okay, i went to Ih8mud

and am reading the write up on the torque bar, and love the idea and the process, so im going to do mine this weekend, what is the story though, with a heim joint and what sort of places, sell these? (nuts and bolts shop?)

why do you use a heim joint? just for adjustability?

because the way the rear links are setup, you could just put that straight on the front, couldnt you and use a normal shackle? yes/no?

and what angle should that shackle be on? (the one attached to the crossmember?

please explain a heim joint?
what it does?
and why you use it?
i also hear they are fairly expen$ive?

tia
rob
:rasta:

I think the reason for the heim joints is to let the rear end articulate with out binding :idea:

O'ya I got mine from a stock car race shop

okay, so would a greasable shackle work just as well or not?

greasable shackle won't allow the twisting motion that a heim joint would. picture a ball with a hole through the middle section (for the bolt) inside of a cage. it can twist and turn unlike a shackle.

cool, thanks, now i get it!!

would the little rotating ball fill up with dirt, mud and crusties?
or would it all seal up tight?

Heim Joints in OZ are called rod ends.
I ordered 13 of them today for my suspension links from an engineering shop. My nolathane bush is not good on the road!!

I got 3/4 inch nylon lined ones, they are tight in the ball section where as the steel on steel or steel on brass ones have a bit of play and are not good for suspension. I got mine for $55 each. The steel on steel ones are $30 each for 3/4inch. There is a place called linear bearings they have a site at http://www.linearbearings.com.au they sell the race car quality chrome moly body with teflon lined insert for $120 each in 3/4 inch. I dont think they are needed for an old 4x4.

You should be able to get them from any engineering shop that does bearings etc or you could even try SKF or CBC direct.

Heims allow the rotational movement that the bar needs as the axle flexes. The joints at the axle don't need that and will survive better with a poly-type mount, like the shock eyes I used.

The shackle at the frame end should be verticle, or pretty close. (Mine is just close)

5/8" Heims run anywheres from $8 for cheaper ones from Summit Racing or $18 or so from QA-1. (http://www.summitracing.com or http://www.qa-1.com) I run the QA-1 heims on by steering ends and am VERY impressed relative to the others I had. The QA-1 heim is an injected race, tighter, and less likely to accumulate debris. Mine have stayed tight significantly longer than any other brand I've tried.

I got mine from a tractor repair shop

2 joints and a round tube 25$

used for 3 point hitch

I've been looking at a wish bone set up that jegs performance sales 3rod ends and tubing for $130,anybody familar with this set up?

Land Crusher!
Im going to be moving to Seattle in a few months and concerned about finding some good trails to wheel at. Do you know any?
If so when Im up there Ill have to get intouch with ya.
I used to live in Bellingham 8 years ago, now Im hating California. Cant wait to be home again, rains great compared to 110,smog and alergies.

GOT IT!

3/4" rod end for $30 good quality
general bearing co

i was very happy with teh service, i rocked up at 5:15 they shut at 5 and the dude saw me and opens the whole place back up to serve me!! i was DAMN impressed!!!

thanks old mate!!
now to get cracking on this torque bar

what size tube did you guys use? im lookin at some 7/8 dom. is that enough?

I would go with a bigger OD than 7/8". Look for something beefy 1.5" OD x 0.375 wall.

thats what i was thinkin. but where can i get heims that big? i was gonna thread em into the tubing.

weld the nut on there and use thread locker
i was going to use some square bozx section, which is 2 inch square with a 5mm wall sorta like this


____
____O

and wels a piece of tube onto one end crossways as in the crappy drawing

thats top and bottom

as for the heim
____
____||--O

weld the nut on screw it in, maybe even use a second nut to lock it all in place ???

yeah maybe rob..............or maybe get one from snake racing!!!

3/4" rod ends are sold at almost every racing shop around. You can get the bungs and weld them into the tubing. The bungs are already tapped for the 3/4" threads. The tubing size will depend on which size bungs you want to go with.