Barnes heims--FK or not?

[bdkw1]

Is Mckenzies the best place to get them or do you have another recommendation:

ProAm 1in Misalignment Spacers

ProAm "HMA" Spacers for 1in ID Spherical Ball PRM-HMA10058N-THM > 5/8" ID X 1.27" Tall PRM-HMA10058RN > 5/8" ID X 1.38" Tall PRM-HMA10058TRN > 5/8" ID X 1.52" Tall PRM-HMA10058TR-HA > 5/8" ID X 1.52" Tall (HIGH-ANGLE CUT) PRM-HMA10034JR > 3/4" ID X 1.00" Tall PRM-HMA10034RN > 3/4" ID X 1.38"...

www.mckenzies.com

Have you used the Ballistic Fab heat treated 416 SS misalignments?

Catalog - Suspension - Joint Accessories - High Misalignment Spacers - Ballistic Fabrication

ballisticfabrication.com

Been a while since I've bought any. I used to just drive by and get them direct. McKinzies usually has better prices than Kartek. I think the ones Kartek now sells are ching chong made.

I used the Ballistic ones long ago. Had issues with cracking and compression.

 

[Sean]

Been a while since I've bought any. I used to just drive by and get them direct. McKinzies usually has better prices than Kartek. I think the ones Kartek now sells are ching chong made.

I used the Ballistic ones long ago. Had issues with cracking and compression.

Good to know. I was going to go with Ballistic b/c I didn't see any others that were heat treated.

 

[RunningProblem]

FK heim above

My buddy’s “fk equivalent” from Barnes

No FK marking on it. Idk what differences beyond that. Does FK make their own in house?

It could be similar to Summit Racing branded parts. Richmond makes the gears, and perhaps Earls makes the fittings. There is a reason those companies don’t put their name on the product



It would be fun to watch a video of the two being tested in a controlled environment.

 

[Sean]

JFYI...TMR Customs has a 15% off everything Anniversary Sale right now....so their FK Rod Ends in JMX/JMXL series 1.25x1 are $75.

FK Rod End - 1-1/4

If racing is your game FK Rod Ends are the answer! 100% USA made, 3 piece construction with PTFE liner and the tightest possible F1 fit!Choose from either Left Hand or Right Hand Thread, as well as the option to add a Jam Nut.

www.tmrcustoms.com

 

[Burns]

JFYI...TMR Customs has a 15% off everything Anniversary Sale right now....so their FK Rod Ends in JMX/JMXL series 1.25x1 are $75.

FK Rod End - 1-1/4

If racing is your game FK Rod Ends are the answer! 100% USA made, 3 piece construction with PTFE liner and the tightest possible F1 fit!Choose from either Left Hand or Right Hand Thread, as well as the option to add a Jam Nut.

www.tmrcustoms.com

I bought two last night to give them a test. Figured spend a little, see if they get the thumbs up, then i can commit to more on the next sale

 

[Sean]

I bought two last night to give them a test. Figured spend a little, see if they get the thumbs up, then i can commit to more on the next sale

The consensus is the FK are good to go. I've used a set of 16 JMX/L for years...since 2006....still tight AF. Most are 1x1.25...but a few are the RSMX line of .75x.875"...which are a stupid good price at TMR right now for $48 each. Just bought 8....

 

[Blackjackbuggy]

This was a heim that came with the PSC steering kit. I didn’t know any better and used it. I went over a small bump in Johnson valley, turned the wheel in air and it snapped when the front wheel landed. We were going 40 mph and it sent us end over end and landed back on the wheels. I went to FK’s. BUY GOOD HEIMS!!!!!!

 

[TrailTamer]

it bit your buggy’s ass off, even.

I’m glad you’re ok.

 

[Blackjackbuggy]

it bit your buggy’s ass off, even.

I’m glad you’re ok.

Thanks man!! Was a wild ride but that’s what seat belts are for. Guardian angel working overtime on that one.

 

[mobil1syn]

This was a heim that came with the PSC steering kit. I didn’t know any better and used it. I went over a small bump in Johnson valley, turned the wheel in air and it snapped when the front wheel landed. We were going 40 mph and it sent us end over end and landed back on the wheels. I went to FK’s. BUY GOOD HEIMS!!!!!!

that heim failed in tension. i am trying to wrap my head around how that failed when landing because typically in a high"ish" speed get off the tie rod is in compression since the outside of the tire catches edge and initiates the yardsale. typically you would see a tierod buckle or ram mount failure in that kind of senario

 

[TrailTamer]

that heim failed in tension. i am trying to wrap my head around how that failed when landing because typically in a high"ish" speed get off the tie rod is in compression since the outside of the tire catches edge and initiates the yardsale. typically you would see a tierod buckle or ram mount failure in that kind of senario

I wonder the destroyed heim was screwed into double ended ram’s rod?

Rod ends on double ended rams get sideloaded, exposing heims’ weak link?

 

[Blackjackbuggy]

I wonder the destroyed heim was screwed into double ended ram’s rod?

Rod ends on double ended rams get sideloaded, exposing heims’ weak link?

I couldn’t figure out how it happened exactly and my buddy has never seen it and has owned an off-road shop for 20 years. It kept me up a few nights just baffled. This is how I set it up with a grade 8 3/4” bolt sleeved and double sheared.

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

that heim failed in tension. i am trying to wrap my head around how that failed when landing because typically in a high"ish" speed get off the tie rod is in compression since the outside of the tire catches edge and initiates the yardsale. typically you would see a tierod buckle or ram mount failure in that kind of senario

The only way I could see it failing like that is if the ram and steering links were behind the axle. With the steering mounted out front it would have had to have been damaged somewhere else in the run and the landing just finished it off.

 

[Blackjackbuggy]

The only way I could see it failing like that is if the ram and steering links were behind the axle. With the steering mounted out front it would have had to have been damaged somewhere else in the run and the landing just finished it off.

I never even went rock crawling with those new parts in it. That was the maiden voyage and was just mobbing around Johnson valley, all dirt miles. Weird shit!!

 

[TrailTamer]

I never even went rock crawling with those new parts in it. That was the maiden voyage and was just mobbing around Johnson valley, all dirt miles. Weird shit!!

Did you checked your steering stops? Cylinder stops before knuckles hits and bound up on its steering stops?

 

[mobil1syn]

Did you checked your steering stops? Cylinder stops before knuckles hits and bound up on its steering stops?

this makes sense

 

[Blackjackbuggy]

It’s definitely hitting the steering stops in the knuckles with more throw in the cylinder if it didn’t.

 

[ANGRYBLACK]

It’s definitely hitting the steering stops in the knuckles with more throw in the cylinder if it didn’t.

The cylinder needs to have travel stops in it and the steering stops should have just a little clearance when the cylinder bottoms out.

 

[2big bronco]

So since this is the newest heim thread on here... are fk's the best? My steering on my bronco is a mix of 5/8 and 7/8 fk heims and with 8000 miles on them my heims are looser then I would like.

 

[Sean]

So since this is the newest heim thread on here... are fk's the best? My steering on my bronco is a mix of 5/8 and 7/8 fk heims and with 8000 miles on them my heims are looser then I would like.

That seems to be the consensus which doesn't bode well for your situation. 8K seems like an insanely short lifespan for FKs.

 

[Ghetto Fab.]

What style of heim though? The cheaper injection molded plastic ones or the more expensive teflon liner ones?

 

[Sean]

What style of heim though? The cheaper injection molded plastic ones or the more expensive teflon liner ones?

Yeah, I just assumed he was talking the high end JMX/JMXL or RSMX.

 

[mobil1syn]

So since this is the newest heim thread on here... are fk's the best? My steering on my bronco is a mix of 5/8 and 7/8 fk heims and with 8000 miles on them my heims are looser then I would like.

race car parts take race car prep

id be surprised if you get much more life than that out of them.

 

[Sean]

race car parts take race car prep

id be surprised if you get much more life than that out of them.

Had the RSMXs on my steering on a DD Toyota years back....lasted probably 4 years before I parted the axles/frame to someone else who AFAIK is still using them, though it's now more of an occasional daily, mostly wheeling truck.

 

[2big bronco]

What style of heim though? The cheaper injection molded plastic ones or the more expensive teflon liner ones?

Good question. These are the ones it came with, and are the replacements they sell.

Is there any way to service them? Is it worth hitting them with wd40 or anything? The thing probably doesnt have 100 miles in the rain, and maybe 20 times being submerged in fresh water on creek crossings. Its also never been in mud.

The first 3-4k miles they were so tight the tie rod took some effort to move by hand. Now they are all floopy and I can make them click by hand. Maybe they have 100k left in them but it doesnt give me the warm and fuzzys loading my family up and driving 80mph to the trail and home

 

[Sean]

Those are good quality FK ends....though the HRSMX is 38K RSL vs. 55K for the comparative RSMX. JMXs are GTG.

I'd almost want to see video of how much/how easily they move before trying to say they need to be replaced.

NO...to WD40. Dry graphite type sprays are all that's recommended...and I typically don't even do that. All I usually do (though I live in the desert) is blow 'em off with compressed air or give the rig a wash down. They aren't really serviceable.

 

[2big bronco]

Those are good quality FK ends....though the HRSMX is 38K RSL vs. 55K for the comparative RSMX. JMXs are GTG.

I'd almost want to see video of how much/how easily they move before trying to say they need to be replaced.

NO...to WD40. Dry graphite type sprays are all that's recommended...and I typically don't even do that. All I usually do (though I live in the desert) is blow 'em off with compressed air or give the rig a wash down. They aren't really serviceable.

They move as easily as a marble rolling on a granite counter... but only a few thousands for play at most

 

[Sean]

They move as easily as a marble rolling on a granite counter... but only a few thousands for play at most

I don't recall any of mine being that easy to manipulate. I'll have to check though.