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Tie Rod ends to Heim Ends

Cottontail

Three-De Off-Road
NAXJA Member
Location
Nashville, TN
I am not running any special steering - no one ton or OTK set up or anything. I was wondering if there is any advantage (or disadvantage) to switching out the tie rod ends to heim ends on the driver side knuckle and at the pitman arm attachment points. I know I can't do it at the passenger side bracket with stock components because it isn't a removable TRE.

I am already looking to upgrade the trackbar bracket to a double shear bracket and doing a heim, but wondered if I should think about doing it all all tie rod end points that it is possible.
 
I was kinda thinking that a heim end on the pitman would be the best way too, but I am more tagging this to find a more informed opinion.
 
How many days of the week do you drive it?
 
In my opinion, After running 3/4" heims on everything up front, I'd stay TRE's..
 
How many days of the week do you drive it?

I drive mine about 4 or 5 times a week, no interstate. But I when I am off road, I do the harder stuff.
 
I would keep it simple. If you don't have issues now with TRE's, don't change to something that's not readily available at the local parts store. I just spent $100 on rod ends because all of mine were loose. It's about 2 years or so and then they need changed.

I don't have issues driving it on the street, but mine are set up that way because of the high steer, etc. If you're not having issues now, I would leave it the way jeep intended it until you go to a bigger axle or some other steering setup that requires it.
 
If it were a trailer queen, I'd say drill to your heart's content.

I don't see any point in turning the knuckle or Pittman Arm into wear parts. If you have to rely on this vehicle to go about your life, keep the tapered holes and upgrade the steering.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to leave it alone. I was only going to do it if it was a clear upgrade. I figured that since I couldn't find any posts on it that it wasn't worth doing. This was my confirmation!
 
While everyone's advice to stay with standard ball-style rod-ends certainly isn't bad advice, I can honestly say that going to 3/4" OTK heim steering was without a doubt one of the best upgrades I ever did to the thing. It sees road-duty 3-5 days a week, at speeds up to 75 mph, -literally hands off the wheel and straight as an arrow. It also get's beat hard on the trail, -and no issues whatsoever, even after 3 years. I love it and have no regrets.
 
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