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All of the end links that I see advertized for my '69 are basically the same--bolt with spacer tube and rubber or urathane bushings.
Does anyone know of a different, more solid type that doesn't have rubber/urathane bushings??
There are heim end ones but mainly they are off-road racing type things. A quick search shows some road-race companies but if you look at them it's a totally different bar setup required. I can't see how a heim style link could be used with our bars in a stock config and something on the ends need to move in all directions as it moves.
The poly's are probably as closed to solid as you're going to get in a stock setup
M
There are heim end ones but mainly they are off-road racing type things. A quick search shows some road-race companiesT but if you look at them it's a totally different bar setup required. I can't see how a heim style link could be used with our bars in a stock config and something on the ends need to move in all directions as it moves.
The poly's are probably as closed to solid as you're going to get in a stock setup
M
Correct!
I track the car doing Time Trials and HPDE. I installed Heim ends and removed the rubber blocks that hold the sway bar to the car with an aluminum block. I think I may have purchansed them from either Guldstrand or Vette Brakes.
Guldstrand sold them. They have been long out of business. A fairly complex set of fasteners to allow them to work over the range of motion required. I doubt a home mechanic could easily fab their own set.
Guldstrand sold them. They have been long out of business. A fairly complex set of fasteners to allow them to work over the range of motion required. I doubt a home mechanic could easily fab their own set.
That is a good pic of the heim ends. A pic of the aluminum block
Guldstrand sold them. They have been long out of business. A fairly complex set of fasteners to allow them to work over the range of motion required. I doubt a home mechanic could easily fab their own set.
Do you think a couple of heim joint rod ends, bolted through the sway bar and the lower control arm, then linked together with flat bar links (or maybe clevis ends and a threaded rod) would work?
I'm not sure what range of motion is needed.
Do you think a couple of heim joint rod ends, bolted through the sway bar and the lower control arm, then linked together with flat bar links would work?
I'm not sure what range of motion is needed.
I think I understand the configuration you are thinking about. That could possibly work, although there wouldn’t be any way to adjust the travel with a solid link. It would be best to have the springs out so you could move things up and down and see that the heims weren’t binding. The stops would be the bump stop and the shock extension and you'd want to hit those first. You might be able to get by with some measurements of the geometry, similar triangles, stuff like that, starting with the car on the ground and distances to your stops.. Worst case you would break or bend the heim joint, not necessarily catastrophic as I suspect they would break first..
Suggest maybe you create a sketch, start a new post, and let the forum members critique your design.
I have every Guldstrand catalog system/part New old stock. I will dig out his unit and post close ups. He has one special machined piece.
Ok I dumped out just one box, so here are front and rear Guldstrand units, I have some hanging on sway bars in the garage, and another box of rear stuff, bolts, etc.
Nothing for sale!
Last edited by TCracingCA; Apr 3, 2023 at 02:19 AM.
TC and 4-vettes----Thank you.
Yea, looks like the only part that might be hard to find is the mounting stud for the sway bar and control arm.
I'll check out the Harley (and other brands) part.
Doesn't need to be for sale. The pictures are plenty enough to copy it.
Harley passenger footpeg mounts and hiem joints. Looks easy.
You don't need to slide an insult in. Yes for any body with machining skills, super easy. Putting the half moon clearance in would not be a garage mechanic easy thing to do! I just want to avoid my PM from getting filled up, like the last time related to parts I have and shared a picture of.
So where might I find something like the stud that goes through the lower control arm hole, similar to the Guldstrand piece? I know I have seen them around but now that I am looking, I can't seem to find them. Thanks,
You don't need to slide an insult in. Yes for any body with machining skills, super easy. Putting the half moon clearance in would not be a garage mechanic easy thing to do! I just want to avoid my PM from getting filled up, like the last time related to parts I have and shared a picture of.
seriously, wasn't intending an insult.
Was actually happy to have photos of how it has been done. And your correct, to some this would be hard to copy. But for many of us plenty easy.
At any rate. If you feel you were insulted by my optimistic post. I sincerely apologise.
I truly seen a easy way to copy and ment no offence.
So where might I find something like the stud that goes through the lower control arm hole, similar to the Guldstrand piece? I know I have seen them around but now that I am looking, I can't seem to find them. Thanks,
Bill
Well, that's the million dollar question.
Everything I've found so far is either aluminum, too small, etc. I'm thinking a 1/2" thread, steel stud would be close to matching my sway bar and the lower control arm holes. 3/8" with washers or bushings might be ok also.
Right now, I'm thinking of using 4 heim joint rod ends. Maybe something like this-- https://www.summitracing.com/parts/qa1-cml6-8ts
This should give a big range of motion, use readily available parts, be adjustab if needed.
Honestly, I don't know how much adjustability is needed. I mainly just want to get the slop out. My C6 has solid links with heim joints, no rubber or polly bushings.
seriously, wasn't intending an insult.
Was actually happy to have photos of how it has been done. And your correct, to some this would be hard to copy. But for many of us plenty easy.
At any rate. If you feel you were insulted by my optimistic post. I sincerely apologise.
I truly seen a easy way to copy and ment no offence.
Thank you! Re-read that and it was just a comment not needed. But OK. I have been buying performance parts from Guldstrand since 1977, my Dad from him way early, when he worked at Baher, and then Dana. He ordered my Father's car while at Dana.
These units were made from round bar stock. First turned down on a lathe to stud diameter, then the stud portion threaded. The cone was turned to a taper also on a lathe, and the half moon cuts were cut with a cone bit on a vertical mill after cutting in the flats. Any machine shop should be able to make these. The dimensions are not that critical. I use the big washers to sandwich the nut and the sway bar link end. I also drill a cotter pin in the stud, when I install them on the cars. I also switched to a slightly heavier duty Spherical/heim male and female. I space everything with those sleeves, that is my engineering addition, just for maximum rotation of the ball heim. I do that on the other big suspension Spherical/Heims.
Last edited by TCracingCA; Apr 8, 2023 at 11:37 PM.
Just a point of interest, You can get hollow sway bars. That may change your thinking. As I halfway remember, my bar in the picture is hollow. Saves weight and performs about the same.
Just a point of interest, You can get hollow sway bars. That may change your thinking. As I halfway remember, my bar in the picture is hollow. Saves weight and performs about the same.
Thank you.
I'm not looking to save weight here, I'm just trying to get the slop our of my suspension.
Perhaps my aftermarket sway bar is out of spec, too strong (1 1/4" ?) or ???, but the bushings don't last very long. They seem to get loose and deformed, rubber or poly, if I tighten them up. I can feel when they are loose. The car handles well with new bushings, but the whole system seems pretty crude.
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Front sway bar end links
