I am thinking about redoing my drag link to use Heims instead of TREs. Ive got the Chevy 1 ton TREs now, they work great but When I need to disassemble the front end for whatever reason the TREs are about impossible to get out of the tapered hole without destroying the Threads. Basically both of mine are messed up and I need to take it apart again and I know after this time its either replace them or switch over to heims with the simple bolt through.

My only concern is they may not hold up or last as long. any thoughts?

 

i think it will be fine. they have been using heims for super duty lifts for a while now. Im even looking to fab up som custom ones for my truc kto get rick of the rod ends. they are strong greasable and easy to maintain. go for it.

 

I dont know of a greasable heim joint. lol

 

x2 lol. But yah most of us desert guys run heimed steering when we go long travel less to worry about.

 

you will be ok. its not your dd anymore so they will last a long time. im debating on using heims and have debated the pros and cons with several people and they say the heims will last decent even driving it on the road as a dd.

 

Do it zach! but don't get them from that midwest machine place or whatever Jey was talking about in his new build thread, haha.

 

my bad i didnt mean actualy greasable. bad wordage. easy to stay greased and lubed i should have said. either way id do it for sure

 

They will outlast a traditional tie rod end on a coupe conditions...

1. They are a quality unit to begin with. Don't skimp on steering. I'd run an FK JMX series, but that's just me.
2. You keep them clean. They will rust, and this can kill them. Well not kill per say, but the rust will tear up the liner and cause noise/slop. Just spray them down with WD every now and then to keep the rust off.
3. Keep the jam nut tight.
4. Anti-seize the heim, loc-tite the jam nut.
5. It's not necessary, but would be good to double sheer the mount.

Stick to that and they will last for ever.

 

If the liner does go, they make several different rebuildable heims also. and I think it would be pretty easy to come up with a double-shear mount.

 

thanks guys.

Jason do you have a link to those heims you speak of? cant say i have heard them called that specifically.

I am going to need something that takes like a 7/8" bolt or get new high steer arms.

I am not sure they offer a pitman arm that is double sear for a yota.

 

You feel every little thing in the road if you DD it i now my steering is very touchy on the road but i got used to it by now and mine are still holding up after about a year now of DD it.

 

I think my TREs are already shot, so I need something that will hold up better. I am not even running a steering stabilizer, mine isnt bad down the road. how much air pressure are you running?

 

Run these?

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...r-_p_1424.html

QA-1 XM-14 7/8" CrMo rod end w/ kevlar liner

7/8" bolt seems pretty big, I think I could run the high misalignments with its and a 3/4" bolt.

 

do you have the taper right for your TRE's?? I've alwas wacked the knuckle two or three times and mhy tre's pop right out.... wondering if it is tapered enough for them.. but i've been curious also bout heims for steering

 

Im runnig these http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/...rs_p_1335.html
35 PSI all around.

 

Its not exactly right on the pitman arm, but I have a new one read to go on. How tight are you putting yours on? I really make sure they are tight, Ive had some 'loosen' up before. Not to mention if i had heims it would be a simple swap to fix one or work around it.



strange, ill let you know how mine is. I think I am going to order the 7/8" heims kit tomorrow. Too bad it costs 53 bucks to ship.

 

If it were me I would stick with FK or Aurora. QA1 is on level with Midwest Control. They work, but why?

 

gah your too late Jason! lol

I can always change these out I guess.

 

Beard, not sure bout on the pitman arm, never had to take that one off, but on the knuckles i torque them to what the hanyes manual says (can't remember right off) and i've tried the pickle fork think to only rip the seals, so I just hit the knuckle with a hammer and it pops loose after a few hits, even did it on my buddies new F150... Should work on the pitman arm too, and you could try a ball pen hammer, they work well too!

 

I feared that... lol... eh, run em till they fail then get new.

And $50+ for shipping? Shoot, you should have called. I could have bought you all the heims you needed locally here and shipped them for $10 (USPS flat rate boxes rule!)

Anyway... let us know how they work out for ya.

 

well its a steering kit so i get 2 54" pieces of DOM too.

gah your killing me Jason! LOL, oh well might look you up for my rear 4 link when i get to it. I am going to use heims on it not JJ.

 

hiems for me. DD and not a problem on or off road.

 

I've already gone through 2 heims on the pitman arm, the first was cause i didn't have high misalignment joints, but the second one just got worn out and bound up i guess? That was also with the heim on top of the pitman arm putting it at a stupid angle.. with the limit straps I'm sure it would be fine on mine again.

the one on the tie rod end of the drag link is still fine, along with the one on the tie rod at the knuckles..

Just get the TREs from autozone or something with a lifetime warranty.. swap them out every time you jack it up, thats my plan lol

 

ha that would work to.

 

ha not a bad idea but i dont like doing repeat work