Link material

Down&Dirty

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2005
Location
Greenville SC
What works and doesn't bend so easy? The last set i ran were .120 sleeved with .120. This set was 2x2 box 1/4 wall and they bent on the first run. Another guy there said that the 2 inch 3/8s wall DOM would be the same as the bent links he had on his rig. Is this just a disposable item? I have the 2 inch 3/8s wall DOM to build new ones, but I don't want to waste my time if I need to step it up. Maybe 2 1/2 with a 3/8s wall.... These are on a CJ5 that is back halfed.
 
I keep 2"x1/2"Wall DOM in stock for some that we do. Then it can simply be tapped for 1.25" threaded ends......

Let me know if I can help. 3/8" wall should be fine depending on length and abuse. You can also get a bigger piece of tube to go on the outside to stiffen the links as a kind of skid plate.
 
You may bend the 2", but unless you are a real badass, you will not bend them much. Mine are 1-3/4 .385 wall, I've only bent 2 a little. Thats with over 30 trips to the playground and 48's.
 
not to hijack the thread but Im plannin on usin the rubicon express builders balls when I do my setup on the ford. The ford is pretty heavy (44's/dana60/400/c6/halftonpickupframe) what thinkness tubing will hold up to me abusin it? Seriously I want some pretty strong stuff cause I don't want to have to make them again and I do plan on being very agressive with the skinny pedal.

PS: I was planning on about a $500 budget for the links including the builders balls (i need 5 of em) is that reasonable or do I need to reconfigure?
 
Recalculate. I think I am going to be close to 500 in joints alone. I am going with the 3/8s because that is what I have already bought. if they bend to bad then it will be off to 1/2 and I will just tap the ends.
 
Down&Dirty said:
Recalculate. I think I am going to be close to 500 in joints alone. I am going with the 3/8s because that is what I have already bought. if they bend to bad then it will be off to 1/2 and I will just tap the ends.
Click to expand...

What joints are you useing? I had a couple people recomend me to use the 3/4 rubicon express builders ball and they run bout $50 a pop since I need 5 then thats bout 250 then i figured another 250 for the metal, im doin an adjustable radius arm type thing on one side and single link on the other side.
 
jrraw23 said:
What joints are you useing? I had a couple people recomend me to use the 3/4 rubicon express builders ball and they run bout $50 a pop since I need 5 then thats bout 250 then i figured another 250 for the metal, im doin an adjustable radius arm type thing on one side and single link on the other side.
Click to expand...

Have you ever seen a builder ball? good luck welding any kind of large diameter tubing to one.
 
I am going to be using all large johnny joints. Might use some small ones on the top links, but who knows. I will probably just stick with overkill and run large all around so I only have to keep one rebuild kit and tool on hand. The plan is to use a threaded joint on one end and weld the other solid. For a trackbar I would probably just get Andy to tap some DOM and put in some heims. The tie rod he made me is sick. I am also not a fan of the radius arm stuff so it will be dual triangulated 4 links all around.
 
Ok so after doing some reasearch johhny joints seem to be the same design as the builders ball's just larger in size i assume?

Found these at poly performance:
http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/product.php?productid=388&cat=167&page=1

However at another site I found they offered currie joints in an even larger 3" size. You guys think the 3" ones are big enough or not neccesary?

Only problem I saw was the 3" ones did not have the option to have the stud welded to them for adjustability. Now I am only gonna need one of my ends (out of the 5) to be adjustable, for the one that needs to be adjustable should I just get the slightly smaller size from poly that comes with the adjustable rod on it?

Fawk it :shaking: When I get the $$ I'm just gonna call you andy and get you to tell me what to buy from you, make it easier on myself, lol.
 
all i'll say is.. go big.. i don't understand a lot of people i see with bent links.. they'll have 1 tons or bigger.. biggest tires they can get.. and so on.. but seems like they try to get the lightest links they can.. i've done a lot of research on this.. and thought those very thoughts.. then sat on the throne and said.. why am i trying to figure out the right size.. just go big.. i am running the 1.25 hiems.. and the tubing is 2.5" OD 1.5" ID.. if i ever bend these.. i'll have one heck of a story.. but i dont see it happening..
 
I used the Teraflex joints. Work really well.

Large Flex Joints

'Our Spherical Urethane ends provide excellent off-road capabilities with articulation and durability. They dampen a fair amount of road noise and vibration. This end can also be used as a replacement for any control arm utilizing a 1-1/4" x 12 tpi. "heim" type rod end. Uses a 9/16" bolt. Specify left or right hand thread. Part # 982'

http://www.teraflx.com/productImages/Modullar_982 Tera FLEXjoint.jpg

bent links also sometimes mean binding in the link design putting too much stess on a specific link that causes it to bend. I run solid DOM lowers and aluminum uppers, D60 front, full hydro, and have yet to bend one (knock on wood) of these.

Shannon
 
Ever think of bending the links for clearance? If you're fucking up 2" .375 wall then you're really bashing your shit...why not try getting it out of the way rather than losing clearance.
 
Here you go Ricky....stronger and lasts longer between rebuilds than a RE & JJ joint. The stud is Tig'd on.

flexjointstud.jpg
 
What kinda tubing would you suggest to use with those joints? I only will need two joints with a stud, the other 4 can just be the joints. I was thinking of using 2" OD .5" wall tubing. How exactly do i get the joint with the stud to fit? I've heard of people mentioning sleeves that you weld in the end of the tube thats already tapped, where do i find the sleeves or what would you suggest?
 
rockmafia said:
You may bend the 2", but unless you are a real badass, you will not bend them much. Mine are 1-3/4 .385 wall, I've only bent 2 a little. Thats with over 30 trips to the playground and 48's.
Click to expand...

Yeah, because there's like 3 feet of clearance under those links... :huggy:
 
I don't like the radius arm because all it takes to finish my wheeling trip and break tons of crap is to rip off one link mount on the frame side that is holding all the force. Plus with radius arms I have to run a trackbar.

I haven't seen an easy way to mount a JJ or other end to 2.5 tubing or that is the way I would go. I could use the threaded joints, but I have two links where the 1 1/4 threaded section are bent so I would like as little of that as possible.

Studnuts,

Any more info. on those ends. I need to order something soon to build my links for the front.
 
jrraw23 said:
What kinda tubing would you suggest to use with those joints? I only will need two joints with a stud, the other 4 can just be the joints. I was thinking of using 2" OD .5" wall tubing. How exactly do i get the joint with the stud to fit? I've heard of people mentioning sleeves that you weld in the end of the tube thats already tapped, where do i find the sleeves or what would you suggest?
Click to expand...

I sell inserts that fit the thread on the joints for any size tube - I got the inserts in a 1" shank and 1.25" shank. Just plop the insert into the tube and weld it in, then thread the stud in and jam nut it tight.
 
I just measured some joints here at the house. It is actually just under 2 inches. You can weld 2 inch tubing to it, but you will have to chamfer the edges and be carefull not to burn away the edge of the joint. The actual measurement is close to 1 7/8ths.
 
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