Heim joints vs Ball joints, Banshee spindles vs Blaster spindles

[79 bronco]

My Heim joints on my ASR Arms seized up on me, so i called ASR and got some FREE Ball joints.

I this pic they are inline!

I this pic you can see the Heim joint peeking out from behind the Ball joint. That is how much more movement the Heim joint has over the Ball joint, and it makes a BIG difference!

 

[79 bronco]

Banshee spindle on left, Blaster spindle on right!

The bottom mount for the Banshee and Blaster spindles are at different angles. As seen in pic, Banshee spindle on left, Blaster spindle on right!

The Top mount for the Banshee and Blaster spindles ate at the same angle!
Blaster!

Banshee!

 

[79 bronco]

Blaster spindle with Heim joints on left, Banshee spindle with Ball joints on right!

My suspension travel is limited by the shocks travel. In this pic my shocks are bolted up.
My caster is Positive 3 1/2 degrees, and Camber is Negative 5 degrees.
Shock length is 14 1/2"opened and 10 3/4 closed.
Spindle centers are about 14 11/16 off the ground.

 

[79 bronco]

Shocks removed! You can see how much more the Heims let the suspension drop!

The Blaster spindle CENTER with Heim joint is now 11 1/2" off the ground and i got about 15 7/8 from shock mount center to shock mount center!

The Banshee spindle CENTER with Ball joint is now 13 1/4" off the ground and i got about 15 3/16" from shock mount center to shock mount center!

 

[79 bronco]

You can see how much more the Heims let the suspension move UP!
BUT, and this is the BIG BUTT, if you try to make your suspension travel up this far you will probably need a 24" or taller tire to keep your frame from hitting the ground! lol

The Blaster spindle CENTER with Heim joint is now 26 5/8" off the ground and i got about 9 15/16" from shock mount center to shock mount center!

The Banshee spindle CENTER with Ball joint is now 23 3/8" off the ground and i got about 11" from shock mount center to shock mount center!

 

[jbuckster07]

I love this stuff!!! So whats the point? To show the differences in heim and ball joints?

 

[79 bronco]

I love this stuff!!! So whats the point? To show the differences in heim and ball joints?

Just wasting time!

 

[79 bronco]

Maybe the Heims aren't meant to move this far, Look what i did!

 

[jbuckster07]

Just wasting time!

Wish I could do this... I just need a house with a garage!

 

[musselman]

That's a very interesting comparison, it seems like these a-arms were made for the banshee spindle. You can see the angle of the top and bottom ball joints is almost equal where as the blaster spindle they are not the same.

I wish I could get those ball joints but don't think they would allow this travel

 

[nick20555]

Very interesting. Are those the standard or long travel ASRs?

 

[jbuckster07]

these are all ASR Long travels.

 

[79 bronco]

Mine is Standard travel ASR!

I cant see you getting much more travel out of long travel ASR, unless you raise your ride height, or put on a 24" or taller tire to keep your frame from hitting the ground?

 

[79 bronco]

That's a very interesting comparison, it seems like these a-arms were made for the banshee spindle. You can see the angle of the top and bottom ball joints is almost equal where as the blaster spindle they are not the same.

I wish I could get those ball joints but don't think they would allow this travel

Nice pic!
Do you have long travel? What shock do you have, do you know you shock length opened and closed?

 

[musselman]

Nice pic!
Do you have long travel? What shock do you have, do you know you shock length opened and closed?

Yes these are long travel, using stock re-valved yfz 450 shocks which are 15.75" extended, not sure what they are closed though. At full bottom out the frame is about 2" from the ground.

You can get the same amount of travel from the regular travel arms, it all depends on where the lower shock mount is located.

 

[jbuckster07]

oh I thought they were ling travels! Whoops.
2

 

[rshutchinson]

Are the heims really that bad for seizing up? I've seen a few posts lately about them getting too stiff. My steering is already hard as it is with new balljoints on the tie rods and good condition ball joints in the stock arms. This is with a Diamond J widening kit though.

 

[Awk08]

Good stuff Doug !

 

[dirtysquared]

Are the heims really that bad for seizing up? I've seen a few posts lately about them getting too stiff. My steering is already hard as it is with new balljoints on the tie rods and good condition ball joints in the stock arms. This is with a Diamond J widening kit though.

They are terrible for getting tight. Something changed in them about 2 years ago, and they aren't worth shyt!!

 

[Markblaster]

Interesting to know about the heims as I have them on my long travel ASR arms. See how they go.