What Makes the Perfect Tube Adapter?

Tube adapters are quite simple in theory. They are designed to be used wherever a threaded connection is required. Why use a tube adapter and not simply thread the tubing? The sizes of threads we use on off-road vehicles are quite large, therefore the cost of the taps are very expensive. Often times when building a threaded link we want to use right hand threads on one end of the link and left hand threads on the other end of the link so it can be easily adjusted in the vehicle. So the fact left hand taps are even more costly and usually special order or not even available doesn’t help. Another drawback is lack of tooling; the average homebuilder lacks the proper tools and equipment to accurately cut the threads, even if he had access to the proper sized taps. Tube adapters are the affordable solution to all these issues.

When it comes to choosing a tube adapter, the first thing to look for is what material the tube adapter is made from. Many manufacturers won’t say, or even worse, they don’t know because they simply outsource the job to the cheapest shop in their area or overseas. TMR Customs tube adapters are made from 1018 cold rolled steel. This is the perfect choice when it comes to building your own links using DOM tubing. All the 1018 cold rolled steel we purchase is domestically made, either in Canada or the US so you can rest assured it’s made to the highest standards.

Now that you have selected the proper tube adapter based on the material it’s made from, its time to look at the thread sizes. We offer tube adapters to fit all common sizes of rod ends, Johnny joints and tie rod ends. Some of the more common sizes include ¾-in-16, 7/8-in-14, 7/8-in-18, 1-in-14 and 1-1/4-in-12 in both right hand and left hand thread. Tube adapters are also offered in both round and hex. The hex head style is nice when it comes to tightening down your jam nut. If you don’t know what size you need call or email us. A quick conversation and a few measurements will have you fixed up in no time.

After you have selected the right thread size, it’s time to pick the right ID (interior diameter) and OD (outside diameter) dimensions to match your tubing. Again, many suppliers will not list this information because they simply do not know. All TMR Customs tube adapters come with a specification for the ID and OD dimensions so you can select the appropriate size of DOM tubing to build your links. Always look for a tube adapter that has a short head and long body so the threads are buried where they belong, deep inside the tubing. The rod end will then be fully supported and ready for all the side loading and abuse you can dish out. The short head also places less stress and fatigue on your weld.

Another important feature in the perfect tube adapter is a large machined chamfer. This ensures proper weld penetration. Many tube adapters simply butt up to the tubing making for a cold weld and lack of penetration. Eventually this will lead to failure at the weld that can be catastrophic.

What’s the machined groove in the head of the tube adapter mean? All TMR Customs tube adapters that are left hand threaded have the machined groove. The right hand threaded tube adapters have no groove. This is important when it comes to making adjustments in your vehicle, as there’s nothing worse than looking at the jam nut and not knowing which direction to turn to loosen it.

You will also want to choose a tube adapter that is fully threaded for proper engagement. The industry standard for thread engagement is 1.5 times the diameter, eg: if your threaded shank is 1-in, you require 1.5-in of thread engagement. Watch for tube adapters that come with as little as 1 times the thread engagement.

Last but not least – choose a tube adapter with a large head for proper jam nut engagement. Many tube adapters are made from small sized material to save on material costs – the drawback to the consumer is your jam nut will not properly lock onto the small head and it will constantly loosen off. A loose jam nut will cause the threads to wear and eventually fail.

The difference between tube adapters is clear if you know what to look for. At TMR Customs we manufacture the best tube adapters money can buy. Whether you are rock crawling, desert racing, or hot rodding, professional or amateur, TMR Customs tube adapters won’t let you down.