Why buy the body separately?
Two reasons, and both save money. The first is repair: turnbuckle bodies and end fittings wear differently, and a body with damaged threads or a bent frame does not mean the eyes and jaws attached to it are finished. Replacing just the body keeps serviceable fittings in use. The second is specification. If you are building an assembly with one eye end and one jaw end, or fitting ends you have made yourself, buying a complete assembly means paying for fittings you will discard. A body plus the two ends you actually want is both cheaper and exactly what the job needs. The one thing to get right is thread matching, since the body's two ends are opposite hand.
Why choose carbon steel turnbuckle bodies
- Replace a damaged body without discarding serviceable end fittings
- Build mixed assemblies with different fittings at each end
- Fit custom or fabricated ends of your own design
- Widest size range we stock, 1/4-20 through 2-1/2
- Take-up options from 3 to 12 inches
Sizes and take-up stocked
- Small, 1/4-20 and 5/16-18 with 4-1/2 inch take-up
- Mid range, 3/8-16 through 1 inch with take-ups from 3 to 12 inches
- Large, 1-1/8 through 2-1/2 with 6 and 12 inch take-ups
- Specified as thread diameter by take-up length
- One end is right hand thread, the other left hand
Common applications
- Replacing a worn or damaged body in an existing assembly
- Building mixed assemblies with an eye at one end and a jaw at the other
- Fabricated assemblies using purpose made end fittings
- Maintenance stock for rigging and structural tensioning
- Engineered tension members with bespoke connections
- Large diameter assemblies beyond standard fitting ranges
If you need a complete assembly, see our eye and eye, jaw and jaw, and stub and stub turnbuckles in carbon steel.
Related Categories
- Turnbuckle Bodies
- Carbon Steel Stub and Stub Turnbuckles
- Carbon Steel Eye and Eye Turnbuckles
- Carbon Steel Jaw and Jaw Turnbuckles
- Turnbuckles
Carbon Steel Turnbuckle Body FAQs
Why does the body have two different threads?
One end is right hand and the other left hand, which is the whole mechanism. Rotating the body draws both end fittings toward the centre at once, or pushes both out, without either fitting having to rotate. That is what lets you tension a cable without twisting it.
Will any end fitting screw into the body?
Only one matched to the thread size and hand. Ordering ends separately means checking both the diameter and which hand each end of the body requires, since fitting two right hand ends would leave you with a body that does nothing when rotated.
Can I reuse old end fittings with a new body?
If they match the thread and are in serviceable condition, yes, and that is a common reason to buy a body on its own. Inspect the fittings for wear, elongation, and deformation before reusing them in a load bearing assembly.
What take-up should I choose?
Enough that working tension sits mid range with room to tighten as the assembly settles. Take-up is the travel available, so a 12 inch body gives twice the adjustment of a 6 inch one at the same thread size.
Will these rust outdoors?
Plain carbon steel corrodes in outdoor exposure. Paint or coat after assembly, or specify hot dipped galvanized for exterior service and 316 stainless for marine and coastal use.
Do I need to lock the body once tensioned?
On anything that vibrates or cycles, yes. Jam nuts on each end fitting, lock wire, or a locking clip stop the body rotating loose. This is standard practice on permanent rigging and structural installations.