RAs Heim or bushings?

[rookieshooter]

Like your opinions on using heim or bushings for frame connection of extended RAs. This is a pic of the extended radius arm next to the stock one mounted in the stock location. I'm leaning towards a bushing end using new aftermarket poly bushings like the red one you see in the stock RA. I know that some extended ones come with a heim like the J Duff ones which I think are 1'. This B11 will be a lot of street and some heavy duty trails. I'm thinking bushings will last longer and be more trouble free. Also my built arms are about 15" longer. Are Heim ends really going to help that articulation that much. I have coil over front suspension. I read on another site that the amount of angle change at the frame end is not all that great since the arms are extended. On the same site one guy took off his heim ends and went to bushings. The arms are solid 1.125 round stock threaded at the ends. Only slight modification is necessary to use the new poly mounts. Question....Which would be stronger and last longer. Is the slight more articulation with heim ends worth putting on if they were not as strong? Heim or bushings? One other thing, how about the wear inside the bearing due to crap getting between axel and bearing, will this cause excessive rattle and eventualy failure?

 

[bmxking5]

Well, as you probably already know, I'm running heims on the end of my arms. They haven't been installed yet, so I don't have a single bit of experience with ride/flex/handling/etc. I have CAGE R/A mounts that I'll be using (they came with the arms). If for some reason I decide I'd rather have bushings, I can just take off the heim ends and make new mounts. If you decide on bushings, you can get the new rubber bushings that are angled a bit more than normal ones to allow more flex. Or you can just get regular poly bushings. Hope this helps a bit.

 

[rookieshooter]

Did not know about the angled ones. I really like the way the heim ends look, just not sure. Since the ends are threaded, could go with a female heim end and like you say, could always change. Thanks for your reply

 

[jrgaylor]

I have had both poly (rancho extend radius arms)and heim(James duff extended), the heims used on the duff radius arms are $98 a piece and I never had any problem with them, I gained about 1" of droop with heims over the poly bushings if you were to use rubber bushings they would probably be the same.

 

[rookieshooter]

I have had both poly (rancho extend radius arms)and heim(James duff extended), the heims used on the duff radius arms are $98 a piece and I never had any problem with them, I gained about 1" of droop with heims over the poly bushings if you were to use rubber bushings they would probably be the same.

$98 a piece WOW Rubber bushings just took a commanding lead. Since youve been there done that, thats the info I was hoping to get. Thanks Rick

 

[jrgaylor]

The 1" heim that is used with the Duff arms may be overkill I have seen alot of other people use smaller ones, I just went to the website and looks like the price has come down to $71.5
http://northridge4x4.com/proddetail.php?prod=FK-JMX16T

I am going to be replacing the poly radius arms bushings with rubber bushings, on my solid D44

 

[bmxking5]

I have 1" Heims. Funny thing is, I paid 222 shipped for my arms, mounts, wristed, heim,s etc and am selling the stockers for 25 bucks on Monday = I paid about the cost of the heims for the entire arms built for me.

 

[rookieshooter]

I saved that info. I did not think about rubber over poly though, makes sense.

 

[rookieshooter]

I have 1" Heims. Funny thing is, I paid 222 shipped for my arms, mounts, wristed, heim,s etc and am selling the stockers for 25 bucks on Monday = I paid about the cost of the heims for the entire arms built for me.

That' a hellva deal. Would you happen to know where to get the angled rubber bushings?

 

[bmxking5]

Ummm, BC Broncos carried it, and I believe WH made them too. Same price, product, color, etc.

Yep:
http://bcbroncos.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=75_76_78&products_id=325

http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/35.asp

 

[rookieshooter]

Between you two guys I think I got all the info and more that I was looking for. Thanks again.

 

[jrgaylor]

not all heims are made the same, just look at the diffrences in load rating and price between the 6 catagories of the FK rod ends on this site
http://northridge4x4.com/categories.php?id=678

 

[rookieshooter]

not all heims are made the same, just look at the diffrences in load rating and price between the 6 catagories of the FK rod ends on this site
http://northridge4x4.com/categories.php?id=678

I decided on rubber bushings with the help of you guys. Simple design and function. A whole lot cheaper and the main thing, I'll feel safer because I'm no structural engineer to pick the right heim. I may loose an inth of a degree of droop, but who would ever notice. Gettin late for me, see ya

 

[95offroadx]

all you did to make those r/a is cut in the middle and add 15" to it? and then move the brackets back?

 

[rookieshooter]

all you did to make those r/a is cut in the middle and add 15" to it? and then move the brackets back?

I really don't know how well this is going to work. I just thought of it and started going at it. I'm grinding out the stock rod.

Getting ready to modify arm for larger rod. The stock rod is about 7/8" dia.

Here is the new longer rod. It is 1 and 1/8" dia. solid rod and threaded at the other end and threaded end is larger then the stock threads also.

Here it is welded in place. Had to open up arm and cut a little off the edges to accept the larger rod. This will be boxed in and welded all around. I'm thinking of modifing the stock brackets and moving them back. I want to keep the same angle on the stamped arms so not to change the camber/caster alinement. May have to cut and turn the stamped arms or bend the rod. I've never done this so I have a lot to learn. Be a whole lot easier just to buy a set of longer arms. But that just would'nt look right after doing so much other stuff on this project myself. May turn out I wished I'd had LOL

 

[95offroadx]

thanks, your r/a's are giving me some ideas

 

[rookieshooter]

thanks, your r/a's are giving me some ideas

That's whats so cool about this site.
Ive been away from working on the project, but will get back at it hard in about a week.

 

[holshotracer]

one question for you. are your tires going to rub at full turn? i was going to try something like this but i don't know how bad the tires are going to rub. some aftermarket ra's say that there bent for tire clearcne.