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Heims vs TREs

S

SimpleXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
east coast
Hi guys, I have a quick question - why do some places recommend that you do NOT use heims on a trac bar? Are heims weaker than TRE's or is there something special about the trac-bar application? Which one is stronger - TRE or heim?


Thanks

SimpleXJ
 
IMO, Heims allow for a lot more flex/movement. They are just as good maybe better than TRE's but will wear out much faster (maybe 8000 miles) on a DD.

You just have to be careful and not purchase cheap crap.. like most things you get what you pay for. Also get some safety washers or HMS.

All my steering, trackbar, etc are all rod ends and no problems at all...
 
uncc civilengineer said:
IMO, Heims allow for a lot more flex/movement. They are just as good maybe better than TRE's but will wear out much faster (maybe 8000 miles) on a DD.

You just have to be careful and not purchase cheap crap.. like most things you get what you pay for. Also get some safety washers or HMS.

All my steering, trackbar, etc are all rod ends and no problems at all...
Click to expand...
Wrong! I put a brand new heim on my trackbar frame side mount before tellico. When I pulled the TB to fix the axle side mount that was cracking that brand new heim with one run was as loose as a the one I replaced. I hae been through 3 heims of different desighn and different body thickness in less then 3 years. Oh yea I might get in 6 runs to URE and one to Tellico a year. So I'd say I have less hten 1K miles on each of those heims. IMHO the best TB mounts are either a small JJ mounted like a suspension link or a bushing like on the axle side. If you look at the TB from a Ford F150 that is how they are made. That is what I will be going to.
 
Weasel said:
So your saying he's wrong and has problems with his set-up? If you read through the links above there are quite a few people that are having no problems with hiems.
Click to expand...
Let me rephrase his set up may work for him. I was just saying that heims wear a lot faster then what people on here will admit. I am saying he is wrong about the miles. My bad I should have been more specific. There is a reason race teams replace them every race.
 
I run a heim at the axle end of my trackbar....

same one for 1.5 years...

not sloppy yet...

its a QA1 3/4Bore 7/8Shank unit...
 
Ghost said:
Let me rephrase his set up may work for him. I was just saying that heims wear a lot faster then what people on here will admit. I am saying he is wrong about the miles. My bad I should have been more specific. There is a reason race teams replace them every race.
Click to expand...

Twisted Customs run FK rod ends and they don't replace them every season( I don't even think they have had to touch them since putting them on). In fact it was only after they started rock racing that they had to check and watch the joints as they got sloppy. Still a big advocate of is you get the good ends they will last.
 
I believe the first two were FK the latest was from Ballistic fab. It was supose to have a thicker wall arround the rod end to combat streaching. Oh well that theory did not hold up.
 
Glenn,

Not sure what you're buying but something seems wrong... The rod ends on my jeep have over 8k miles.. maybe 10.. and the trackbar heim is still as tight as new?

XM 7/8" chromo... w/ 7/8" to 5.8" HMS is what im running...

The draglink end at the pitman arm is getting loose but the others are just fine...

I know several others running them and getting the same results as me?

I dont know, are you running HMS? or what brand?

If some DD's their rig I dont recommend heims unless you want to keep a close watch on them and replace them when they get bad. Mine have been fine, it's not a DD.. but I did drive it 75mph to Tellico, wheel it for 3 days, and drive it 75mph back.... several times...
 
Ghost said:
I believe the first two were FK the latest was from Ballistic fab. It was supose to have a thicker wall arround the rod end to combat streaching. Oh well that theory did not hold up.
Click to expand...

FK does carry cheaper economy and general use rod ends. Without know exactly the series it would be hard to tell. Does seem odd, were they mounted where they could max out?
 
Weasel said:
FK does carry cheaper economy and general use rod ends. Without know exactly the series it would be hard to tell. Does seem odd, were they mounted where they could max out?
Click to expand...
No they were and this one is mounted so that the vertical movement is on the 5/8 bolt. This is the one I believe I have now that is very loose as apose to being tight when I got it a few months ago. http://ballisticfabrication.3dcarts...ll-CrMo-rod-end-w-kevlar-liner_p_84-1421.html I left out the one that I pulled the ball out of. Luckly I have the safty washers on my drag link and did not loose steering. That is why I now run TRE's on the high steer. Heims are not readily availble here TRE's can be gotten anywhere.
 
Ghost said:
No they were and this one is mounted so that the vertical movement is on the 5/8 bolt. This is the one I believe I have now that is very loose as apose to being tight when I got it a few months ago. http://ballisticfabrication.3dcartstores.com/XM-1012-34-w-58-ball-CrMo-rod-end-w-kevlar-liner_p_84-1421.html I left out the one that I pulled the ball out of. Luckly I have the safty washers on my drag link and did not loose steering. That is why I now run TRE's on the high steer. Heims are not readily availble here TRE's can be gotten anywhere.
Click to expand...

Glenn,

I think if you try it again.. .go w/ a rod end w/ something like a 7/8" shank and bore.. or 3/4" shank and bore and then use a HMS to reduce it to 5/8" hole... I think it'll make a huge difference..

I mean you saw my jeep at the crawl... my junk still tight?
 
SimpleXJ said:
Ok, so I think I got it .... heims flex more and TREs last longer?
Click to expand...
Umm yea!?
 
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