Decide to replace my aftermarket adjustable track bar, now the question is, heim joints or poly bushing ends. I already have a bar with poly bushings but want sumptin with longer life span. i've heard the heim style joints make the ride ruff, but new style claims they've cured that. anyone have a opinion on the subject?

note: already have a horizontal bracket for the frame end to do away with the stock ball joint connection and my current bar is extended for the lift.

 

i would really like to do this too

 

Heim joints will make the ride rougher. No re-design is going to alter that fact. Bushings, be they rubber, polyurethane, viton, or whathaveyou, dampen some vibrations, and absorb some shock loads. Joints won't. Simple as that. They will transmit 99% of the shock/vibration right up thru the truck. Good urethane bushing should last quite some time though..... there are even some that you can lube, so they last even longer.... Don't remember who makes them though....

 

Who the heck confuses SoCal with NorCal?

Yo, you must have some amount of lift with the adjustable Tbar, but I'd definitely say NO to Heims. You don't want them for any steering related components for a lifted truck. Only one caveat, you want something you know will need rebuilding ~1 year with relatively low cost. There is a tracbar out there (I think thurens) that is heim joint.

My opinion is bushing is the way to go in terms of performance, consistency, and life.

Let us know what you decide with after more input from others.

 

I just ordered tonight sways bar end links with the heim joints.This is what is stated about the end links-

This kit gets rid of the EXTREMELY WIMPY factory sway bar endlinks and converts them over to these heavy duty and adjustable heim jointed links. As many of you know, the factory sway bar endlinks offer almost ZERO flexibility and with the slightest bit of travel, will bend. The links are made from 1" O.D. solid billet aluminum alloy. We use the highest quality, chromoly, nylifiber FK rod ends for long lasting, durable operation. That's one of the biggest things that separates these from other lower priced ones on the market. Once you see the lack of quality in the heims others use (many don't state the details of the actual heim they even use, and there are huge differences), and the short life span they have, you'll know why people upgrade to these. The lower uses a large 5/8" heim w/ a machined aluminum spacer that perfectly centers the sway bar endlinks vertically. Our conversion bracket on the end of the sway bar itself is actually angled for better clearance between the sway bar links and coil spring (we have seen many factory links make contact with the coil springs).The is a great kit and works for trucks lifted 5-6".

I ordered them through http://stores.ebay.com/Top-Gun-Custo...id=p4340.l2563

Any input on these

 

more of a disclaimer then anything. im sure you know the misconception you get from outsiders if you just say Cali!!


i'll see if i can post the link (computers + me =) but found some guys in wisconsin, i think, who have these heims joints with some special layer that they say absorbs the vibration. heres the copy/paste from the site:
Q: Does your Bullet Proof Track Bar Kits™ transmit driveline vibrations? track bar info
A:Not that you could ever notice, if at all. The special carbon-fibre Teflon® cushion insulates our Bullet Proof Spherical Rod Ends™ bearings from the race for a extremely Super-Tight fit, yet with superior vibration resistance while completely eliminating any sloppiness which is otherwise inherent with rubber or polyurethane bushings typically used in this application. ALL soft bushings need to be eliminated from the track bar system to eliminate all the inherent problems of shake, wander, looseness, steering play, etc. Our kit does exactly that. And we eliminate ALL the rubber or poly bushing at BOTH ends of the track bar, because that's where all the problems are borne from. "By not eliminating the bushing problem completely, would be like reducing a hole in a boat to half the size… it still does not keep it from sinking."


im hoping someone on here might have some experience using something like this. but i'd take replacing bushings every year then getting 'arm pump' from the steering wheel. Now the set-up ive seen recently with the heim on the axle end and a bush on the frame side might be nice cuz you get the best of both worlds, with the bushing absorbing any transmitting vibration, but obviously would not be as 'solid'

And i should prolly clarify, i've read up on all the pros and cons, mainly looking for anyone whos using Heims on their rig to tell me 'THEY'RE GREAT' or 'DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!'

 

Heim on the frame end and poly on the axle end works out Purdy dang good

 

Lone136, that link you put took me to 3rd Gen links, so I'm presuming you meant the following for 2nd Gen.

http://www.topguncustomz.com/Store/G...view=260249014

I almost got those links a few months back, but I needed quick disconnects. So I can't speak to them. I just don't like the exposure of bearing surface and this would mean more to someone that may see alot of moisture. Just what I've deduced about heims for my use. Yours and others could be completely different.

Hopefully someone here has those and can chime in for you.

 

Capt Obvious.... you pretty close to Prairie City?

 

There wasn't alot to pick from when you have 6 inches of lift or more on your rug. In my as well as others here I don't mind working on my rig, hell I work on trucks at work every day, but just on the paint end since I run the part department.
I also just installed new bilsten shocks and man do they look nice. They sure helped the ride.
I think the heims will work well, but they are just like any thing else, you have to service them just like other parts.