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track bar question

etaniyani

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Santa Monica
alright guys, I already made a hd track bar couple months back and a tie rod, and im building a drag link right now. I used hiem joints for both the tie rod and the drag link. The track bar has a superflex joint at the frame side, and one of RE's polyurathane bushings at the axle side. When I asked RE about putting a solid part like a heim joint at the axle side they said it would handle bad, but didn't really know why. Anyone have any experience with this? I'm thinking that putting a heim joint will only make it better, less play. What u guys think?
 
etaniyani said:
I'm thinking that putting a heim joint will only make it better, less play. What u guys think?

I'd think there'd be more "play" in as much as the heim joint moves in ranges of motion not intended for the axle side of the track bar. The track bar keeps the axle laterally centered and then just moves up and down in one plane, right? Why give it a joint that moves in directions that axle is not supposed to travel?

And as far as a solid joint there as opposed to a bushing, I just imagine it'd be harsh. Bushings deform and absorb impacts, that's what they're designed to do. links transfer forces and don't do much for absorbing.


Now as a man who's had tons of trackbar issues, I can say that (barring zany things like cracks in the frame, loose bracket bolts, etc) any "play" that you get on your trackbar is either a blown bushing, blown joint, or wallowed out frameside bracket. Just because these bushings aren't made of metal doesn't mean you should have slop.
 
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