I priced the Aurora ends, and they are like $23 for each end, which is about the going rate for HD rod ends. So my questions are about building these cheaper. What I was thinking is that I could find some solid hex steel and drill/tap the ends for a 1/2-20 rod end. That way I could use cheaper and more common rod ends, and I think the hex shape of the steel would be easier to adjust- I could just use a wrench.

Question 1: will this be strong enough? The steel and 1/2-20 threads, I mean. I know they will be heavier than the origional plan, but I don't think there will be that much difference, and 1/2" rod ends are much easier to get should something happen.

Question 2: do I have to use 4130 rod ends, or would standard rod ends work fine? The car will be a turbocharged car, no transbrake, so I don't anticipate the suspension being hit real hard on launch. The rod ends I was looking at were the standard rod ends in the S&W racecars catalog (they say a 3/4" end is rated at 14,207 lbs, but a 4130 is rated at 24,000lbs, just to give you some comparison).