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heim joints what lasts the longest?

chaplinfj60

chaplinfj60

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marshalltown iowa
good am

so i have 1.25 heims all around and i went cheap 3 years ago, i think a facebook post or something. fast forward to today these dam thing make all kinds of banging around. put it into gear bang, hit brakes bang. :shocked: maybe this is just how heims are or maybe there is one brand that last longer than another so i am taking input because these things have to go this winter.
 
chaplinfj60 said:
good am

so i have 1.25 heims all around and i went cheap 3 years ago, i think a facebook post or something. fast forward to today these dam thing make all kinds of banging around. put it into gear bang, hit brakes bang. :shocked: maybe this is just how heims are or maybe there is one brand that last longer than another so i am taking input because these things have to go this winter.
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NHBB, Aurora SAE series, or FK JMX if you want to stay with quality heims, otherwise, look into rebuildable joints like EMF, Summit, etc., but the rebuild kits basically cost just as much as buying new heims :homer:

No matter what, joints are a wear item, so you could also go with the more affordable FK KMX joints (pretty sure that is what vendors like Ruffstuff are selling) and just plan on changing them out more often.
 
thats a fair point, they do wear out. this is my first time with links. and at first i thought the rig was falling apart. but no. just tiny bit of slop magnified by each joint having a tiny bit..
 
chaplinfj60 said:
thats a fair point, they do wear out. this is my first time with links. and at first i thought the rig was falling apart. but no. just tiny bit of slop magnified by each joint having a tiny bit..
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What joints are you currently running?
 
fk's. Not a fan of big adj heims and what it takes to package them in tight spaces.
 
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TMR lifetimes or Summit maxhine

Both are greasable and buildable.

TMRs standard heims are decent been running 2 years on my 3/4s in my steering with no issues. Spray em with wd40 or liquid wrench every once in a while.
 
I wanted emf for my father in laws jeep build. I spoke with them about all 8 links and steering. I like that he wouldn't take money in advance, but he said he'd put me in line and would contact in 4 or 5 weeks iirc. Months went by and never heard anything so we went with FK.

I'd still like to give them a try, my steering hiems squeak like crazy. I think a squirt of grease on the emf or summits would help a lot.
 
I am looking for some greasable 7/8" x 3/4" joints for steering. I see TMR has there lifetime hiems.
Anyone know of anything else?
 
I run FK JMXT series for all my race stuff. I maintain them with White Lithium or Silicone based lubricant spray. It will leave an unpleasant looking residue that is difficult to remove if you just spray and don't wipe it down after. I try to work the lubricant into the heims as well. I haven't tried to look very hard, but I have also seen rubber/polymer covers that will help to "seal" the joint. I think not constantly pressure washing dirt, debris, and water into the joints will also make them last a lot longer.

I like the idea of adjustable joints, but in my experience it comes down to maintenance time. If they are adjustable, you will constantly have to adjust them. Now there is a benefit to them being easily rebuildable and having replacement part, but I would rather just swap my heims out as needed.
 
Squeaky Clean said:
I run FK JMXT series for all my race stuff. I maintain them with White Lithium or Silicone based lubricant spray. It will leave an unpleasant looking residue that is difficult to remove if you just spray and don't wipe it down after. I try to work the lubricant into the heims as well. I haven't tried to look very hard, but I have also seen rubber/polymer covers that will help to "seal" the joint. I think not constantly pressure washing dirt, debris, and water into the joints will also make them last a lot longer.

I like the idea of adjustable joints, but in my experience it comes down to maintenance time. If they are adjustable, you will constantly have to adjust them. Now there is a benefit to them being easily rebuildable and having replacement part, but I would rather just swap my heims out as needed.
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i pressure was my joints all the time to clean the mud away..... damit... i maybe doing more harm..
 
chaplinfj60 said:
i pressure was my joints all the time to clean the mud away..... damit... i maybe doing more harm..
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At the end of the day, east coast mud wheeling will kill the joints way faster than the desert guys with dry environments. Then it is just a matter of what is acceptable wear versus cost. I still pressure wash all my stuff, I just try to make sure there is a coating/lubricant barrier inside of the joint to minimize the damage, then reworking the coating/lubricant back in after.

Any brand will be similar and likely some industrial products available, but this is what I found in WalMart while at King of the Hammers one year and was pleased with results.

White Lithium Protective Grease Spray | WD-40

Spray on WD-40 white lithium grease to protect metal to metal applications. This protective grease sprays on as a liquid and sets dry as a thick coating to help you avoid rust and corrosion. Try white lithium grease spray for long-lasting lubrication of gears, tracks, latches, pulleys and more.
www.wd40.com www.wd40.com
 
bunk said:
Doubtfull, you probably just have cheap heims made from whoknowswhat. Look into fk's
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so holly cow, just went to the FK site, i had no idea there are so many different rod end option. commercial, precision, heavy duty. then there is all these abbreviations. do you have a good one to start looking at.
 
Do the Seals-It boots help with joint life at all?

www.ruffstuffspecialties.com

1.25" Seals-it Rod End Boot

Check out the deal on 1.25" Seals-it Rod End Boot at RuffStuff Specialties
www.ruffstuffspecialties.com www.ruffstuffspecialties.com
 
chaplinfj60 said:
do they trap water or grit in there? i love the idea. this is something to look in to for sure
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I know they are so tight they pretty much require a tool to install....so you'd hope they'd keep shit out....but who knows? Might actually make it worse depending on your environment. Here in the desert SW where it's pretty dry...might be helpful....or completely unnecessary. I have FK JMXs that are holding up great over time but were/are significantly more expensive than the stuff RuffStuff (for example) sells in their economically priced 'kits' and I haven't run them long enough to say if they're markedly different in terms of longevity.
 
Sean said:
I know they are so tight they pretty much require a tool to install....so you'd hope they'd keep shit out....but who knows? Might actually make it worse depending on your environment. Here in the desert SW where it's pretty dry...might be helpful....or completely unnecessary. I have FK JMXs that are holding up great over time but were/are significantly more expensive than the stuff RuffStuff (for example) sells in their economically priced 'kits' and I haven't run them long enough to say if they're markedly different in terms of longevity.
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but if they could trap water, they could also trap grease hmmmmmmmmmm
 
No votes for RuffStuff? I love ‘em but I run 1 1/4 with 3/4 bolts for uppers and lowers. Only time I’ve had the eyes get sloppy is from crashes stretching the eyelet.

If I’m not using RuffStuff joints I’m using FK. Those also seem to last forever.
 
Most rod ends that you will want to buy run in a Teflon or Nylon mix. Both can have different grades for different longevity and "strength."

FK, Aurora, NHBB and others tend to "wrap" the ball with Teflon. Some use a Teflon fiberglass cloth for more durability. The rod ends that are INjected with Nylon or Teflon are generally the lower cost ends as no post swaging involved, and generally wear from debris and pressure faster. The swaged rod ends can be purchased really tight or loose. The tight ones will affect suspension until they loosen up. Usually an hour or so. And last "longer." You usually have to call for those as hand picked from the process.

FK JMX series is very popular in "tight." for the racers I have never found an economical source for Aurora. Ruffstuff for the non critical applications. A little here and there can add up when ordering 18 or so. Pays to know what you are buying and shop. So many purchase points.

It seems VERY rare to stretch an eyelet unless a "common steel" hoop. Suppose it could happen in a crash..I do remember broken 3/4" ends early in IFS. . That could be a nice fuse. Sometimes specifications will help with that, but usually a function of hoop width, teflon/Nylon mix, and off-angle movement. Some have different definitions of "failure." Notice most don't reference a Mil Spec

Make sure you are using the rod end properly. It only takes 10% of the "Tensile strength" to push the ball out sideways.......
 
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Sean said:
Do the Seals-It boots help with joint life at all?

www.ruffstuffspecialties.com

1.25" Seals-it Rod End Boot

Check out the deal on 1.25" Seals-it Rod End Boot at RuffStuff Specialties
www.ruffstuffspecialties.com www.ruffstuffspecialties.com
Click to expand...
Yes. They will triple the life of a joint.

If you are running a Teflon lined joint, do not grease it. Grease attracts dirt and makes a nice grinding paste.

Pressure washers are the devil. They will blow dirt into hiem, past seals into wheel bearings, past shaft seals into shocks...... if your stuck on using one, be very mindful of where its pointed.
 
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