Why not just weld that nut on to extend the threads? Put a bolt and nut
so the nut is just touching the arm and tack it in place. Then turn the
bolt so that you know there is no binding - then finish the weld all
around the outside.

-jim

Chris Wilson wrote:

I have a basic Bridgeport universal mill and a small (8 inch swing)
Harrison lathe. I need to alter some home fabricated lower suspension arms
from a race car. I cut off the stock compliant rubber bushed "eye" from the
arms, and welded in a drilled and tapped buttress to take a rod end. I now
find the geometry of the car has proven to need yet more negative camber.
The rod ends are now threaded right out, so the ends of the threaded shanks
are just flush with the inside walls of the buttresses. I need them about a
quarter of an inch further exttended, and ideally for the rod ends to have
less shank out of the buttress for added safety and strength. I have
decided to bore ou the threaded holes to take a steel tube, internally
threaded 5/8 UNF for the existing rod ends. I am unsure of the best way to
hold the arms to allow me to drill concentrically with the existing
threaded hole to take a sleeve which I envisage as having about a 5mm wall
thickness. This will effectively extend the buttress further outboard, and
the existing rod end will screw into it and use the same type of locknut
against the end of the sleeve. Any clever ideas how to set this up, given I
have very limited fixtures and tooling, and not a lot of experience with my
machine tools? Thanks.

Photos are at http://www.gatesgarth.com/bore/bore.html