Tube End Welding Jig

Fabrication and assembly instructions for tie rod, UCA and pushrod tube end welds.

BOM

Machining

Plate

Note:

• Plate thickness should be ~8mm (5/16”) , it can be thicker, but should not be thinner (to accommodate counterbore)

• Material is whatever is available the easiest, aluminum or steel does not matter

• The distance between each pair of holes is the critical dimension, from longest to shortest length of hole pairs: 17.4”, 16.7” and 11.1” corresponds to the tie rod, push rod and UCA respectively.

• Surface machine the plate if there’s time to make the jig better toleranced.
  

Spacers

• Make sure the inner diameter of the spacer is approximately 3.3mm

• Tap the hole with a M4x0.7 tap through the entire length

• Sand the outer diameter of spacers to ~7.9mm or 7.8mm, or rod ends might not slide onto the spacer due to tolerances in manufacturing

Assembly of Jig

The plate is designed to be used with the tie rod, push rod and UCA by moving the spacer and bolt to different hole pairings.

• Assemble the plate, spacer and bolt like the figure below.

• The plate is sandwiched between the spacer and bolt with the bolt entering from the counterbore side of the plate.

Jig Usage

1. Place assembled rod ends into the tube

2. Place the loose assembly onto the jig

3. Weld