Thread: Which bolts to use with heim joints

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The rubber seals have zero strength so they are not a safety washer. The safety washer (as explained by others earlier) must be larger than the inner race of the rod end so that the bolt head cannot pull thru in case of failure. Of course, if you put a big washer on each side of the race, the angle of compliance is reduced....that is why they sell rod ends with extended races....to get the bolt and washer out further to allow more angle. The rubber seals have a metal ring on the inside and go over the bolt; one seal on each side. They also do a nice job of trapping dirt next to the race.

By the way, for those who are not aware, rod ends come in several "grades" like bolts do. If you are using 5/8" or 3/4" rod ends, for suspension applications, make sure the MINIMUM load rating is about 30,000 pounds (higher is better). If you are buying the commercial rod ends ($10 to $15), they are rated at perhaps 10,000 pounds and you are asking for trouble. Good rod ends are not cheap, there is no "bargain" on the quality aisle. Baker Precision is a good source for rod ends; their web pages have technical specs plus good practical info regarding rod ends. Just like bolts, you do not want to bet your life on a cheap part.

mike in tucson

Originally Posted by robot

They also do a nice job of trapping dirt next to the race.

Good point! Thanks Mike.

I bought chrome-moly rod ends from Speedway at about $30 each a few years ago (http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Chrome...s-LH,7063.html). If they're not high quality, they certainly feel like it because they're both beefy and heavy. I also found a pair of new AN10-21A bolts at a good price. Now, because they're not drilled (A suffix), is it generally acceptable to use lock nuts rather than the cotter pins that I'd prefer? On some of the aircraft sites I visited during this research, that seemed like one of the acceptable solutions to combat bolts loosening due to vibration.

Just when you feel comfortable that you know pretty much what you need to know about a topic, this whole AN bolt thing came up, and it was interesting to learn all about them, especially their wide variety and how to decode the designation.

Dorsey, the main concern about the rod ends that you bought is that they have no information regarding what they are.....just like bolts, the seller should publish the specs...for bolts the spec is defined by the Grade. You might have really good rod ends or you might have something less.

Also, using a lock nut is acceptable for street but you should check with your race sanctioning body. NEVER use a nut with the Nylon (called Nylok), instead, use a nut with the deformed threads....when we remove a bolt and nut on our rock crawler, we throw it away...we never reuse a bolt or nut. The deformed thread nuts are a bear to put on by hand but they do not loosen or come off.

mike in tucson

I suspect Mike is talking about "Stover" nuts? (They can be re-used)
Quote from Fastenright Ltd.

Stover Nuts are vibration resistant self locking nuts. Advantages of using the Stover Nut Include:

The self locking function of the Stover Nut is still effective after a number of applications, hence it can be used many times.

The Stover Nut is an all metal Stiff Nut and is resistant to shocks, vibration and dynamic loads.

Stover Nuts is a 1 piece all metal (class 8) nut. The locking function of the Stover nut us achieved by the deformation of part of the nut.

The nut will run smoothly until it reaches the deformed part after which the clamping force will subsequently increase.

Originally Posted by robot

Dorsey, the main concern about the rod ends that you bought is that they have no information regarding what they are.....just like bolts, the seller should publish the specs...for bolts the spec is defined by the Grade. You might have really good rod ends or you might have something less.

Also, using a lock nut is acceptable for street but you should check with your race sanctioning body. NEVER use a nut with the Nylon (called Nylok), instead, use a nut with the deformed threads....when we remove a bolt and nut on our rock crawler, we throw it away...we never reuse a bolt or nut. The deformed thread nuts are a bear to put on by hand but they do not loosen or come off.

mike in tucson

Years ago, weren't these called Elastic Stop Nuts? Or, is that something entirely different? The place that made those is now called ESNA (Elastic Stop Nuts of America) and is about ten miles from where I live, or was a few years ago.

Something else new - "Stover" nuts. Never heard of them, but I'll soon become an expert. Maybe all of this is new because I have no interest in racing or aircraft, and hence haven't kept up with it. I want my car to look pretty, so I'm still agonizing over how to hide raw bolts in my exposed front suspension while ensuring that it's still safe construction.