Super-extra long turnbuckles

[heretic]

Hi everyone

I am looking for XXXL turnbuckles, preferably 3mm in diameter ( M3) but 3,5 will do the trick.

The lenght I aim at is something like 180 to 220mm.

Any ideas ? I've serached lunsford but can't find anything this long.

Thanks in advance

M.

[mikedealer]

maybe helicopter or airplane parts/linkages? some of the bigger scale ones use some heavy duty stuff

[jwscab]

for something that long I would make a tubular link. I don't think you will find one off the shelf, and at 7-8 inches long, a 3mm or 3.5mm link will be very flexible.

[mikedealer]

probably a better idea for sure

http://store.rc4wd.com/Solid-Links_c_33.html

[heretic]

thanks for your quick answers.

I think you are both right, and a fat hollow tube will be my best bet. But even on the link Mikedealer put, there's nothing longer than 160 mm...

I was going to do this reinforcement bar in CF with some 3mm bar inserted in another one which has an ID of 3mm, then force-fit the 3mm ends inside regular ball cups with araldite eveywhere. The problem is the lenght has to be perfect the first time, so I thought maybe a turnbuckle would have been better

But reading your comments I feel my original idea wasn't so bad after all.

[rctenracer]

This mite work for you. Cut it to lenght and tap it for the ends you are using. Ball cup at one end with 4-40 rod and maybee and 4-40 dubro turnbuckle with ball cup at the other end for adjustment may work.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXS020&P=7

[mikedealer]

that aluminum stuff is a little brittle, ive worked with it a few times and its probably good for like a servo steering linkage, but not as a suspension turnbuckle. i would buy some aluminum solid rod and drill/tap a 4-40 or 3mm hole into it and put on your own ends

like these
http://store.rc4wd.com/High-Precision-Billet-Tie-Rod-End-M3-Silver_p_641.html

[jwscab]

solid link will be strong, for sure. As Mike said, drill and tap the ends, and you can make it a turnbuckle quite easily. as rctenracer said, small all-thread rod on one end, and thread a short turnbuckle on the other end, so one end is right hand thread, the other is left hand, and off you go.

[Lowgear]

When I need custom links made I get them from CPE (Crawford Performance Engineering) who can make you pretty much any length you want. They do both aluminum and carbon fiber ones. Though all their links are made from tubing.

Also member Bigjeepzz here recently started making custom length solid links so you might try contacting him as well.