Rod End Adapters make it possible to run oversized rod ends without running oversized hardware. These adapters not only size the bolt down but also provide higher misalignment from the rod end and can space the rod end properly between tabs. Rod End Adapters are made from 303 stainless steel to prevent rust and to maintain a high tolerance fit.
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Anybody think of using some massive heims for their trailing arms with these cool little items. Seems like a good way to get a larger heim in the rovertym and safarigard mounts.

Way

http://www.spidertrax.com/hardware_rea.htm

I thought the question was bolt strength, not rod-end strength.. Or maybe I'm just not paying enough attention.

-John

There has been a lot of talk about heim joint wear. I larger heim is stronger. The bearing is also larger spreading out the load. I assume that this would lead to longer life as well.

You are right that the bolt shear is lower so it doesn't make much difference. But with a higher mis alignment in the heim will not put as much stress on the bolt. I can't image how you could shear a good sized bolt with lots of misalignment and freedom that heims offer. Teh shear is important, but lets look at how likely bind will occur. There are also a lot of areas where there isn't a lot of stress on the bolt.

IMHO I think that having a larger heim would add a lot fo strength to the enitre set up. I am interested to see what others will say.

Way

sounds good to me.

You're right, wear resistance and angular displacement are important keys to these things and I'm always looking for ways to make my crap last longer so I don't have to fix it as much.

So.. lemme know how they work!

-John

I don't have heim joint trailing arms (mine are still stock!). But I think they are the way to go. Kinda expensive though. I may make mine. That way the thread in the tube would be larger to accept the bigger heim. Just thought of that. A larger heim would require modifying the trailing arm.

Can you believe I havn't bent mine or hurt them yet! The rock is really soft in Farmington and it seems to give prior to bending. I am such a snail creeper that there is never much contact force. However check out the mounts. They get hung up all the time. It would be nice for clearance reasons togo with a heim style. I really like teh Rovertym ones if they had a big heim. I have more travel than I could ever want in the rear as is, so that isn't of muych concern.

Way

for my rear axle, the heims aren't to aid flex although I think they do help a bit. I really put them on to get rid of those ears on either side. I was getting sick of hanging them up on everything. Actually, I was looking at the front ones and thinking it would be nice to get rid of those as well so that I don't get hooked on the front either. Maybe someday I'll streamline the undercarriage a little better.

I am still waiting for SG to send me new heims for the rear since the ones I have are totally shot and the thing rattles like crazy. :( Hopefully, they'll get around to it some day.


I haven't had a whole lot of stability problems with the truck as it sits now, but the new D90 with stock suspension and sway bars really feels like it corners on rails! I'll put my old HD trailing arms and some frame sliders on that truck and hopefully there won't be too much of a problem with that suspension for a while. Not as slick as mine, but enough to hit the trails.

-John

I have Rovertym's rear links that use the stock frame-mounted "ears". While west-coast terrain wasn't really killing me with these mounts, Tellico and the like is really giving these ears a beating. I've got all the travel I need now, but I am getting hung up with these things quite often!

I've been considering fashioning a slider-type of skid to cover the ears, or just hack em off and go with heims. I'm leaning toward the heim solution.

Anyone using another vendor for this other than rovertym? Do most just make their own? Rovertym's seem a little pricey to me at first glance, but haven't researched this too much so far. How's the wear with these Rovertym mounts?

Any input from you guys running heims, D90 or Disco or Rangie - whatever, I'd love to hear it, if it's not too far off-topic for the thread.

I totally agree with everything you said Way. The larger surface area of the ball, and body, of larger heims makes for much less surface pressure in a given area. And since large heims are made of the same materials as the smaller heims, then less pressure, and therefore friction, should make those materials last longer.

I am taking a different route though with the heim bore/bolt adapters in the 4 links that I am building. I am using 1" bore heims, and inserting poly bushings inside of them that sleeve down to a 5/8" bolt. This setup acomplishes everything that the steel adapters do, and more,IMO. They act as spacers that keep the heims centered in thier brackets(The poly bushings are turned down where they enter the heim, so that the heim is held in place in the bushings). They act as high mis-alignment spacers, and never allow metal to metal contact with the body of the heim and the bracket or bolt. And the thing that I think that they do better than steel adapters is , they are going to absorb some vibration, which keeps me from wearing out as quick, as well as the heim joints. I feel that being subjected to allot of vibration is one of the main reasons why some people have heims get sloppy so quickly.

Sam Silviera at Sierra Rock Crawlers (www.sierrarockcrawlers.com) used this type of setup on the front of his Willys for a while. He used regular rubber bushings though, and experienced a bit too much deflection in the bushings if you consider road travel. I think that the bit more rigid poly bushings will cure that problem. You can check out the details of his setup hereThe Slinky (http://www.sierrarockcrawlers.com/tech/projects/willys/projectwillys.html).

I am dying to try my setup, but I have a long way to go. Maybe next summer....

Sean

Originally posted by DiscoFvr

I've been considering fashioning a slider-type of skid to cover the ears, or just hack em off and go with heims. I'm leaning toward the heim solution.

Anyone using another vendor for this other than rovertym?



http://www.rockware.net

Originally posted by Rover Addiction
I am still waiting for SG to send me new heims for the rear since the ones I have are totally shot and the thing rattles like crazy. :( Hopefully, they'll get around to it some day.
-John

Source your own John...3/4" bore...7/8" shank...Count the pitch of the threads...I think they are a 12...Betcha' you can find um' cheaper than SG...

BTW, got the 3/4 x 3/4 from Avalanche yesterday...Man what a difference 1/8" makes on the shank! I pulled them out of the box and thought I had 5/8's in my hand! Started thinking 1.25" x 1" shank again...Then I took a deep breath...Reviewed the numbers, and settled on the 3/4 x 3/4...Hell I'll carry spares, and if they let go too easy (doubt) then I'll just build new links...Hell I've only got $62 in to each link with heims.

--

Originally posted by DiscoFvr
I have Rovertym's rear links that use the stock frame-mounted "ears". While west-coast terrain wasn't really killing me with these mounts, Tellico and the like is really giving these ears a beating. I've got all the travel I need now, but I am getting hung up with these things quite often!

I've been considering fashioning a slider-type of skid to cover the ears, or just hack em off and go with heims. I'm leaning toward the heim solution.

Anyone using another vendor for this other than rovertym? Do most just make their own? Rovertym's seem a little pricey to me at first glance, but haven't researched this too much so far. How's the wear with these Rovertym mounts?

Any input from you guys running heims, D90 or Disco or Rangie - whatever, I'd love to hear it, if it's not too far off-topic for the thread.

What a couple of my mates have done (and im going to do this week) is to cut the rear ear off the chassis and move it about a foot forward and up so it doesent hang below the chassis. Then to extend the trailing arm they cut the arm in half. Put a smaller bar up the inside and weld it to extend the arm and then get some larger pipe and sleve it over the outside of the entire arm, weld at each end and a couple of plug welds to make it really solid. You still have the stock rubber mount (so the heim wear isnt an issue) and the rubber mount lasts a lot longer cause the longer arm doesent go through as much angle.

Sam

Originally posted by Strange Rover


What a couple of my mates have done (and im going to do this week) is to cut the rear ear off the chassis and move it about a foot forward and up so it doesent hang below the chassis. Then to extend the trailing arm they cut the arm in half. Put a smaller bar up the inside and weld it to extend the arm and then get some larger pipe and sleve it over the outside of the entire arm, weld at each end and a couple of plug welds to make it really solid. You still have the stock rubber mount (so the heim wear isnt an issue) and the rubber mount lasts a lot longer cause the longer arm doesent go through as much angle.

Sam

Talk about Hill-Billy engineering man! Gotta' luv it partner! :rainbow:

Originally posted by RockRover


Talk about Hill-Billy engineering man! Gotta' luv it partner! :rainbow:

Wait a minute! That's what I did the first time I folded my stockers! :emb:

GREAT IDEA SAM!

--D

:emb: :emb:

Originally posted by Strange Rover
What a couple of my mates have done (and im going to do this week) is to cut the rear ear off the chassis and move it about a foot forward and up so it doesent hang below the chassis. <cut>

Hmm... Very good, and obvious, idea. Not sure why I haven't thought of that! (grin) All right Sam, now you've got me thinking - I like the simplicity of the heim, but the wear rate bothers me a bit.

If you get a chance, post a pic or two of your relocated ears later in the week - would love to see them.

/Thanks!