Sounds like you guys need some of these

 

Thats not a bad plan, but in researching my own steering build, I've found that people running heims on a road driven truck are having longevity issues. Maybe not.

I'm just going to use FJ-80 TRE's for mine with DOM and tube inserts and call it good. Still deciding if I want to machine a full center link, or build my own and just machine the rod end attachments. Going to check a place out this week that may be able to do the center out of some billet.

 

Quit showing off. lol
Yeah something like that, anyway travis, while I have you in my own thread to highjack, Do you know (I am pretty sure you do) which class your truck is legal in?

Also how does that thing drive on the road with prerunner bypass style shocks? I heard theres no real in between using street/trail shock vrs baja shocks. one doesnt work well with the other etc.

 

My truck is legal for a lot of desert racing classes. 7, 1400, 1450, but I am going to race in class 1500. It's a leaf sprung class that has limited front suspension options. I will be racing V8 Fords, but I can beat em'

As far as the street ride goes, you're pretty much right. A truck built to hammer through the desert is going to ride like a tank on the street. You can compromise, but you're going to have a truck that only rides ok on the street, and is too soft for the dirt.

 

Depends on who you talk to. There are desert guys that swap out all their heims after every race. I have heims on my truck that are 2 years old that are still tight. I personally am willing to sacrifice longevity for strength. (I don't really have a choice)

 

Yeah, thats what I figured. Obviously yours is a race truck.

My concern would be colorado winters with mag chlor and other crap getting in and loosening up the joints.

Cool set up though!

 

I don't know what Mag Clor is, but the weather or chemicals will not loosen up any joints. If anything the cold weather would contract the metal and make them tighter (if you are talking about the heim itself). They are bolted to the center link and spindle with grade 8 bolts. The inner is a 3/4, and the outer is a 5/8. Another trick is to shank the bolts, meaning that there is no thread in the actual heim itself.

 

No, Mag chlor is a nasty corrosive that is used to melt the roads out here.

What I've been reading suggests that dirt and slop make their way into the heim itself and degrade the teflon liner that sits between the uniball and the outer casing. This allows the uniball to loosen up inside the liner and have slop.

Now, I have no idea if thats the case or not. It sounds like you are not having any experiences like that, which makes me happy, as heims would make my install SO much easier!

 

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I can't see a relay rod being made out of DOM without some type of crazy fab set-up going on.
He said tie-rod, and in my mind i thought relay rod... Oh well.

Idk why i said Relay rod, i meant tie-rods..
typo.

 

Couldn't one design a sealing rubber boot to protect heim joints against the elements?

 

Ah! No worries mate! Happens to me all the time!

 

Thought about that a bit. Issue there is I'd be concerned about the boot doing more to trap moisture than keep out the elements, and causing the joint to rust out badly. Lots of good thoughts though, I've gotta do some more research now!

 

There are rubber boots available for heims.

What's a relay rod? Is that what you're calling the center link?

 

I guess it could be called a center link at least thats what TC calls it, its the rod the pitman and idler arms attach to. The only aftermarket one i know available that is beefed up is from Total Chaos, and even them I believe its just an oem that has been drilled out for their idler and and pitman arms and has been reinforced in certain spots. Notice the extra material on the top of rod. Looks like maybe 3/8 plate???



I have no clue on the boot deal for heims, but wouldn't that be awesome to invent huh?

For further reference here is TC's tie rods:

 

TC's is a combo of round tube and plate welded to the existing centerlink/relay rod (same thing).

Its a cast unit, so I'm not interested in welding to it. I could likely heat and cool it properly for welding, but the risk with cast and my steering isn't worth it for me. If that cracks apart, its going to mean a very serious crash.

 

which is why toyota did the recall on some models, just not sure why the 87 and similar didn't get recalled.

 

Unfortunately heims are not road legal here in BC. anyone have experience with the marlin crawler tie rod ends???

 

They weren't from the same batch and didn't have the defect. No need to recal something that's working just fine.

The idler, pitman, center link, knuckles, and arms on the ifs are all cast steel. Thats the major bummer part about modifying the steering.

 

That is exactly what I plan to use: They are FJ-80 tie rod ends and are FAR beefier than stock.