Johnny joints or heim joints for rear antisway bar?

[Jerry Bransford]

The cheapy heim joints I used to fab my rear antiswaybar links 3 years ago are now loose as a goose and rattling. I'm going with a better quality heim joint this time but if they're available, I'd rather use Johnny Joints because as I understand it, they last longer than even good quality heim joints do.

Am I right on that assumption? I have an email into Currie asking if they have the size I need (1/2"x20 in RH and LH thread) but has anyone ever used Johnny Joints for this application?

Maybe it'd be easier just to order Currie's replacement swaybar link set for the rear.

[Paradiddle]

Originally posted by Jerry Bransford
Maybe it'd be easier just to order Currie's replacement swaybar link set for the rear.

We have a winner! I don't know what your time is like Jerry, but for me if I can buy it instead of mooching Blaine to build that is what I'd do.

Plus - to be honest - I think JJ would be overkill for swaybar links - I don't know if they make them small enough.

Jeff

[Jerry Bransford]

That's kind of what I was thinking, I'll call Currie tomorrow and see what new links will run me. Thanks for the thoughts Jeff, they helped convince me to just go the easy way.

Off-topic... anyone ever just have one of those days where things break? I broke the zerk fitting off of one of the u-joints in the CV-end of the driveshaft. Wasn't able to get it out... No, not a big deal but on top of that, one of the two threaded holes in the a/c bracket that the long bolts thread into that holds the York compressor on stripped out. The bolt & hole galled (forgot to add anti-seize when I first installed it) and was getting tight so I knew it was going to go one of these days... and today was that day. Yeah, a few other things decided to go south on me today too but that's kind of to be expected I guess when spending two full days catching up on maintenance.

Time for someone else to heli-coil the bolt holes and fix it for me, I'm wore out from this weekend. Maybe I'll have someone overhaul the CV too since a little spring was laying loose inside the CV joint area too. A tiny mystery spring, oh well... I need a vacation.

[DanB98TJ]

Sounds like Murphy has a clone - he was screwing with me for the past few days, too.

On the sway bar links, I just cut the stock ends off and welded in a longer piece of 1/2" bar stock. No rattling or squeaking heims for me.... Hey, three years out of a cheap set of heims really isn't bad.

Edit: How "little" was the little spring you found? About the size of what would come from a broken zerk? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you....

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally posted by DanB98TJ
Edit: How "little" was the little spring you found? About the size of what would come from a broken zerk? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you....

Oh crap, heh, that's it Dan. I wasn't even thinking about the broken zerk when I saw that little spring laying inside the CV... even though I couldn't think of anything inside the CV that could use it. Thanks!

[DanB98TJ]

Sounds like you caught Murphy on break.

[Jerry Bransford]

I decided to rebuild my home-made rear links with the same $11 heims I used 3 years ago. Currie doesn't have 1/2" Johnny Joints (smallest are 3/4") but their regular heim joints were $27 apiece. Obviously Currie's are much better quality than what I bought today but for $11 and 3 years worth of wear out of the last set, I'm happy with them.