In about a month, I am going to start my 4-link rear conversion. My question is.

What Heim Joints do I need???
I have seen, Chromoly or Steel, self lube or greaseable, 1/2 up to 1 1/2 inch shank.....

I just dont know where to start. How big, or small, do I really need them?

I have looked at some race cars, circle and 1/4 mile, and their heims arent as big as I had expected. But I dont know if mild rock crawling will be easer or harder on suspension parts. The circle trak guys I talked to said the only time they have a heim joint fail, is when they crash. They also replace them every year, which is no trouble, I just dont want to get the wrong ones.

Here are some I found in a circle track website. http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/1536,107_Heat-Treated-Chrome-Moly-Rod-Ends-and-Heim-Joints-Male.html

and
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/83,107_Pro-1-Series-Rod-Ends-and-Heim-Joints-Male.html

I am just worried about how cheep they are ! ! !

Here is some general info about my rig.
I am going to run less than 40 inch tires, 4300 lb rig, 5.0L, 5.43 gears. Not a hard core rig, but I do get rough with the throttle.


THANKS, Todd S.

Something that big and heavy I'd use something with a 1 1/4" shank on the lowers. Uppers you could get away with 3/4" heims because they will not be side loaded. I used 3/4" shank heims on my rear lowers and they are all bent even with only 1 or 2 threads showing on each shank. I plan on re-doing my lowers with bigger ends and links this winter.

For my front I used 2 1/2" 1 1/4" shank Johnny Joints. They are rebuildable and the best bang for the buck in that size in my opinion.

The uppers I used 3/4" alloy heims with a teflon liner (FK JMX12 from Polyperformance). They are much tighter and quieter than my junk budget 3/4" 2 peice steel heims like the ones you linked to. I built the rear links 3 years ago and they are making quite a bit of noise now.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/1536,107_Heat-Treated-Chrome-Moly-Rod-Ends-and-Heim-Joints-Male.html

and
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/83,107_Pro-1-Series-Rod-Ends-and-Heim-Joints-Male.html

THANKS, Todd S.

no, and double no.

you're going to want to look into rubicon express flex joints, summit machine flex joints, evolution heim joints, currie's johnny joint, just to name a few.

read this:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PR-Joints/index.html

the loads that snaps those circle track joints during a crash are loads your suspension is going to see every time you're bouncing your tires with your foot on the floor trying to climb some obstacle.

Really big tires and massive gear reduction and a powerful v8 all mean you're going to need one hell of a beefy rod end/flex joint to be reliable.

Swapping suspension joints every year is ridiculous. Build it correct and reliable the first time. At about $100 per joint for the good chit and 16 joints in a double triangulated 4 link front and year, this isn't something you want to do every 12 months. Unless you have a whole shit ton more money than me...which, i guess, isn't that hard to do.

good luck
Paul

edit: the amount of flex we need for offroad suspension design also requires a joint with a much higher misalignment capacity. Another reason those circle track joints just aren't the most ideal. Also, I've read that a lot of heim joints give a deflection value that is their total deflection from one extreme to the other, and usually johnny joint type/uniball/flex joint deflections are rated in center to one extreme. Meaning, a heim joint with 22* listed deflection can deflect 22*. A uniball/jj with 22* deflection can deflect 44* total. Search on this, this might be one of the most heavily covered subjects on pbb.

no, and double no.

you're going to want to look into rubicon express flex joints, summit machine flex joints, evolution heim joints, currie's johnny joint, just to name a few.

read this:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PR-Joints/index.html

the loads that snaps those circle track joints during a crash are loads your suspension is going to see every time you're bouncing your tires with your foot on the floor trying to climb some obstacle.

Really big tires and massive gear reduction and a powerful v8 all mean you're going to need one hell of a beefy rod end/flex joint to be reliable.

Swapping suspension joints every year is ridiculous. Build it correct and reliable the first time. At about $100 per joint for the good chit and 16 joints in a double triangulated 4 link front and year, this isn't something you want to do every 12 months. Unless you have a whole shit ton more money than me...which, i guess, isn't that hard to do.

good luck
Paul

edit: the amount of flex we need for offroad suspension design also requires a joint with a much higher misalignment capacity. Another reason those circle track joints just aren't the most ideal. Also, I've read that a lot of heim joints give a deflection value that is their total deflection from one extreme to the other, and usually johnny joint type/uniball/flex joint deflections are rated in center to one extreme. Meaning, a heim joint with 22* listed deflection can deflect 22*. A uniball/jj with 22* deflection can deflect 44* total. Search on this, this might be one of the most heavily covered subjects on pbb.


This is exactly the responce I needed.:D

I didnt think those cheep ass heims would work, thats why I asked before I bought.

I am using the Johnny Joints now on my extended radius arms. I am very impressed with them.

I have read the pirate4X4 article, http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/PR-Joints/index.html,but alot of numbers and alot info tends to confuse me.......

Thanks alot, Todd S.

id run 1.25 on the lowers and 3/4 on the uppers, no need for cromo -

pic for ya 1.25 QA1 - non cromo
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m272/f250rollinon37s/newpics001.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m272/f250rollinon37s/newpics005.jpg


got them from balistic fab

oh and 5/8 " high misalignment spacers