Suspension link ends

[JayH]

I'm probably going to be making new links here soon and am wondering what most people here are using. I've used the large (and small) RE spherical ends for a few years now but I can never seem to get the preload right and they fail (loosen up) rather quickly.

I've read about the poly performance uni-ball and the Evolution heims overon pirate but damn, talk about $$.

So who all is using what here and is it worth it to you?

Thanks

 

[Mark m.]

I'm going to be making new links also and wondering the same thing.

 

[Not Jobless]

Providing you have the physical space for mounting, I would run nothing but Johnny Joints, such as the ones from Currie.

Intial cost is up there a bit but it is well worth it in my opinion.

We've used the RE joints before and they did not last a year without needing to be replaced.

 

[crash2]

Providing you have the physical space for mounting, I would run nothing but Johnny Joints, such as the ones from Currie.

Intial cost is up there a bit but it is well worth it in my opinion.

We've used the RE joints before and they did not last a year without needing to be replaced.

What he said :awesomework:

 

[darius]

I hear 3/4" x 5/8" heim's on one end and bushing's on the other is the hotness.

 

[Mark m.]

If I go with the johnnys is it best to use them at both ends or a bushing at one end ?

 

[Not Jobless]

If I go with the johnnys is it best to use them at both ends or a bushing at one end ?

Both ends.

Bushing will wear prematurely as all the suspension travel relates to deforming the bushing in side the housing rather than rotating.

 

[Not Jobless]

I hear 3/4" x 5/8" heim's on one end and bushing's on the other is the hotness.

Why?

You get a bunch for free :fawkdancesmiley:

 

[crash2]

If I go with the johnnys is it best to use them at both ends or a bushing at one end ?

As brad said--run them at both ends to keep the suspension from walking/tearing the sides of the bushings up...

 

[Mark m.]

Thanks for the info.

 

[darius]

Why?

You get a bunch for free :fawkdancesmiley:

So what if I did, other people's junk is my gold. I'm just getting ready to set up a detroit in a 9" right now come to think of it.:fawkdancesmiley:

 

[Not Jobless]

So what if I did, other people's junk is my gold. I'm just getting ready to set up a detroit in a 9" right now come to think of it.:fawkdancesmiley:

That Detroit is guaranteed to let go in the Rock Garden :fawkdancesmiley:

 

[Berne]

Both ends.

Bushing will wear prematurely as all the suspension travel relates to deforming the bushing in side the housing rather than rotating.

As brad said--run them at both ends to keep the suspension from walking/tearing the sides of the bushings up...

I still don't get this....maybe its a johnny joint thing???


I've been running heims at the chassis end and spring bushings at the axle end for YEARS, and a couple months ago I had the front end apart (the bushings that have been in the longest)....and they still look like brand new...

if you're getting into stupid amounts of flex or something, that a good heim w/ good misalignment spacers can't handle the angle, then yes, I suppose that would start eating bushings....
but the bushings in my front end are going on 5 years old, and literally, show virtually zero wear...


I vote for big heims at one end, and spring bushings at the other...

 

[crash2]

I still don't get this....maybe its a johnny joint thing???


I've been running heims at the chassis end and spring bushings at the axle end for YEARS, and a couple months ago I had the front end apart (the bushings that have been in the longest)....and they still look like brand new...

if you're getting into stupid amounts of flex or something, that a good heim w/ good misalignment spacers can't handle the angle, then yes, I suppose that would start eating bushings....
but the bushings in my front end are going on 5 years old, and literally, show virtually zero wear...


I vote for big heims at one end, and spring bushings at the other...

You are running a double triangulated 4 link?

 

[CHOP SHOP]

ive had good luck with chev spring bushings at one end and johny joints at the other. JJs are cheap to rebuild if needed.:awesomework: heims are too expensive to ruin on muddy trails. uke:

 

[Berne]

You are running a double triangulated 4 link?

in the rear...

and 3-link-ish w/ a panhard in the front..

 

[crash2]

in the rear...

and 3-link-ish w/ a panhard in the front..

My reference is to an inverted 4 link--which does not have as much trianglation as what you have----more prone to side loading the links at the ends.

 

[Berne]

My reference is to an inverted 4 link--which does not have as much trianglation as what you have----more prone to side loading the links at the ends.

mmm.....I know what you're getting at....but....

links don't get 'side loaded' (unless a joint is already failing, or you hit something w/ them)....they're all loaded in pure tension/compression...
but, any |V| setup WILL put more stress into the links to fight the lateral motion than a double triangulated setup.....simply because there is less total lateral support, so the two link that are 100% longitudinal see alot of compression/tension from the triangulated links to fight the lateral motion.
and ya, once you pass a certain point in loading the links, the bushings are not going to survive.....thats a given.
but w/ enough vertical seperation, and enough triangulation.....bushings work pretty well...

you've seen how bent my wheels are, so you know the rear takes some good side hits...

 

[cisco]

If I might add and some up a few of the things already said. The links see tension and compression so the bushings on opposite sides of the bolt or pin through the joint see cyclic compession loads. This type of loading will eventually lead to slop and failure. Time to failure is dependent on load force and cycles of loading, so if a certain link setup distributes the loads more evently therefore reducing the load on any particulure one joint, the joints will last longer.

 

[Bunk1]

I got forged 1 1/4 johnny joints(from currie) on the frame end of everything and 1 1/4 evo's on the axle end. Im pretty sure they will last until the next version.