Heim Joint ?

[notgonnamakeit]

Just wanting some opinions here, this is my first 4 link build. The truck is a Ford Ranger Splash with a 532 BBF, 2"X4" box tubing frame, Rockwells, Ballistic Coilovers, setting on 44" Boggers. The truck is going to serve duty mud racing, hill n hole racing, and most of it time fourwheeling. I'm going to run 1 1/4 heims for my lowers with 2" .250 wall DOM tubing. For my uppers I'm wanting some opinions on whether 1 1/4 heims are going to be overkill, should I run 7/8" or just spend the extra cash for the 1 1/4"s? Thanks, Jon

[Adamsoffroad]

I would just use the same all the way around because then you need less spare parts and also the top bars will get the same forces as the bottom bars at different times so Better to stay the same the whole way around.

[1forfun]

go with the bigger ones , you'll need them when buy a set of "v" tread tires

[nvrsatisfied]

i ordered mine threw MC here on pirate. i talked to him about my setup (71' chevy truck, BBC, 54" mich/ setting up for v-treads, 2.5 rocks) and he said i would be fine with 1" shank, so me being the overkill king got the 1 1/4" shank and i could not be happier, and i should have no probs, these bitches are big and BEEFY. i always go big on parts; cause i never know what i'm gonna next........my 2 pennies

linky;

/forum/suspension/784568-bid-bad-forged-4130-rock-ends-joint-sale-free-misalignment-spacers.html

[notgonnamakeit]

thanks for the imput , I was leaning towards the 1 1/4 to begin with just wanted some outside opinions

[mustange70]

you'll bend those lowers in short time, i'd either step up the wall thickness or jump up in od.

[HAWGWILD]

Originally Posted by mustange70

you'll bend those lowers in short time, i'd either step up the wall thickness or jump up in od.

HUH? Ive seen monster trucks run that size for years without problems.

[iniviate]

Originally Posted by notgonnamakeit

2" .250 wall DOM tubing.

Originally Posted by mustange70

you'll bend those lowers in short time, i'd either step up the wall thickness or jump up in od.

i disagree.

my links are made from 2" schedule 80 pipe and they hold up to 62" tires and 5 tons.

[mustange70]

2" sch. 80 is a larger OD than 2" tube (its 2 and 3/8), which will help out a bunch with the not bending that the regualar 2" may see.

[Xjcrawler736]

Originally Posted by Adamsoffroad

I would just use the same all the way around because then you need less spare parts and also the top bars will get the same forces as the bottom bars at different times so Better to stay the same the whole way around.

Untrue, you will get much greater force on the lowers. Every time your tires smash into something the force directly goes into the lower due to there location at the center point of the axle. The uppers will get less force because they are on a higher point of the axle and are acting against the rotating force of the axle. Depending on if it is a double triangulated 4 link you will have similar forces side to side though.

Originally Posted by mustange70

you'll bend those lowers in short time, i'd either step up the wall thickness or jump up in od.

Agreed. I would go with 1.5 " ID - 2.25 " OD .375" wall DOM.

Originally Posted by HAWGWILD

HUH? Ive seen monster trucks run that size for years without problems.

In a lot of cases the monster trucks are using chromoly.

I can bend my stuff at will but I am bouncing my stuff off of rocks so that means nothing.

[iniviate]

Originally Posted by mustange70

2" sch. 80 is a larger OD than 2" tube (its 2 and 3/8), which will help out a bunch with the not bending that the regualar 2" may see.

good point...

[mustange70]

Yeah i'm going to be using 2.5nps pipe (whatever sch. .250" thk works out to) sleved down the middle with some 3/16 rectuangular tubing to stiffen them up, yeah its a tad heavy, but i won't bend and i plan on beating it like a read headed step child.


And yeah monster trucks are usually using fairly high grades of link material, and they are stepping up the sizes of the link bars too (normal i've seen has been 2.5" od by 1/2" thick)

[HAWGWILD]

I see a lot of my buddies sleeving thiers to make it stronger. I will probably do the same to mine eventually. I only know of a couple of guys using chomoly. Its just not used that much for monsters. Tom Meents is one of the few. Bigfoot used it for a couple of thier early tube chassis. For the amount of repair thats needed on a monster its just not a good platform.

[pennsylvaniaboy]

tractor supply sells great heims....even come with a nice connector bar between them so you dont lose them before they get installed