Best way to make pushrods?

Some pushrods inside diameter changes the further down the shaft,usually the press fit area is in the first 2 inches.If your building pushrods or using unfinished kits make sure they are close to the approximate length needed.Many are high quality Chromemoly and hard to cut without special tooling.If you just need to shorten them just a little you may have a machine shop turn the shaft down just below the cup and try pressing the cup in further.If the are a premade quality rod it's almost impossible to remove the cup.It's most always cheaper to make or get the correct length set than spending the time reworking a set.

The last set I needed to shorten were exactly 1/8" too long which is, coincidently, the width of a typical lathe cutoff blade. The cutoff blade will cut the tubing fairly easy and will stop when it hits the hardened tip; this leaves enough of the tip to get hold of with a claw hammer or pry bar to pull the tip out, then shorten the tube more if required.

Like Bob said, the inside of the tube is usually reamed deeper than needed for the tip but check the depth before trying to press the tip back in the tube.

long time ago i had a set of used pushrods that were too long so i did it the cruel way by use of a vise and vise grips and hammer and pulled the tip ground it shorter to proper length and put them back together, they worked fine for many rounds and laps in a circle track car and i still have them as of today

I made sheet metal U and drill pushrod size hole bottom of it so rod hanging on it´s cup only. top off U drill holes and put bolt through for attack self-locking pliers and slide hammer.
Just put pushrod in vise between plywood pieces and use slidehammer to take cup off.

I do mine like John, on a lathe.

Thanks Guys!

I only need to shorten them a about 1/8th of an inch. They are the ball/cup style. I could order new ones but I probably have 30 (swap meet buy) that are too long. I have some extra time before my next race so I figured I would at least see how difficult it would be.

I don't really have the skills or access to use a lathe so I'll have to keep thinking about the best way to cut them accurately and safely.

Found this today.

Should make the job easier.

web page

Over the years and after all is said and done, I have learned this--Just call Smith Bros and two days later you will have beautiful push rods and you can sell the set you have that are not correct to lesson the blow and......you will never lose an engine becuase of a cup falling out etc etc Ask me how I know.
It is not worth it to use old, altered push rods.
Smith Bros is the very best--100% reliable Mopar vendor on the planet.

I gave up and sent an existing pushrod to Trend requesting a set of 18 similar pushrods .100" shorter.

Thanks Guys!

I agree with everyone on this site that said to call a professional and give him all your info so you don't put the wrong length, diameter and wall thickness,along with the corret ends and ruin your motor.

Hmmmm, so pushrods are akin to rocket science....who woulda guessed?