Review and Install - I.R.P. Heavy Duty Steel Upper Heim Joints for HPI Bajas.
04-13-2010, 12:42 PM
#1
Review and Install - I.R.P. Heavy Duty Steel Upper Heim Joints for HPI Bajas.
I recieved the new I.R.P. HD Steel Heim Joints for the HPI Baja 5X platform RC about a month ago. Took them out, and snapped a couple pics, then did some test fitting on the FLM ext arms setup, but installed them on the heavier Super Buggy. I only test fit the rears on the FLM Extended arms on my Hooters Baja, as the front upper arms need to be drilled 1/4 for the mounting bolt. This is explained in detail further down in this thread. The front Heims fit nicely into the front FLM Arms, i just didnt want to drill the 1/4 hole in the upper FLMs to mount the Heim as they are for the Super Buggy.
First, I will say these Heims are Very well made. The balls rotate effortlessly. The whole setup is virtually slop free. I can not feel any play anywhere in the heim joints. Buddy tells me they are a high end industrial Heim, for use in precision machines, due to their outstanding load ratings and wearablilty. I can see these Heims are not the 6.00 or 10.00 heims you can buy on Mcmaster-Karr.
The Load Ratings on the Heims is as follows-
the front 1/4 Heims are radial load rated @ 3820lbs
the M6 are radial load rated @ 8773lbs
good luck breaking those bad boys !!! LOL.
The High Clearance standoffs must be used for the same reason they are used in the 1:1 world. The angle of the hubs, Mounting bolts, and suspension travel, and connection points between them, wouldnt allow the heims to fully articulate without using a high clearance standoff. They do exacatly what they are called, allow room for the Heims and mounting bolts to swival thru full articulation wihtout binding. These units can not be sourced, so they have to be made by I.R.P.
So far, I have put around 3.5 tanks of fairly hard run time with them on. I have broken one servo saver piece, one servo saver whiper arm, one front lower a arm and a Rear Hub with these installed, and the Hiems are all in excellent condition. All breakage was in different runs/crashes. While it is a bit early, I feel confident in saying they are what I.R.P. says they are, a High Quality, Heavy Duty heim joint, with custom made High Clearance Stand Offs.
Rear Upper Heims
The Rear Heims are Metric, and the Front Heims are Standard SAE1/4 threads. This is explained down a bit.
I ll jump into the installed pics. They were pretty simple to install.
For the rears, just remove your rear stock heim, and install the IRP rear Spacer and then the Heim Joint. Install one H.C. Standoff in the top of the Heim, and one in the Botom of the Heim. The H.C. Standoffs are precision made so the will meet in the center of the Heim and support each other from being pulled together when tightening the mounting bolt for the hub location.
Front Upper Heims
The Fronts are just slightly more invovled due to the Hiem used. Its a S.A.E. standard 1/4 Heim, thus the mounting bolt is 1/4, so you may need to pass a 1/4 drill bit thru the camber spacer and bolt hole on the front upper a arm to secure the Heim with. Buddy indicated this was the best option avaialble for the front upper heim or he would of used a Metric one like used on the rears.
The rest of the front installation is eventless.
Install your choice of camber spacers, (drilled for 1/4 inch) then install the I.R.P. H.D upper heim using the supplied 1/4 mounting bolt. As you did in the rear, install the top High Clearance Stand Off, and the bottom H.C. Stand Off, and then mount to the hub. Be sure to position the Heim to be square to the front upper a arm and hub!!!
Both rears installed.
And both fronts installed.
I ll be beating the hell out of these over the next few weeks as I can. These may not be for everyone, but if your looking to eliminate all the slop the stock balls/ends produce after a couple runs, and want a setup that will work and last for a long time to come, then the Inertia Racing Products, H.D. Steel Upper Heim Joint set should be one of the best options available. If your Racing, the consistancy of the Heim and lack of slop will keep your rig tight from one race to the next. For the bashers, the 2000 plus lb. rated load capacity will ensure they will take the abuse you are used to putting your rigs thru.
Retail Price is 85.00. You Get: 2 Rear and 2 Front, H.D. Upper Steel Heim Joints, 2 rear custom made spacers measuring 10.5mm each, 4 Rear High Clearance Standoffs, 4 Front High Clearance Standoffs, and 2 1/4 S.A.E Front Heim mounting bolts.
Note on the Standoffs. They are made for thier front or rear mounting postion, so be sure to keep the front standoffs with the front Heims, and the Rear standoffs with the rear Heim. They are not designed to be interchangable!
These are currently available thru DDM and will be available thru any of DDM Distributor network soon.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Please read and understand these notes before you make your purchase.
If you are using an aftermarket rear turnbuckle, which many of us do, you may or may not be able to use them with the I.R.P. rear spacer, or possibly even the I.R.P upper rear Heim (if you decide you would rather use the Aftermarket rear upper turnbuckle you have isntalled).
This is due to the thread orientation of the turnbuckles themselves. The Stock Turnbuckles are a standard right hand threaded allen screw, and the rear Hiems are a standard Right Handed thread as well. Many of the aftermarket turnbuckles have a right and a left handed thread, And if you have aftermarket aluminum top rear a arms or have isntalled the right handed thread installed into the upper rear arms, the left handed thread will be exposed for the ball end. THIS ARRANGEMENT WILL NOT WORK.
SO to RECAP: If you have the left hand threaded part of the aftermarket rear turnbuckle exposed for the ball end, You will NOT be able to intsall the Right Hand threaded Heims. You will need to use Stock rear tierods, OR be sure the right handed thread of the aftermarket Turnbuckles are exposed for the Heim to install onto.
So the choice is yours for the time being, of using the aftermarket upper rear turnbuckle, or using the I.R.P. Rear H.D Heim, or re-orientating your turns so the right handed thread is exposed for the Heims to be installed on.
AGAIN: YOU MUSH HAVE A RIGHT HAND THREAD EXPOSED ON THE REAR UPPER TURNBUCKLES FOR THE REAR HIEMs TO SCREW TOO. Keep in mind these were made to fit the stock bajas, as MANY aftermarket parts are, so not all aftermaket items will work with other aftermarket items. I have found the PhatDad Turnbuckles will work with the I.R.P rear upper Heims and Spacders IF YOU HAVE THE LEFT HANDED THREADS screwed into the upper plastic arm. If you have an aftermarket aluminum upper rear a arm, then you likley have the left handed threads exposed for the ball end, and this arrangement WILL NOT WORK.
SO TAKE NOTE AND CARE when making your order, or atleast keep in mind you may have to make a choice between your Aftermarket Turnbuckles Or the I.R.P. Heims. I had to switch to the stock turnbuckles to get mine installed. Ive been using the PhatDad Turnbuckles, but had the right handed threads in the a arm part. Yes i could of just used the left handed thread to go into the arm, but i didnt want to rethread the arm. When i switch to new upper arms, i ll reinstall the Phatdad Turns, with the right had thread exposed for the Hiem. On my FLM extended arm set, you WILL have to use a full right hand threaded turnbuckles like the stock units.
FYI, the I.R.P. spacer is set at 10.5mm width. Also included in the kit are 4 each, 1mm washers (2 per side) to add to the spacer to adjust your rear camber settings.
A 2nd note: Some of the aftermarket turnbuckles have a built up center area like offered from Team Fast Eddy. Unfortunatly, the spacer will not fit over this location, as it is diesinged for the diameter of the stock rear upper turnbuckle. The Spacer will fit over the PhatDad RC rear turnbuckles or others similar to the stock unit, and work well if the note above is followed.
You can see the front I.R.P. front Turnbuckles in this last pic. you can read my review on them here -
http://michiganbaja.com/talk/showthr...d-FLM-Ext-arms
Thanx for the read, and will see you on the flip flop.
Timmahh
First, I will say these Heims are Very well made. The balls rotate effortlessly. The whole setup is virtually slop free. I can not feel any play anywhere in the heim joints. Buddy tells me they are a high end industrial Heim, for use in precision machines, due to their outstanding load ratings and wearablilty. I can see these Heims are not the 6.00 or 10.00 heims you can buy on Mcmaster-Karr.
The Load Ratings on the Heims is as follows-
the front 1/4 Heims are radial load rated @ 3820lbs
the M6 are radial load rated @ 8773lbs
good luck breaking those bad boys !!! LOL.
The High Clearance standoffs must be used for the same reason they are used in the 1:1 world. The angle of the hubs, Mounting bolts, and suspension travel, and connection points between them, wouldnt allow the heims to fully articulate without using a high clearance standoff. They do exacatly what they are called, allow room for the Heims and mounting bolts to swival thru full articulation wihtout binding. These units can not be sourced, so they have to be made by I.R.P.
So far, I have put around 3.5 tanks of fairly hard run time with them on. I have broken one servo saver piece, one servo saver whiper arm, one front lower a arm and a Rear Hub with these installed, and the Hiems are all in excellent condition. All breakage was in different runs/crashes. While it is a bit early, I feel confident in saying they are what I.R.P. says they are, a High Quality, Heavy Duty heim joint, with custom made High Clearance Stand Offs.
Rear Upper Heims
The Rear Heims are Metric, and the Front Heims are Standard SAE1/4 threads. This is explained down a bit.
I ll jump into the installed pics. They were pretty simple to install.
For the rears, just remove your rear stock heim, and install the IRP rear Spacer and then the Heim Joint. Install one H.C. Standoff in the top of the Heim, and one in the Botom of the Heim. The H.C. Standoffs are precision made so the will meet in the center of the Heim and support each other from being pulled together when tightening the mounting bolt for the hub location.
Front Upper Heims
The Fronts are just slightly more invovled due to the Hiem used. Its a S.A.E. standard 1/4 Heim, thus the mounting bolt is 1/4, so you may need to pass a 1/4 drill bit thru the camber spacer and bolt hole on the front upper a arm to secure the Heim with. Buddy indicated this was the best option avaialble for the front upper heim or he would of used a Metric one like used on the rears.
The rest of the front installation is eventless.
Install your choice of camber spacers, (drilled for 1/4 inch) then install the I.R.P. H.D upper heim using the supplied 1/4 mounting bolt. As you did in the rear, install the top High Clearance Stand Off, and the bottom H.C. Stand Off, and then mount to the hub. Be sure to position the Heim to be square to the front upper a arm and hub!!!
Both rears installed.
And both fronts installed.
I ll be beating the hell out of these over the next few weeks as I can. These may not be for everyone, but if your looking to eliminate all the slop the stock balls/ends produce after a couple runs, and want a setup that will work and last for a long time to come, then the Inertia Racing Products, H.D. Steel Upper Heim Joint set should be one of the best options available. If your Racing, the consistancy of the Heim and lack of slop will keep your rig tight from one race to the next. For the bashers, the 2000 plus lb. rated load capacity will ensure they will take the abuse you are used to putting your rigs thru.
Retail Price is 85.00. You Get: 2 Rear and 2 Front, H.D. Upper Steel Heim Joints, 2 rear custom made spacers measuring 10.5mm each, 4 Rear High Clearance Standoffs, 4 Front High Clearance Standoffs, and 2 1/4 S.A.E Front Heim mounting bolts.
Note on the Standoffs. They are made for thier front or rear mounting postion, so be sure to keep the front standoffs with the front Heims, and the Rear standoffs with the rear Heim. They are not designed to be interchangable!
These are currently available thru DDM and will be available thru any of DDM Distributor network soon.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Please read and understand these notes before you make your purchase.
If you are using an aftermarket rear turnbuckle, which many of us do, you may or may not be able to use them with the I.R.P. rear spacer, or possibly even the I.R.P upper rear Heim (if you decide you would rather use the Aftermarket rear upper turnbuckle you have isntalled).
This is due to the thread orientation of the turnbuckles themselves. The Stock Turnbuckles are a standard right hand threaded allen screw, and the rear Hiems are a standard Right Handed thread as well. Many of the aftermarket turnbuckles have a right and a left handed thread, And if you have aftermarket aluminum top rear a arms or have isntalled the right handed thread installed into the upper rear arms, the left handed thread will be exposed for the ball end. THIS ARRANGEMENT WILL NOT WORK.
SO to RECAP: If you have the left hand threaded part of the aftermarket rear turnbuckle exposed for the ball end, You will NOT be able to intsall the Right Hand threaded Heims. You will need to use Stock rear tierods, OR be sure the right handed thread of the aftermarket Turnbuckles are exposed for the Heim to install onto.
So the choice is yours for the time being, of using the aftermarket upper rear turnbuckle, or using the I.R.P. Rear H.D Heim, or re-orientating your turns so the right handed thread is exposed for the Heims to be installed on.
AGAIN: YOU MUSH HAVE A RIGHT HAND THREAD EXPOSED ON THE REAR UPPER TURNBUCKLES FOR THE REAR HIEMs TO SCREW TOO. Keep in mind these were made to fit the stock bajas, as MANY aftermarket parts are, so not all aftermaket items will work with other aftermarket items. I have found the PhatDad Turnbuckles will work with the I.R.P rear upper Heims and Spacders IF YOU HAVE THE LEFT HANDED THREADS screwed into the upper plastic arm. If you have an aftermarket aluminum upper rear a arm, then you likley have the left handed threads exposed for the ball end, and this arrangement WILL NOT WORK.
SO TAKE NOTE AND CARE when making your order, or atleast keep in mind you may have to make a choice between your Aftermarket Turnbuckles Or the I.R.P. Heims. I had to switch to the stock turnbuckles to get mine installed. Ive been using the PhatDad Turnbuckles, but had the right handed threads in the a arm part. Yes i could of just used the left handed thread to go into the arm, but i didnt want to rethread the arm. When i switch to new upper arms, i ll reinstall the Phatdad Turns, with the right had thread exposed for the Hiem. On my FLM extended arm set, you WILL have to use a full right hand threaded turnbuckles like the stock units.
FYI, the I.R.P. spacer is set at 10.5mm width. Also included in the kit are 4 each, 1mm washers (2 per side) to add to the spacer to adjust your rear camber settings.
A 2nd note: Some of the aftermarket turnbuckles have a built up center area like offered from Team Fast Eddy. Unfortunatly, the spacer will not fit over this location, as it is diesinged for the diameter of the stock rear upper turnbuckle. The Spacer will fit over the PhatDad RC rear turnbuckles or others similar to the stock unit, and work well if the note above is followed.
You can see the front I.R.P. front Turnbuckles in this last pic. you can read my review on them here -
http://michiganbaja.com/talk/showthr...d-FLM-Ext-arms
Thanx for the read, and will see you on the flip flop.
Timmahh
04-15-2010, 10:58 AM
#3
considering the Stock Heims major issue is wearing out, i doubt these units alone will transfer any issues into another part to break.
Ive only seen a couple broken stock ballends in working on 4 yrs now. So I suspect the breakage would be any different now, then it was before the I.R.P. Steel Upper Heims.
Lower mount on front Hubs, though HPI has beefed up the mounting area quite well. the occasional broken lower ball end (in the arm) or the upper arm by the hinge pins. that seem in the middle of the upper arms tends to split apart. but this was all common with the stock ball ends already.
Ive only seen a couple broken stock ballends in working on 4 yrs now. So I suspect the breakage would be any different now, then it was before the I.R.P. Steel Upper Heims.
Lower mount on front Hubs, though HPI has beefed up the mounting area quite well. the occasional broken lower ball end (in the arm) or the upper arm by the hinge pins. that seem in the middle of the upper arms tends to split apart. but this was all common with the stock ball ends already.
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