Help me source or fabricate a clevis

I need a clevis that slips over a spherical with a high misalignment spacer. Something like the clevis end of this:

Basically... race car radius rod / 4 link type stuff but I have one end that needs to mate up with a junk yard sourced E36 BMW rear control arm. (ala the camber arm shown above).

I don't have access to a mill or my first thought would have been to hull out a block of aluminum to get exactly what I need. I do have a saw, torch, hammer and an anvil so I "could" take a piece of .128 steel and form what I need and then weld a nut to the back to connect it but I think that might leave something to be desired in the looks department and this is going to be a visible part.

Does anyone have a catalog of larger clevises? This will need to mate to a 3/4-16 RH threaded tube have a jaw width of 2.25"+ and a depth ballpark of 1.5" to 2". Strength-wise... it sits in a factory sheetmetal box construction crossmember so 1/8" steel is plenty strong.

Hydraulic/Pneumatic cylinder end? Parker , Eaton brands come to mind, Try an online catalog?

I'd start with McMaster-Carr, but that wide jaw measurement would likely require fabrication.

I've had good luck with Midwest Control:

http://www.midwestcontrol.com/

However, that might be something you might find in the off-road world?

Keith Tanner wrote: I'd start with McMaster-Carr, but that wide jaw measurement would likely require fabrication.

This seems to be the case. Even the hydraulic cylinder ends Ive found are up to 2.12" and the off-road guys are at 1.16".

Looks like a job for the big hammer.

Coupla pieces of angle iron, coupla 3/4" nuts, a welder and some imagination you are on your way.

I think I understand what you're trying to do.

We fabricated "clevis" mounts for hydraulic cylinders with the cross tube style mount ends (tube with a grease zirk instead of an open clevis) out of stacked/sandwiched 7 ga. steel. Basically a big |_| that the ends of the cylinder/ram fit in, with a cross pin. Sounds like the similar could work for your application.

Wouldn't have to go to the trouble of milling something, if you can cut & weld. A piece of 1/4" wall square/rectangular tubing could probably be made to work too. Box an end off and weld the threaded tubing adapter to it.

• Lee

http://www.surpluscenter.com/

For posterity... here is where I ended up. Just a little grinding, and a gusset across one side of the box and it's ready.

Started by drilling 2.5 square tube. Then sectioned out the side with the seam weld.

Added a steel plug so as not to trust a butt weld attachment under cornering loads.

Used the TIG to mushroom weld the top to the inside.

Here is one all finished (minus box gusset... which I ran out of argon on a flippin' weekend so will wait until next week Grrrr) - circumference+plug welded to the shaft. The tube has a LH thread in the other end for the adjustment turnbuckle (which in-turn accepts a RH thread rod end).

Nice.

My only concern is that square stock tends to bend and deflect easily. I can see the clevis end stretching or bending under on and off loads.

tr8todd wrote: My only concern is that square stock tends to bend and deflect easily. I can see the clevis end stretching or bending under on and off loads.

Not pictured is a gusset that closes one side of the box half the distance to the hole. The 5/8 grade 10 bolt thru a 1.25 OD ball joint should spread forces across a wide area of the side plates. The gusset should resist wall flex so the force is direct to the shaft.

I ran out of Argon for the TIG so I can't attach the gussets until Tuesday... because no project can ever take a single weekend to complete. There must always be "issues".