For what it's worth...the factory tie-rod ends are loaded in single shear and they do fine. I don't know how the hardness/brittleness of the grade-8 bolt rates to the tie-rod ends, but anyway...
The only issue I have with people like the OP that make a large majority of this stuff is that often times, they're fixing something that doesn't really need fixing (if it ain't broke...). How is the old saying? When you have a hammer, everything's a nail? I think that the OP has some great fab skills, and I too fabricate things for fun and also for a living. He's also better at it than I am and that's what frustrates me is that in my opinion, he's not fully applying himself.
My opinion (and I'm far from versed on the OP's work) is that some (not all) of what he makes isn't really needed. When I was fixing bikes I had to tell people regularly, "Just because someone makes it for what you own, does not mean that you need to buy and install it." People have money to spend and want to "improve" their ride. No shame in that, but again: if it isn't broke...and some of that stuff can really degrade your prized car/bike/buggy/whatever. I think that's going a little far here (unless someone makes brake rotor covers with LED's in them for Darts), but facts is what facts is, and MY car is essentially factory (Chrysler big brakes, poly bushings, and reinforced LCA's) and I don't have the issue that these address. No Mopar I've ever owned, stock or otherwise, has had a bump steer issue unless something was "wrong" like a bent LCA or worn out bushings. I've never heard of any Mopar having this issue unless it was tweaked in some way.
Put another way, if Mopars had bump-steer issues (when assembled correctly, not wrecked, etc) I wouldn't drive 'em in the first place.
Badart, I think you have the skills (and I don't use that term lightly) but I see you making stuff that other people have already done (coilover conversions, tie-rods, inner fender supports, etc) and I don't think the Mopar world needed that stuff when someone else made it either. A lot of this is fixing a problem that does not exist.
It's my opinion that a person of your skillset is going about it the wrong way. Ask yourself what the problems are, and what really needs to be addressed? I see a lot of your work mentions header clearance (These rods, the coilover conversion, etc). Make a better header, don't re-engineer the entire front-end to solve ONE problem part!
It's a challenge to convey context via text-only, so I hope that you're taking what I say, what little it's worth, as a compliment. You've got the skills and the tools, I just think your direction is off a little and when you find that, you'll know it. Is there much demand for drop-in turbo headers? I know I'd buy a set in a heartbeat because I simply don't have time to make them. How about stainless radiator hoses with bleed nipples instead of that cheesy rubber crap? How about a fully adjustable throttle cable mount that fits ANY carb or throttle body and intake so I don't have to compromise my stock cable just to make it work? That's the stuff that *I* need and would gladly pay for.
Just my opinion. Carry on.
