Any ball studs or ball ends with 2.6mm threads?
Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2024 12:27 pm
I'm modding/modernizing the steering on a re-release Tamiya Subaru Brat using a 3D-printed centered servo mounting kit and a Tamiya hi-torque servo saver. I'm trying to make this look as OEM Tamiya as possible, or at least Tamiya-esque and not obviously hacked together.
The servo saver has 3mm holes so I can use pretty much anything on that end, it's the uprights I'm concerned with. The uprights have 2.6mm threaded holes, having come with some small brass ball studs in a size pretty much any early Tamiya kit used. I want to use a more modern heavier ball stud or ball end and a proper turnbuckle. Drilling the uprights out to 3mm may be do-able but there won't be a lot of meat left around the hole after it's drilled and tapped. 4-40 may be an option since it's right in the middle of 2.6mm and 3mm but I'd rather use metric hardware if possible for 'correctness'.
I do have some random Tamiya and Associated metric ball studs in my spares but I have no idea what sizes the balls are or what ball ends will fit them. It seems like all of these manufacturers are all doing their own thing now. I miss the early days of the RC10 and JR-X2 where everything was 4-40 with 1/8" balls.
So... yeah, all that said, if anyone has any suggestions for a parts combo that may work? Or should I just go the easy and familiar route and use some 4-40 Du-Bro bits and be done with it?
The servo saver has 3mm holes so I can use pretty much anything on that end, it's the uprights I'm concerned with. The uprights have 2.6mm threaded holes, having come with some small brass ball studs in a size pretty much any early Tamiya kit used. I want to use a more modern heavier ball stud or ball end and a proper turnbuckle. Drilling the uprights out to 3mm may be do-able but there won't be a lot of meat left around the hole after it's drilled and tapped. 4-40 may be an option since it's right in the middle of 2.6mm and 3mm but I'd rather use metric hardware if possible for 'correctness'.
I do have some random Tamiya and Associated metric ball studs in my spares but I have no idea what sizes the balls are or what ball ends will fit them. It seems like all of these manufacturers are all doing their own thing now. I miss the early days of the RC10 and JR-X2 where everything was 4-40 with 1/8" balls.
So... yeah, all that said, if anyone has any suggestions for a parts combo that may work? Or should I just go the easy and familiar route and use some 4-40 Du-Bro bits and be done with it?