bending 7/8 CRS 45 degrees

[Savedbygrace77]

Hi all - I have to fab up 2 bars for my project, they are link bars for my camaro (weekend toy) cos im adding a sway bar. I found a 24" long piece of steel on my lathe which is the perfect length, someone mentioned it looks like CRS, do I heat to bend? read alot about cracking CRS..

wondering If i shouldnt just get some stainless round bar and be done? (no rust either)..

thanks

 

[DDoug]

Hi all - I have to fab up 2 bars for my project, they are link bars for my camaro (weekend toy) cos im adding a sway bar. I found a 24" long piece of steel on my lathe which is the perfect length, someone mentioned it looks like CRS, do I heat to bend? read alot about cracking CRS..

wondering If i shouldnt just get some stainless round bar and be done? (no rust either)..

thanks

View attachment 345419

BUY the proper material.
Stainless would work, but either way know what your getting.

Any welding needed on these bars ?

 

[memphisjed]

Heat oven to 425, place on cookie sheet ... I am not sure who you hear, but I have never cracked cold rolled with a basic bend- or hot rolled. Hot rolls are done now-
moog links are like 25 dollars a piece, out of 41xx.

 

[DDoug]

Heat oven to 425, place on cookie sheet ... I am not sure who you hear, but I have never cracked cold rolled with a basic bend- or hot rolled. Hot rolls are done now-
moog links are like 25 dollars a piece, out of 41xx.

Mystery metal could be 12l screw machine stock or worse....

 

[Strostkovy]

If it cracks when you bend it then you know the mystery material was something weird and not a great choice. 90%+ chance you are just fine bending it. I've bent plenty of CRS rod without issues but I'm no expert.

 

[Scottl]

So it "looks like" CRS and you intend to use it for an automotive suspension part?

I understand that sway bar links are not usually life threatening if they fail but if you are pushing it hard in a high-speed turn when they do ...........................

 

[Doozer]

Both sway bar links on the front of my Crown Vic broke.
It was the second time I replaced them, and the design
is just crap. They are 2 very small ball joint things,
even taper mounted. One broke and then later the other
broke. I drove my car with the bar flopping around,
banging on the lower A arms for a few months. I got
sick of the noise when I hit a bump, so I took the sway
bar off. I don't miss it. Even on a 4000 pound land
barge. It seems to corner the same. Seriously.
On my 1975 Ford pickup, I actually added a front sway bar
because it never had one. It really did help it corner
better. But the Crown Vic has a lower center of gravity
than a pickup truck, so I can see that.

--Doozer

 

[adh2000]

Unlike some of you apparently I’ve managed to crack quite a bit of CRS by bending it. Just bend a tighter radius and it will crack. Hot rolled is much better. Either one bends fine if you get it hot first. Needs to be red to orange though. Low carbon is a must if you hope to bend at room temp.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Savedbygrace77]

ok thanks for the replies, I can heat and bend, only needs 2 45 degree bends, welding required yes but thats fine- i do have 2 marine grade stainless rams 3/4 thick i can try- might try the bar i have and see how it goes-

 

[jim rozen]

Get it orange hot and you can basically bend it by hand.

 

[Cole2534]

A username like that and he wants to cobble his car's suspension together with mystery metal.

Sheesh.

Programmed via Mazatrol

 

[DDoug]

ok thanks for the replies, I can heat and bend, only needs 2 45 degree bends, welding required yes but thats fine- i do have 2 marine grade stainless rams 3/4 thick i can try- might try the bar i have and see how it goes-

NO NO....You must use only Military grade stainless steel....

 

[Scruffy887]

You "found" that bar on your lathe? Using the ways as a stock rack/tool shelf? Heat it and pound it right there between the ways.
My sways are carbon fiber BTW.

 

[crossthread]

I thought all South Bend lathes came with that bar.