tie rod end vs heim joints for steering

[konastinky1234]

i know this has probably been a debate before, but my new axle that i am installing soon has heims on every steering linkage and apparently they are not DOT approved or safe for on road use for that matter.

can someone explain to me why

1. they are said to 'fail'?

2. they are worse to use in steering linkage than ball joints or TREs?

when looking at my puny little stock steering on my tj and the ball joints on it it seems to me that the heim joints look much stronger and more reliable. obviously one ton steering is also much bigger than my stock but that is besides the point. can someone enlighten me on the joints?

thanks
john

btw can post up pics of the new steering with heims if needed...

[justtorchit]

i love this debate.....

they both work fine, ive never seen anything that says they are not dot approved.
as long as they are not tractor supply hiems you should be fine.

are the heims tight?
its all about the quality!


1. WHO SAID THEY ARE GOING TO FAIL?

2. WHO SAID THEY ARE WORSE TO USE?


one plus to tre's are you can go down to the part store. but heims are pretty cheep and its nice to have spares anyways.


also what size are your heims? im gonna assume 3/4- 7/8ths?

[konastinky1234]

i love this debate.....

they both work fine, ive never seen anything that says they are not dot approved.
as long as they are not tractor supply hiems you should be fine.

are the heims tight?
its all about the quality!


1. WHO SAID THEY ARE GOING TO FAIL?

2. WHO SAID THEY ARE WORSE TO USE?


one plus to tre's are you can go down to the part store. but heims are pretty cheep and its nice to have spares anyways.


also what size are your heims? im gonna assume 3/4- 7/8ths?

just a bunch of google searches seemed to tell me they were not good to use, so i guess i will use them then. and not sure on size i'd have to measure them when i get home. and carry spares youre saying?

[justtorchit]

just a bunch of google searches seemed to tell me they were not good to use, so i guess i will use them then. and not sure on size i'd have to measure them when i get home. and carry spares youre saying?

like i said, depends what ya have.
ruffstuffs got some good hiems now. for spares
make sure you have safety washers (in case of a fail)
you can even get grease boots for them (last longer, keep crap out)


if its the option between running stock steering or hiems, id run the heims.
if the heims are looser than dizzys vag, run away or find new hiems
what is teh steering made out of? 1.5 in quarter wall?

[crosbike]

http://www.sealsit.com/rodendboots.asp

[konastinky1234]

not sure of size of the steering, i won't be home for 3 weeks but it's pretty big damn big. the quality of these heims seemed good, they were very tight and what not so i;ll check what they are.

[Zullock Holmes]

http://www.fkrodends.com/


pretty much the best, and they're out of Southington.


They sponsor and run these guys heims on everything from Sprint Cars, Modifieds, Dirt Mods, even some of the ultra 4 guys (Lovell Racing).

[konastinky1234]

thanks zullo, i think what i'll do is run the ones on there, keep an eye on them, and at first signs of play or shittyness ill upgrade to some of these.

[Pete]

aren't heims illegal for road use?