95 S-10 Truggy Build

[93 Krawler]

Originally Posted by Waffle

Best part is, from now on when someone asks Kevin "how much are them purdy shocks?" I'll get to give Kevin that look he and others always gives me, lol.

I hear ya. If anyone asks what your axle is I'm going to say it's one of them 10K axles.

[93 Krawler]

Been looking at heims, and link kits. Some kits had larger lowers than uppers, some were the same size. Are 1 1/4 heims with 2" 1/4 wall tubes good for my lowers? Same for the uppers, or smaller. Buy the brackets or make them? I have a plasma cutter...
I thought the shocks were expensive, the heims are ridiculous. About a grand for 16 1 1/4 heims.

[underpowered]

1 1/4 is overkill for the lowers. granted, overkill is good, but 7/8" are fine. Most guys i know only run 7/8" without issue and is all i am running. Unless you beat it like a bouncer, you don't "need" 1 1/4 heims. especially on the uppers, they see far less stress than the lower do.

as for the tube, once again, overkill is not a bad thing and strength greatly depends on your over all length of the links themselves. a longer link will need a stronger material to better resist bending.

[underpowered]

Originally Posted by Waffle

Thing is, you're running 36" tires and a 10 bolt front axle where as Kevin currently runs 40" tires on 1 tons so that's not an equal comparison, you won't be wheeling where he does (no offense). Kevin might be seen at Haspin now and then, but this rig will live at the toughest obstacles at Harlan and Windrock where the stresses involved are much higher. We're talking about the need to not just survive class 5 obstacles, but the need to survive them over and over and over. Ever been in Rattlerock at Windrock from beginning to end? How about Grape Vine at Harlan in the rain? Ever see a heim break or pull out of it's threads? It's not pretty and has a tendacy to have a domino effect by breaking other parts, especially on a front 3 link. (a broken front 3 link heim can be so catastrophic that just getting it back to camp and on a trailer could be the biggest challenge). Btw, SRRS bouncers don't run $48 1-1/4" heims, they run the $100 ones at min on up to $150 a piece builder ball joints. Big difference. For example. You can buy a cheap 7/8" heim for $20 from one place or a higher quality Aurora 7/8" x 7/8" heims for $70 ea at another place. A cheap 1-1/4" for $48 ea or an Aurora 1-1/4" for $90. Lot's to consider here. It's all about compromises between strength/wear/cost/service life. FK is another good brand btw. Watch out for anything made in China. And remember, heim size is directly related to bolt and thread shank diameter.

I would never trust cheap 7/8 heims in 2" x 1/4" lower links on a 5k lb rig where this pic was taken.

Actually I am on one tons and 38.5's currently, it will be placed everywhere Kevin plans on taking his in Harlan, the badlands etc.. I understand the compromise, but as i said, it is not just me. A few guys i know (not on here) run nothing more than good 7/8" heims on their full size rigs. If you think you need 1 1/4, then by all means get them but i am just saying they are most likely overkill.

It is a lot of personal preference i guess. I'd have no concern with 2" 1/4 wall and 7/8" heims in that spot of your pic. Only time i have ever seen a 7/8" break is in a hard roll with lots of side load on them, but i've seen plenty of 1 1/4" break in that same situation as well.

[WrenchMonkey]

Originally Posted by 93 Krawler

Are 1 1/4 heims with 2" 1/4 wall tubes good for my lowers? Same for the uppers, or smaller.

Originally Posted by Waffle

I wouldn't do anything less than 2" x 3/8" lowers and even that's sketchy. To me 1/4 wall links belong on a sami. When it comes to lowers overbuilt is a good thing...

Yeah, I run 2x025 on my XJ, and it's not much more than a sami.

I bet you could split the difference, though. 2 or 2.25 by 375 lowers on a 1.25 end, then smaller/lighter/cheaper uppers.