Heim joints?

p m

p m

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Two questions - could anyone confirm the thread size for Rover ball joints (tie rod and drag link)? Is it 11/16"-16?

Another - has anyone ever tried to find heim joints with this thread size? Where should I be looking for them?

I'd be very happy not having to build a custom tie rod...
 
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marc olivares

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pm,

yes 11/16-16
taps generally run about 15 for RH, and 35 for LH

Heim can be found in an assortment of sizes.
and the heim size is often chosen to coincide with a tubing diameter.

a 1.250" od x .625" id (dom) is what i typically use for rods and the 11/16-16 taps will thread right in with out pre-drilling.

check here for Heims:

http://www.factorytubular.com/

but i'm sure there are plenty of places near you that have them too.
 
p m

p m

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Thanks Marc,

I can't find 11/16"-threaded heim joints, so it may be moot...
It seems like everyone has 5/8 and 3/4, but no middle ground.
 
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marc olivares

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question:

i assume that you have up graded bars, why do you want to run heims? they don't last as long as a conventional rod end, and they get noisy to boot. just curious...
 
p m

p m

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I am going to run Rover axles under a jeep - things seem to be coming together, except for some hassle with steering setup. On the passenger side, the same hole in the arm of the steering knuckle will have to be shared between the tie rod and drag link, hence the heims.

Will take a ride to the metal supply place, see what they have.
 
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marc olivares

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that double bar setup is fairly common, and high angle spacer are available to stack the heims evenly...

good luck
 
p m

p m

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yes; I'm sitting here looking at the piece of steel that I found in my garage this morning - a tapered end (don't know the cone angle, but it seems to fit in the LR knuckle fine), then a 7/8" hex section, then straight 5/8" Dia, 1.375"-long section, and then about 1/2" of 7/16" fine thread. Should be sufficient to use two 5/8" heims, separated by about 1/4".
Don't know the grade of this piece - I believe I got it in a kit for steering stabilizer long ago.

The DOM tubing for 5/8" joints looks a bit slim - 0.8" Dia, .12" walls. Should be stronger than stock, still.
 
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Iron Boots

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marc olivares said:
that double bar setup is fairly common, and high angle spacer are available to stack the heims evenly...

good luck
Click to expand...

RE1684.jpg


Marc the spacers you're talking about are those I posted above right? Misalignment bushings.

We tend to only run heims on...well nothing. The Superflex/spherical bushing setup is so much better Lasts longer and offers more deflection. Here in New England Heims are not an option on a street driven rig. The weather/winter road salt kills them too quickly.

Good luck with your setup PM...what kind of Jeep are you putting the rover axles under?

RJ
 
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marc olivares

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i believe the photo is from Rubicon Express, but again, any 4x4/fab shop that sells heims will stock high angle misalignment spacers. they are really common in the "rock crawling" world. i get mine from Factory Tubular Motorsport...check also Poison Spyder customs, avalanche engineering, Rock Logic, or any So. Cal shop. :D
 
p m

p m

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You'd think since nearly two-thirds of the U.S. 4x4 manufacturing is in SoCal, you could get stuff easily... Guess what, I had better luck with PepBoys than Off-Road Warehouse. If you have anything other than a Toyota pickup, baby jeep, or dune buggie, you're on your own.
 
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Iron Boots

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markbalbrecht said:
PM: Is that an elusive 65 with a stock 350 (as opposed to 360)? Either way it's nice and clean.
Click to expand...

Nice!

Awful heavy beast to be putting rover axles under it LOL...Waggy 44's wouldn't bolt right in?

Regardless, beautiful rig.

RJ
 
p m

p m

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Thanks for compliments :) It's a 68, with a Buick 350.
How strong are the axles - the ultimate authority here said they would be all right - the current front is a Dana 27, can't see how a Rover axle can be weaker. The rear is a two-piece, 10-spline D44 - again, it isn't any stronger than 24-spline RR axle.
all in all, putting two '74-79 D44s would have been easier - but, I couldn't find them for a reasonable amount of money, and I wouldn't have disk brakes on all 4 corners.
Additional benefit - after this conversion, I will have eliminated one wheel bolt pattern out of three I currently enjoy.
But, the cost of the axles seems to become less than a third of what I will have spent on this conversion...
 
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markbalbrecht

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The elusive 350. Very nice. Couldn't remember off the top of my head if it was 65 or 68, but the badging (and grill) looked correct.
 
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