alternative to heims

patooyee · Mar 25, 2015

I hate how my heims squeak so bad. It makes me feel like my rig is about to fall apart underneath me. I'm going to give hotshot a try this weekend but don't have high hopes. I've tried Johnny Joints in the past, they were decent but I didn't like how fast they seemed to wear and I realized after I took that rig apart that I had collapsed almost all of the bushings in them.

I've been out of the joint game for a long time. I've noticed some pretty crazy revolutionary new designs coming out but haven't really noted who makes them or where to buy.

Was wondering if anyone had experience or suggestions as to what they would replace heim joints with if they were do to do?

zjtrey · Mar 25, 2015

for suspension links or steering? I've seen those blingy ball and socket type steering rod ends but they are pricey…

I've personally had great luck with Johnny joints for suspension links

patooyee · Mar 25, 2015

Suspension, sorry.

al1tonyota · Mar 25, 2015

patooyee said:
Suspension, sorry.

At one time ballistic was making a rebuild able bronze bushing joint that looked like a heim joint? No experience at all with them just a thought!

RustyC · Mar 25, 2015

I wish someone made an 1 1/4" hiem with a small grease channel in the body and a chromo ball. It would be strong and allow an external flush grease fitting to stop the squeaking as well.
There may be one on the market but I have not seen one.

I have drilled and tapped a few an added grease fittings. It helps a lot but without the channel the grease on covers part of the ball before it exits.

patooyee · Mar 25, 2015

RustyC said:
I wish someone made an 1 1/4" hiem with a small grease channel in the body and a chromo ball. It would be strong and allow an external flush grease fitting to stop the squeaking as well.
There may be one on the market but I have not seen one.

I have drilled and tapped a few an added grease fittings. It helps a lot but without the channel the grease on covers part of the ball before it exits.

I thought about doing that and wondered the same thing.

http://www.emfrodends.com/EMF-Rod-Ends-1-25-Shank-Heim-Joint-p/ehm1.25.htm

I don't know what's inside those, is it a delrin bushing, bronze? Pricey little guys but I wouldn't be opposed to them if I knew I would have a nice smooth quiet ride again.

patooyee · Mar 25, 2015

patooyee said:
I thought about doing that and wondered the same thing.

http://www.emfrodends.com/EMF-Rod-Ends-1-25-Shank-Heim-Joint-p/ehm1.25.htm

I don't know what's inside those, is it a delrin bushing, bronze? Pricey little guys but I wouldn't be opposed to them if I knew I would have a nice smooth quiet ride again.

Here's the rebuild kit, I guess that answers that:

http://www.emfrodends.com/product-p/erkm.htm

John Galbreath Jr. · Mar 25, 2015

Spray them with TrickShot, and forget them. At least till you pressure wash them directly, then reapply.

https://www.facebook.com/TRICKSHOTpenetratinglubricant

patooyee · Mar 25, 2015

JohnG said:
Spray them with TrickShot, and forget them. At least till you pressure wash them directly, then reapply.

https://www.facebook.com/TRICKSHOTpenetratinglubricant

I guess I said hotshot in my OP but I meant trick shot. I have a buddy bringing some to GR for me to try. I tried liquid wrench ... that didn't do ****.

redneckengineered · Mar 25, 2015

What kind of heims are you running? I've run both FK and QA1, the high quality chromo teflon lined ones and never had an issue even after years of abuse.

patooyee · Mar 25, 2015

I have mostly MWC with some FK or QA1 mixed in. (I don't recall which, its been too long.) They are all equally noisy. I actually went around my rig on the lift twisting each link to see which ones were squeaking and which weren't. They all are.

pholmann · Mar 25, 2015

A spray moly lube works well. Penetrating oil doesnt do anything.g

kushKrawlin · Mar 25, 2015

I'm in the process of switching to all heims. Don't think any REBUILDABLE joint is worth a **** really.. I have the barns Enduro's on mine.. Recently got 8 heims and love them. Not squeaky yet tho. But believe me a squeak has to be better than a joint blowing apart!

al1tonyota · Mar 25, 2015

patooyee said:
I thought about doing that and wondered the same thing.

http://www.emfrodends.com/EMF-Rod-Ends-1-25-Shank-Heim-Joint-p/ehm1.25.htm

I don't know what's inside those, is it a delrin bushing, bronze? Pricey little guys but I wouldn't be opposed to them if I knew I would have a nice smooth quiet ride again.

That's the kind I was talking about did a search for ballistic fab and nothing came up guess they are out of business or changed name?

patooyee · Mar 25, 2015

al1tonyota said:
That's the kind I was talking about did a search for ballistic fab and nothing came up guess they are out of business or changed name?

Since Ballistic kind of ruined their own reputation with empty promises I basically don't even consider them for any purchase and therefore have never paid attention. To my knowledge though EMF is its own thing and the be all and end all of quality from what I have heard.

kushKrawlin said:
I'm in the process of switching to all heims. Don't think any REBUILDABLE joint is worth a **** really.. I have the barns Enduro's on mine.. Recently got 8 heims and love them. Not squeaky yet tho. But believe me a squeak has to be better than a joint blowing apart!

What do you have that you are switching away from?

The theory of the rebuild-able ones is sound IMHO. You spread the load out over a larger surface area than a heim which should mean longer life. You make them lube-able which should also increase life and keep them quiet. And since they are rebuild-able there is at least an option once they are wore out besides trashing them. BUT I think there has been a tremendous number of massive failures in design that have been marketed through the years that have resulted in them getting a bad rap as a whole to some degree. That's kind of why I created this thread, to see if updated designs have proven out or they still suffer from the same issues as they always have.

For instance, I think using a split plastic bushing with a ball inside constantly trying to separate it from the designed-in split was probably doomed to failure no matter who or how it was done. I think those bushings need to be something much more substantial, some type of wear-able metal or something. And the washer that holds them in on the opposite side of the threaded collar can't be thin-wall sheet metal because it deforms and contributes to the inherent weakness of the split bushing.

patooyee · Mar 25, 2015

al1tonyota said:
That's the kind I was talking about did a search for ballistic fab and nothing came up guess they are out of business or changed name?

Here's the Ballistic ones. They look similar but not the same:

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Forged-Ballistic-Rod-End_p_1786.html

They do seem to address two of my main concerns with rebuild-able joints though. The back washer is machined into the joint body and not just a flimsy sheet metal disc that drops into a hole and they use metallic bushings instead of plastic.

sledneck · Mar 25, 2015

Fluid film. Sorry I know trickshot is a sponsor to some of the events but being from the rust belt and being fairly ocd about my stuff I'm speaking the truth. And yes I have tried trickshot and honestly I don't think it compares.

tiny · Mar 26, 2015

WD 40 silences them for 2 or 3 rides. I keep a small can (4" tall 2"diam.) in my buggy. I hate that squeaking, gets louder and louder.

cushmaneaglerider · Mar 26, 2015

sledneck said:
Fluid film.

X2

kushKrawlin · Mar 26, 2015

Patooyee.. I have the Barnes Enduro joints.. Been runnin them since I built it.. Made to take them off and tighten spanner almost everydam ride.. AND, they just can't hold up to the pressure of the link front.. and being they don't make a tool for them yet Ya have to knock the hell out of them with a punch.. And better be careful or Ya will fubar the spanner nut. Also the threads are as thin as a hair.. Which means, a lot of pressure and BOOM it blows out the threads and is DONE. Me and a buddy both have them, after a ride he called and told me about his third link joint blowing out. I had not even looked at mine.. So I decided I would go ahead and look at it and I'll be dammed!! I figured on his it was from no maintenance, but i'm pretty OCD about my **** on the other hand. So I know that's not the case. Come to find out me and my buddy were the only two people in the world that had a failure with these joints!! :rolf:

I will say that Brad at Barnes shipped a new one as soon as I talked to him. And just ask if I could to send it back so they could study it. I did. I'm not bad mouthing Barnes, they are one of my favorite vendors, and I still order **** all the time from them, but I think ALL REBUILDABLE joints are more for the street/trail rigs IMO a. And if i know anyone that wont like Em, its FOR SURE your ass! Haha. Granted I never heard a squeak, but I would rather hear squeak, and have to spray it rather than have to get down and take all the links off all the time to tighten the things up. And yes it's all the time. I just wanted to chime in so Ya may not waste a **** ton of money. I know you brother hesikai. Bahaha u may be worse than me when it comes to Buyers anxiety! Ha.