changed something it would be to have a more sweeping radius. Overall I'm happy. Truss rods for $15 and now I own the tool to make more. I want to thank everyone who responded to this thread. This was a community effort. You all really helped me. This has been a good project while being stuck at home under the social distancing guidelines.
Well it is done unless I paint my fabricated bracket black and just leave the acorn nuts chrome. I think if I changed something it would be to have a more sweeping radius. Overall I'm happy. Truss rods for $15 and now I own the tool to make more. I want to thank everyone who responded to this thread. This was a community effort. You all really helped me. This has been a good project while being stuck at home under the social distancing guidelines.
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Check out the "How To" forum here on RRB. There is a whole section on homemade truss rods and brackets. I've used angle iron from an old bed frame to build the brackets. Careful grinding will give you a nice curvey bracket. I bought mild steel rods at the hardware store and bent them into the curves I needed. I bought an inexpensive Chinese tap and die set and threadrd the curved ends for chrome acorn nuts I got at the hardware store. I used 2 car batteries, jumper cables and vice grips to hold 6011 electrodes and to secure the two batteries together with Romex. I cut a slot in the bottom of the mild steel rod and used the two batteries and 6011 welding rod to weld an axle washer into the slot. The only big cost is for a welding helmet but maybe you could borrow one.
Turned out very well...good job 
