Link End Info

J.C.

J.C.

Volunteer
Moderator
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Location
Greensboro, NC
Looking for some info from experienced wheelers on the differences, + and - , of using heim type ends vs spring eye bushing type ends for link suspensions.
 
I went with heims to start. They got loose on me pretty quick, but they were the cheap ones. Then I went with a bushing style and those wore out to fast for me. I liked the on road quality of the bushing setup because it absorbed some of the bumps. I went with them for the initial cost because they are so cheap. After replacing them a few times you are at the cost of a rebuildable flex joint. Now I only use a flex joint because of the ability to rebuild and the fact that they don't wear out every year.

Bushing:
Pros: cost, ride quality, ease of replacement part
Cons: don't flex as well, wear out when asked to flex, allow axle rotation under torque because they are soft.

Heim:
Pros: cost, adjustability, allows misalignment
Cons: wear out a little faster, require an insert, not rebuildable, solid so they don't absorb any bumps to help with ride quality.

Flex Joints:
Pros: flex great, last a long time, rebuildable
Cons: cost, adjustable if you pay extra, solid so they don't help with ride quality.
 
You'll also get some side to side deflection with bushings. You can use heims at the chassis side and spring bushings at the axle side. It's a good compromise between cost-effectiveness and ride quality.
 
saf-t scissors said:
You'll also get some side to side deflection with bushings. You can use heims at the chassis side and spring bushings at the axle side. It's a good compromise between cost-effectiveness and ride quality.
Click to expand...

Thats exactly what I am going to do. I was going to experiment and use the 3 point hitch farm joint but figured why mess with it and worry about how long it will last.
 
If money is really an option then go ahead with the bushings. I wouldn't use them in a dual triagulated setup where the links center the axle. They are not built to handle side to side that is required to center the axle. Just about every suspension maker out there offers a bushing style setup though so they must work. I ran one for a while on a medium length arm setup on the back of a TJ. They worked really well but wore out after only a few trips without the sway bar connected. My last setup on my CJ used flex joints on one end and stock TJ rubber bushings on the other. These lasted a lot longer and kept the ride nice at speed.

A big plus or minus depending on how you look at it is that a stock TJ bushing is the same cost as a rebuild kit for a flex joint. With that king of setup you basically get a new joints for less than $20 an arm and it flexes really well. But you can tighten a flex joint to adjust it as it starts to wear so it doesn't need to be repaired as often as a bushing. I know several people that build their setups with bushings and then a year later make the upgrade to flex joints. The bushings do the trick, but in the long run you will want something more durable.
 
I dont use bushings at all, and dont recommend them. Only in certain circumstances will I use a bushing and if/when I do its a poly bushing.

Robert pretty much nailed it down. but, Im a big fan of heims for a few not so obvious reasons. with a 1.5" mounting width, a heim can fit into tight spots where a flex joint cant. Plus if they break, just unscrew it and replace it.

Flex joints are great all around; strength, flex, etc. Can get a little expensive to make adjustable. But as long as the casing dont break/crack, they can be rebuilt forever.
 
I'm a big fand of the heim joints also. John pretty much summed it up. They are cheap and easy to find and replace if necessary. The strength is good also.

However, some heims are noisy if not lubricated or if they don't have a teflon liner...

Rob
 
bushings will not hold A vechicles left to right motion when triangulating they may work ok for the straight links but u need something solid on the triangulated links .. i use 1 1/4 heims, they were $35 a piece and they are super strong. here are some pics. of my 1st buggy. it had teraflax joints on the lowers and a weld on tractor pull bar end for the top link .. not the best fab. work but hey i was learning
 

Attachments

  • 3 link.jpg
    3 link.jpg
    96.9 KB · Views: 290
  • rear shot.jpg
    rear shot.jpg
    97.5 KB · Views: 294
So basically you are making a long arm set up like on the the TJ. I am building my front as soon as I figure out where to get the joint and weld in bungs. I am running 2"x.025 wall dom. I will use a weld on housing for a stock bushing like on the XJ front lower control arm. Rubber flexes a little better than poly. I am welding on brackets so that the uppers attach to the lowers. I thought of making them like TNT's or Nth degree's where they have more of a Y set up.
 
^I personally would use tubing with a thicker wall...

I have been thinking about this same topic here lately, as my non-rebuildable Teraflex arms are starting to show their age. I priced out tubing and 16 large RE Joints, and was darn near $2000. I haven't really shopped around for prices, but that was discouraging.
 
jeepinmatt said:
^ I priced out tubing and 16 large RE Joints, and was darn near $2000. I haven't really shopped around for prices, but that was discouraging.
Click to expand...

I am building for my XJ and not the TJ. Thats why I went with Rubber bushings on the Axle ends, to keep the cost down. If you use a Johnny joint, about $50.00 each, you only need 4, the weld in bungs are around $5.00-$10.00 each. I have found some cheaper Heims though. I should be able to build these for around $250. using 4 Joints, 4 bungs, 2 pieces of 32" 2x.1/4 wall dom for the lowers,2 pieces of 24" 1.5"x1/4 wall dom for the uppers, 2 weld on housings for the rubber axle end of the lowers. If I had skills I would show what I am building. Where is every getting their joints from? Here is what I am looking to get http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/product.php?productid=388&cat=167&page=1
 
Give me a call, and we can discuss some options. Im about positive I can beat the competitors pricing and give a stronger link system.
 
Unless you buy the really badass heims, they will : be noisey,get loose,break (seen lots of them break). I run the RE large flex joint and have never had any issues, and my junk is on the trail not in the garage...lol
 
madmonk said:
Down&Dirty said:
. My last setup on my CJ used flex joints on one end and stock TJ rubber bushings on the other.
Those bushing where stock cherokee bushings. 7 bucks at advance auto.
flex joints are the heat, I haven't seen one break yet, I've seen alot of broken heims. just my .02
Click to expand...


I guess the TJ ones are the same. I pressed two TJ bushings in with no problems. Only ran them once with the TJ bushings and I have now upgraded to larger thicker tube, and flex joints all around.
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top