In a message dated 98-09-14 19:42:12 EDT, mogman@rpa.net writes:
<<
Greetings fellow TVR folk;
I'd like to have some recommendations on the Heim joints as to size, etc
for attaching the sway bar. Also a good source to pick them up--I assume
we'll need 4 of them.
Bob,
I'll have to reread Marcus Tooze's section on the steering arms. Even though
my VIXEN does not have the M chassis, bump steer is a big problem. A friend
of mine has a 2500M and we need to fix the problem on his car, too.
Please keep us posted on your progress.
As far as heim joints go, I can tell you what I have learned over the past two
weeks. I replaced the stock end links on my 70 VIXEN with heim joints, and we
fitted some new rubber bushings to the stock links on my friends 2500M. Just
on the lower end of the link, where the bolt goes through it and attaches to
the anti-roll bar.
The stock links seem to be identical for both cars. On his car, the link was
located rear of the lower A-arm. The original factory arrangement. On my
car, the link was located forward of the lower A-arm. Don't know if that was
the factory arrangement, or if a previous owner made the change Marcus
suggests. (Anyone out there know?)
Either way, the bottom line is this: The bolt that threads in to the sway bar
is 3/8", and the stud that goes through the bracket welded to the a-arm is
7/16". Since heim joints have the same size hole in the eye section as
threaded stud section (in the case of a male rod end) or drilled and tapped
hole in female rod ends, some changes need to be made. You can't thread a
7/16" male rod end in to a 3/8" female end.
You can solve this problem any number of ways. I went to the parts store and
bought a couple double ended studs, 7/16 x4". Didn't need to be that long.
Do your own measuring. Installed the stud through the a-arm bracket with a
jam nut on one end, and the stock nut on the other. Before I did that,
though, I turned down the other end and used a die to rethread it to 3/8-24.
This is where a lathe comes in handy. If you are REAL careful, you can turn
the stud down with a bench grinder, then use the die to thread it. That's
what I did. I'm really good ;>). A jam nut and a nylock nut to keep the rod
end in place. This way you use 3/8" rod ends to make the link.
You might try turning down the 7/16 male rod end, then use a die to thread it
to fit the 3/8 female rod end. I didn't do that because i figured the stud
was cheaper to replace if I screwed up.
Someone I know did it another way on his Taimar. He cut some pieces of tubing
that were about 3/4" od, to about 2" length. Got a 7/16" nut, ground down the
outer high spots till it fit inside one end of the tube, and brazed it in
place. Did the same thing on the other end of the tube with a 3/8" nut. Used
a 7/16" male rod end on one end, and a 3/8" male on the other. Had to shorten
the rod end shanks though.
Hope this helps.
Keep us posted.
Rich Rock
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