Attaching heim joint rod ends

[Track T-4]

I am getting reasy to hit the road but am concerned about the rod ends on the tie rod and the draglink/steering arm. The three bolts that attach the rod ends on the tie rod and steering arm are fastened using a standard 1/2" fine thread nut, no lock washer or anything else. The draglink is threaded into the steering arm so I'm not as much concerned as I am about the tie rod ends but concerned enough to think I want to do something better. I tried a stainless stop nut but there weren't enough threads on the bolts to make that work.

What is everyone using for this? What are my options? Anything besides drilling and wiring?

Bruce

 

[donsrods]

A nylock nut is more than sufficient. Just make sure you have a very large diameter washer on the outside of the heim in case it fails.

Don

 

[HAceT]

What Don said.

 

[Ted Brown]

If all else fails, you can do the same as the factory does with their tie rods fasteners, just put the nut to the bottom, out of sight, use a castle nut and a cotter key, if you are real worried, they do make thin nylock nuts about 1/4 inch that work great for Tie rod connections.. Make sure all your steering arm bolts are made to never come lose on their own, as that has been a problem I have seen a lot of, AND the bolts that mount and hold the brake calipers to the spindle mounts, I had a real close call once because of just that... Happy Summer cruzin :lol: PS, I use longer bolts with a flat washer, a lock washer and a dome nut for all my tie rods and steering connections, just me...

 

[GT63]

They actually make a hiem joint alignment washer you're suppose to use.

Safety Washers , Spherical Rod Ends -- Midwest Control Products Corp.

 

[donsrods]

That's actually pretty cool.:welcome:

Don

 

[Youngster]

speedway has a simular washer for spherical ends.

Ron

 

[akitagandy]

Check out this site http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Ballistic Catalog 2008 web.pdf

 

[Track T-4]

Hmmm, good information. Ill make sure I have a large flat washer on top of each of the heims. I assume the safety washer serves the same purpose as the large flat washer? Maybe a dumb question why are they tapered?

Ron (Youngster): Are these the Speedway washers you are referring to?:

www.speedwaymotors.com/Seals-It-Heim-Seals,1528.html

Need to hunt for thick lock nuts, any idea on sources?

I saw Speedway has jam nuts, how do they work? Will they work in place of lock nuts?

Thanks, Bruce

 

[Track T-4]

Hmmm, good information. Ill make sure I have a large flat washer on top of each of the heims. I assume the safety washer serves the same purpose as the large flat washer? Maybe a dumb question why are they tapered?

Ron (Youngster): Are these the Speedway washers you are referring to?:

www.speedwaymotors.com/Seals-It-Heim-Seals,1528.html

Need to hunt for thick lock nuts, any idea on sources?

I saw Speedway has jam nuts, how do they work? Will they work in place of lock nuts?

Thanks, Bruce

 

[rooster57]

The ACE hardware in my town has the 1/4 thick nylon locknuts. Do you have one????

 

[Ted Brown]

Jam nuts are not lock nuts, they are for tie rods and the like, at the rod end, not for the heim attaching end. and yes the large washer is a safety washer, it has to be just about the same outside size as the Rod end itself, not the ball size... Plus. if you had a heim joint that needed those crazy washers, it would be mounted all wrong, and would be inviting desaster, as those bolts need to be as close to 90 degrees to the rod as possible, to relieve SIDE stress to the joint itself. If they are at an angle, the rod is trying to push the ball out of the joint. Good luck with your project...

 

[EX JUNK]

Track T-4, check Totally Stainless Inc. They carry the Nyloc nuts that you are looking for along with just about every other nut, bolt, washer, clamp etc., that you'll ever need. They are great people to deal with also. Their address is: P.O. Box 3249, Gettysburg, Pa. 17325 and their phone number is: 1-717-8811. Give them a call and get their catalog, you will be very pleased.

Jim

 

[Brucer]

im agreeing with Ted on this.. if your heim end is that far out of alignment that you need these spacers you've got something out of whack, and it needs repositioning else where. pitman arm or steering arm or steering box..

a heim joint has specifications also..

 

[Youngster]

ted is correct, the heims should be at a 90degree angle to the bolt holding them. when you cycle the steering lock to lock, the angle dose change somewhat. if you use the coned washers, you eliminate the chance of putting them in a bind. be sure to include the safety washer.

these are the speedway coned washers;
1/2" Aluminum Cone Spacers, 8 Pack
Item #:
5464108

Price:
ST
$7.99

Ron

 

[Ted Brown]

ted is correct, the heims should be at a 90degree angle to the bolt holding them. when you cycle the steering lock to lock, the angle dose change somewhat. if you use the coned washers, you eliminate the chance of putting them in a bind. be sure to include the safety washer.

these are the speedway coned washers;
1/2" Aluminum Cone Spacers, 8 Pack
Item #:
5464108

Price:
ST
$7.99

Ron

Ron is totally right with what He is saying, as the bolts lean a bit from side to side while turning, this is where some folks run into

problems with these type of rod ends, I have changed soo many over the years, it is crazy.. Love these cars, Happy cruzin

 

[Ted Brown]

I give up trying to get a pic in here..

 

[Francis Blake]

Ted me to I am going to get some help this week and then look out Francis

 

[Ted Brown]

Ted me to I am going to get some help this week and then look out Francis

Al explained it to me, but I guess I am still doing something wrong, I went to take a computer class for beginers, but everybody already knew sooo much, I was too embarrassed to go back

 

[rooster57]

If you guys are taking your pictures at a high resolution that may be the problem. Reduce the resolution from Fine to a lower setting this will make your pics 250KB to about 60 KB. After you enter this message click on GO Advanced. Then click on the paperclip icon right beside the happy face.
Then click on Browse. This will let you select the photo you want to post. If your photo is in your MY Pictures select that folder then the photo you want. Then click on upload if the photo will fit then Shazam. look even this guy could do it .