Found my old list of shipping info from my retail days. 11/16 steel tie rod sleeve shipping weight was 4#. 11/16 aluminum tie rod sleeves were 2#. This was the whole shipping package, box, packing, tape, parts. Actual weight may be less.

IMO, any flex that occurs in tie rod sleeves is due to the OEM split end design, which means its pretty marginal to begin with. Also, looking at pure lateral loading on the threaded portion of the tie rod stud, which is the same size regardless of the threaded shank size, its something like 5G's worth, which is far and away more load than any of our old heaps can corner at.

Now, if you race oval track where you are constantly being leaned on or bouncing off other objects, then yea, bigger sleeves might make sense.

ah damnit I forgot they did this BS, If I have to upgrade my entire photo library, I'll do it on another website SOB's! anyone recommend a good one?(sorry for the thread jack)

Reg sleeve flex, I calculated a number years back for a thread on this same topic, and it was something like the sleeve would have to bow a 1/4" (???) to get a change in toe of .030". I don't see how this "phantom" flex on OUR cars is an issue worth much discussion.

Check that calc. I may have it somewhere myself. Maybe later I'll remember where..
The reason I suggest double checking is that one quarter, and certainly one half turn on the tie rod sleeve makes a measurable change of the toe.
And a 1/2 turn shouldn't be 1/4".
If my calcs are correct 18 TPI would result in .11" change in steering linkage for every full rotation of either sleeve.
The resulting toe change will be some ratio larger than that.

All that aside, IMO the main reason for larger sleeves and tie rods were (a) endurance especially for high shock load on the ball joints (b) maintain a stock appearance.
Plenty of classes where the rules didn't or don't allow welding of suspension and steering components.

There was a time when even sub-frame connectors were not allowed to be welded in SCCA Street Prepared. My recollection is that welding the sleeves may have been a no-no as well. I was already out of catagory due to the frame connectors, so welding the sleeves was an easy decision.
The only caveat to welding the sleeves is keeping splatter off the threads - especially the lefties. Not a job for any old hack welder.

I need to be clearer, if for example, the TR assembly was say 12" long, and a compression force was applied axially with enough force to cause the center of the 12" span to bow outwards, off axis a 1/4", the member would also shorten approx .030" (???), and toe would change .030".

I have not checked these actual numbers yet, just a rough guess from what I calculated in a past thread. But the point is still valid, our sleeves are not bowing a 1/4", and if they were, they would soon fatigue and fail, and they aren't and .030" ain't that much anyway.

[quote=Supercuda]can't see the pics, photobucket wants you to pay up


Thanks for the update,,,,had wondered what that cr*p was.