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[si 1]

I need to know what heim joints everyone is using for there traction bars. I built one last winter Iv tried some ebay ones those wore out had started to get slack and then i thought id try some more expensive ones from midwest control those didn't work either, maybe i bought the wrong kind. If you guys could let me know what kind i am supposed to be using would be awesome. These ones at the bottom are what im using right now and they have a lot of slack in them after 2 months these things cause my car to sound like a old lumber truck clunking and popping over every little bump. Thanks guys i appreciate the input.

https://www.midwestcontrol.com/part.php?id=2962

https://www.midwestcontrol.com/part.php?id=398

[ratcityrex]

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Standard-LH-Male-Heims,7306.html

[PhilStubbs]

That's what I have. I can't vouch for longevity though, I have had them for 2-3 years but only put 20 miles on them or so and most of that was on the dyno

[ratcityrex]

Shit I had 10k+ on my heim joints and never had one bit of problem with them.

[snm95ls]

You are gonna have to keep all of the crap out of them if you want them to be quiet (for a heim joint).

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

I had planned on getting a set of rod ends with a Teflon race and adding the boots to keep crud out of the races.

[jabberwock]

http://www.qscomponents.com/

[si 1]

Thanks for all the input guys, i might try those boots to keep the crud out. Im daily driving it so im not sure maybe its just the dirt getting in them. I dont clean them or anything i guess i just figured it was more of the load of the car that was causing them to get slack and wear out. Ill probably buy a new set i heard aurora rod ends are really good im thinking of trying those out.

[ratcityrex]

Where are you located at? I dont go for the teflon coated ones because Ive had experience with the teflon wearing out. When I first put them in they squeaked pretty good, but I lubed them up with some axle grease and never had a problem. I mean fuck, for $6 each at speedway I would give them a shot b4 You drop $100 on some aurora ones. 

[snm95ls]

Where are you located at? I dont go for the teflon coated ones because Ive had experience with the teflon wearing out. When I first put them in they squeaked pretty good, but I lubed them up with some axle grease and never had a problem. I mean fuck, for $6 each at speedway I would give them a shot b4 You drop $100 on some aurora ones.

The problems I had were not squeaking, but excessive radial clearance (thus axial as well on a spherical joint) which manifested as a nice clunk each time there was a change in forward momentum.  It was annoying as fuck.

I really don't have major issues with wheelhop or anything like that with a stock crossmember.  Granted I have a set of poly swap mounts, and still make jack shit for power.

It was a hell of a nice change though after driving an ED with traction bars for 3+ years to driving one with a stock crossmember.  The NVH reduction was a welcome change.

[ratcityrex]

Well as seeing that I was using 1/2" heim joints and the bolts on the lma are metric I went and bought some brass shit stock and wrapped it around the bolt to make it tight as fuck. Not once did i ever get any slop or clunk. And I could flat shift into 3rd and light the tires up like it was nothing.

[snm95ls]

All I am saying is that the clunking was from slopped out joints on both sets of bars on two different EDs.  One was my 90 CRX with the good ole JK Motorsports bars.  The second was on my current 91 hatch with ESP bars.  Both saw daily use in the rust belt.  I initiall ditched the ESP bars to be compliant with Street Prepared rules for autox.  Even after the B swap, I kept the stock crossmember.  To be honest, I am not a huge of most of the offerings for the ED when it comes to traction bars.  I have some ideas floating around in my head, but until time allows, they are just that ideas.

Diagnosis of the noise was as simple as unloading the front suspension and checking the radius rods like you would a other ball joint.  In both cases of Daily use, the ends developed a very noticeable amount of slop.  I find it hard to believe that it was anything other than abrasive wear form road grime and rust as the ends were exposed.  The heim closes to the LCS on the JK setup did not even attach directly to one of the original raduis rod bolts.  I am pretty damn sure the ESP set was like that as well.

Why am I posting this crap?  I guess just to toss out some info based on my personal experiences.

Mreh.

[si 1]

Yea its like snm95ls saying. The heim joints just end up with slack in them like a worn out ball joint would have. They have developed about a 1/16th inch gap in them. I can jack the car up off the ground and push forward and back wards on the wheel and it will move allowing my caster to change.

I live in Indiana up top by Michigan. Most of the roads are pretty rough, I also deliver pizza which im pretty much beating the fuck out of this car constantly. Some peoples houses are way out in the country and have the shitest roads. One guy put down those big pound rocks for his drive way i feel like there going to poke a hole in my tire.

It could be dirt getting in them, there not rusty they still look pretty new. Maybe just the fact that their open to the elements and getting daily driven pretty hard is causing them to wear quick. Thats why i started thinking about getting the aurora's, they seem to be pretty good quality they are expensive but its annoying when your alignment is changing as you drive down the road. I was also thinking of putting a stock cross member back in with those poly mounts.

[HiProfile]

Assuming the geometry is correct, it's dirt. If it's sealed and lubed, most joints will last a very long time. Ball joints and tie rods are nearly the same as heim joints, they're just sealed & lubed. Those full boots look great, and the heim half-seals in the speedway link look decent too.

To check geometry you draw a line through the lca inner pivot point to where the traction bar is. Obviously it should intersect, or your joint is being bent in bad ways. It's also a good idea to pull the shocks and cycle the suspension to look for binding.

[snm95ls]

Assuming the geometry is correct, it's dirt. If it's sealed and lubed, most joints will last a very long time. Ball joints and tie rods are nearly the same as heim joints, they're just sealed & lubed. Those full boots look great, and the heim half-seals in the speedway link look decent too.

To check geometry you draw a line through the lca inner pivot point to where the traction bar is. Obviously it should intersect, or your joint is being bent in bad ways. It's also a good idea to pull the shocks and cycle the suspension to look for binding.

There really isn't much chance for bind with most of the EF/DA traction bar kits out there as most of them use spherical joints on each on of the radius rod.  Not many people are running LCA bushings that will only 1 DOF.

Ugh, I need to get some measurements taken while I still have access to Solid Works and NX.