Heim Joint Swaybar Links

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1975abody

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Was thinking about front suspension articulation the other day, and all the rubber bushings, and geometry, and how I could reduce friction in the suspension as it goes through its travel. Decided that the typical rubber bushed links were a source of friction and/or bind, so I jumped on the lathe, turned out some mounts and steel bushings so that I could use 5/8" heim joints to replace the rubber bushings and collars that the Hellwig swaybar came with, in an effort to reduce friction throughout suspension travel.

Here is what I ended up with:

CE335F3B-0C48-4BA4-A8B1-52A6DC0BCD1F.jpeg


BD6E5C83-9335-4AD2-8F59-4A0DA124E5F7.jpeg
 
Have not driven it yet, and still need to get some fasteners, but eyeballing the geometry, I do not see a reason it will not work. Plan on a test drive tomorrow.
 
Try this... Google Images "stabilizer bar end link". I don't think you'll find anything similar to what you have there. Every factory assembly allows more movement in multi axis.
Maybe you wont bend or break something. Good luck
 
I think the heim joint allows more freedom of movement in more axis' than the bolt/tube/urethane bushing set up. Will drive it today, and hopefully it works.
 
You can use heims at the sway bar links, there are end links you can buy that are set up with heims. But, the way those links are done eliminates too many planes of motion. The direction the heim joints will move mounted like that isn’t in line with the motion of the bar. That sway bar end moves in an arc, those heims need to be turned 90 degrees to be in the right plane to match the arc of the bar. And there should be some kind of movement allowed at both ends, not just one.

I’m all for reducing flex and bind, but I wouldn’t run those set up like that. You may introduce more binding because the sway bar is too motion restricted.
 
Can you turn up a couple more? :D

I want to run a shortened Viper link and need something similar for both the LCA end and the end of the swap bar. Needs some kind of metric taper and a ring to keep it located in the middle of the hole.

That's what the Green Brick ran.

AMG_K750635_P01_BAC__ra_p.jpg
 
DionR said:
How about some of these? Looks like it might be a bolt in deal.

Rodney Dickman's Automotive Accessories

View attachment 1715339697
Click to expand...

To follow up, I think the above links might be too long, even the short ones.

Found a thread over the weekend on Moparts - https://board.moparts.org/ubbthread.../solid-sway-bar-end-links-who-makes-them.html

The thread referenced using 2010 F150 front links (very similar to the Viper ones), but in the end they were still too long and required cutting and welding similar to what Rick did on the Green Brick.

Best I can tell, there isn't an off the shelf link short enough to make this work.

One thought would be to use a 90 degree link and fabricate a new method of attaching it to the LCA.

SK7245%20(1)__ra_p.jpg
 
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