Quick question about custom front end linkage

[Colorado_XJ]

I just have a real basic question that I found no reason either in my head or here to answer "NO" to. Is there anything wrong with building custom front end goodies (track bar, drag link, etc) out of 1" solid round 304L stainless? The company I work for ran into a small surplus of this fine material due to a detailing error (not our fault). Regardless, the Air Force purchased WAY too much of this for a job and it is now our property...sitting in my shop taunting me. I have most of a Rubicon 4.5" lift awaiting installation (minus the things I know I can make) as well as wheels and tires...so this front end question is the last piece. Mind you, I can get the chromoly and am more than capable at fabbing with it. It's just that this stuff is sitting there and it's pretty much free to me. Thanks in advance.

[Redcbr007]

ive worked w/ stainless before, It looks nice, but a B#@Q$ to weld. What are you going to tig it?


-Red

[Colorado_XJ]

TIG, MIG or stick. Probably TIG though. The job we did was pretty extensive and had SO much silly stuff made of stainless, the contract paid to setup most of the shop welders for 304 SS. We even worked the cost of a new Miller Trailblazer (MIG,TIG, stick, generator & air compressor) into the contract. Too bad it's on our company Duramax 4WD and not in the back of my pickup! The only drawback I can think of is when it comes time to make anything adjustable. SS galls (cold welds) super easy. No fun to try to remove it. I guess I could scrounge up a different alloy for the threaded end or use some good moly or graphite lube.

Thanks for the reply, Red.

-Rich

[BrettM]

sounds fine, but I know nothing about welding stainless. but why weld it? just drill and tap 3/4-16 and thread in TREs or Heims

[Colorado_XJ]

You know? I never really crawled under and inspected exactly what all was entailed. I assumed something somewhere was welded, but upon a throrough inspection today, there ain't one bit of weld on it, which is good. Got some RE large SuperFlex joints in the mail today, and it should all be downhill from here. I will make what I can now, but I think I will wait until the lift to see exactly what I will need for the track bar. I built a super HD bracket this afternoon, and bought some AR 400 plate to make skids out of. I figure, if the stuff is made for abrasion and impact resistance, is the same weight as A36 mild steel, and has a hardenss rating almost 3 times that of A36 and is still formable...why NOT use it? Oh, right. It's way more pricey. Eh, it's only money. At this stage of my XJ buildup, it's one of the cheapest upgrades. Thanks for the input, folks.

A couple more things. First, will having a bomb-proof tie rod, drag link and track bar create undue stress elsewhere...say on the knuckles? And lastly, should I got nuts and use SuperFlex joints on anything other than the upper track bar end or are tie-rod ends plenty sufficient everywhere else?

Sorry for the barrage of seemingly simple questions, but when it comes to my DD and mods I have never made, I am pretty cautious.