Wexmar provides custom lever, link and clevis machining, including CNC machined rod ends, pivot arms and bell cranks, for linkages, actuators and mechanisms. Our Canastota, New York shop produces these parts on 4-axis horizontal machining centers and CNC lathes, with pin bores and center distances held from a single setup. Every quote is reviewed by a human estimator, and we work build-to-print for OEMs and government programs.
What levers, links and clevises do and who buys them
Linkage parts transmit force and motion through pinned joints. Center distance sets the motion ratio, bore fit sets the play, and bore parallelism decides whether a linkage binds or runs free. Typical buyers include:
- Fluid power and actuator OEMs needing cylinder clevises and rod eyes
- Machine and automation builders with custom linkages and bell cranks
- Valve and instrumentation makers needing actuator levers and links
- Defense, government and aerospace hardware programs with build-to-print linkages
How our custom lever, link and clevis machining works
Horizontal milling
Levers, links and clevis brackets are milled on our Mazak FH4800, PFH4800 and Nexus horizontal machining centers. Both pin bores are finished in the same setup, which fixes center distance and bore parallelism. On clevises, the 4th axis lets us bore through both ears and mill the slot and outer faces without re-clamping, keeping the pin bore square to the slot. Pallet changers keep production lots moving. See CNC milling.
Turning rod ends and round clevises
Threaded rod ends, round clevises and rod eyes are turned on our Mazak and Doosan lathes, with the thread and body finished in one chucking. Live tooling and Y-axis mill the slot and cross bore, so the pin bore is square to the thread axis. Small clevis pins and rod ends up to 32 mm diameter run on our Maier Swiss-type machines. See CNC turning.
Typical materials
- 1018, 1045, 4140 and 4340 steel for load-bearing linkages
- 303, 316 and 17-4 PH stainless for corrosive and washdown service
- 6061 and 7075 aluminum for lightweight linkages
- Titanium for strength-to-weight applications
- Bronze for bushings pressed into pivots
Critical features and how we hold them
- Pin bore size and fit: bored or reamed to a slip fit for pins or a press fit for bushings and bearings.
- Center distance: set by the machine in one setup, not by measuring from an edge.
- Bore parallelism: all pivot bores are finished from one datum.
- Clevis slot width: held to allow the mating tongue to pivot without excess side play.
- Thread to bore perpendicularity: on rod ends, the cross bore is square to the thread axis.
Typical tolerances and finishes
| Feature | Typical tolerance | Tighter on request |
|---|---|---|
| Pin bore diameter | +/-0.0005 in | +/-0.0003 in |
| Bore center distance | +/-0.001 in | +/-0.0005 in |
| Bore parallelism | 0.001 in | 0.0005 in |
| Clevis slot width | +0.005 / -0.000 in | +0.002 / -0.000 in |
| Rod end thread | Class 2A / 2B | Class 3A / 3B |
| Pin bore finish | 63 Ra | 32 Ra |
Values are typical and depend on part size, thickness and material. The quote confirms what we will hold on each feature.
Design notes
Dimension bore-to-bore center distance directly rather than from edges, so the drawing matches how the part is made and checked. If links are made from plate, note grain direction only where it matters, and allow a small edge break on profile edges. For clevises that receive bushings, specify the bushing press fit and whether the bore is finished before or after heat treat or plating. Welded clevis brackets are outside our in-house scope, and welding is arranged through qualified outside processors if needed.
Secondary operations
Heat treat, zinc and nickel plating, black oxide, anodizing and passivation are completed through qualified outside processors. Bushing and bearing installation can be done in-house after finishing.
Quantity patterns
Linkage parts range from prototype sets of a few pieces to production runs of hundreds or thousands per year. Families of similar levers can often share fixtures, which lowers setup cost across part numbers. Related parts include cams.
Inspection
Pin bores, center distances and parallelism are verified on our Brown and Sharpe CMMs, with bore gages and pin gages in process. FAI in AS9102 format, CMM reports, material certs and heat-lot traceability are available.
Getting a quote
Send the drawing, material, finish and quantity. You can upload a drawing for an instant estimate, and an estimator will confirm price and lead time. Call (315) 400-2654 to discuss linkage parts.