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I found some jim-dandy misalignment washers online at The Chassis Shop.
Hope that they do the trick.
I am so thankful for the information that I glean from this forum. If the replacement of this linkage creates no additional misalignment, at least these washers will prevent a disconnect if the heim joints should ever fail in the future.
I found some jim-dandy misalignment washers online at The Chassis Shop.
Hope that they do the trick.
I am so thankful for the information that I glean from this forum. If the replacement of this linkage creates no additional misalignment, at least these washers will prevent a disconnect if the heim joints should ever fail in the future.
FWIW.... Just my opinion, and I'm no engineer....
In a vehicle suspension set-up, like on a tie rod, steering link, or any suspension link, the heim joints could be subjected to very high stress/pressure, and would certainly cover a much larger range of their motion, than when used in the HD shifter rod.
I see the necessity for misalignment washers or misalignment spacers in a suspension set-up.
With the HD shifter rod, you'd have to be one helluva stomping shifter to get that heim joint to come out of the shaft end.
Even when stomping, most of the force will be applied in a more linear direction, putting much less stress on the actual joint, with a bolt through the heim joint, versus the OEM ball joint configuration, which applies the linear force to one side of the rod shaft. ....
IMHO.... I feel confident I'm much less apt to be stranded with the heim joint shifter rod with just a bolt, than the OEM ball joint... I don't feel the need to add any safety/misalignment washers in this specific application..
What size (not wrench size) bolts are being used for these joints on stock linkage? I see lots of people selling the heim joint "kits" so to speak, but with no mounting hardware to the bikes linkage points.
I agree that the life of the heim joint will probably be extremely long. But with dirt added into the mix of contaminants the joint may eventually wear out. The most important feature of the misalignment washer is the largest diameter. This diameter will prevent the linkage being separated from the lever.
I also agree that the misalignment of the linkage will, most probably, not be great enough that a misalignment washer is necessary. But the way in which the misalignment washer is designed it serves as a standoff for the largest diameter (.875") of the washer from the face of the heim joint. Without this standoff distance a washer with a diameter larger than the joint could not be of as much benefit.
But, be assured, that your advice is not falling on deaf ears.
I agree that the life of the heim joint will probably be extremely long. But with dirt added into the mix of contaminants the joint may eventually wear out. The most important feature of the misalignment washer is the largest diameter. This diameter will prevent the linkage being separated from the lever.
I also agree that the misalignment of the linkage will, most probably, not be great enough that a misalignment washer is necessary. But the way in which the misalignment washer is designed it serves as a standoff for the largest diameter (.875") of the washer from the face of the heim joint. Without this standoff distance a washer with a diameter larger than the joint could not be of as much benefit.
But, be assured, that your advice is not falling on deaf ears.
A standard washer will do the same thing with plenty of room to spare if you align the rod properly.
I have run heim joints on last two bikes....just a good stainless steel washer and nut and bolt, all is well. Not that much movement with the shift shaft. I agree with hattiude that you don't really need the fancy washers. But if you feel more comfortable with them, then do it. To me, the bottom line is the heim joint is a better option that the factory, and I have yet to have one fail.
I am closer to the grave than not. Whenever this bike passes to my heirs, I do not want them to gawk at my bike and think "My god, what a rat bike. What a gobbed together pile of odds and ends.".
So to those who say "You dumbass, you could have done this cheaper." or to those who say "You could have made do with baling wire and a jar lid" I can only say "Who gives a damn?".
Whenever you send your daughter to her high school prom I am sure you will send her with the cheapest sun dress that you can find and tell her that she does not really need to have her hair done at the hair salon.
I had an uncle like that and he maintained his cars in the same manner.
I am closer to the grave than not. Whenever this bike passes to my heirs, I do not want them to gawk at my bike and think "My god, what a rat bike. What a gobbed together pile of odds and ends.".
So to those who say "You dumbass, you could have done this cheaper." or to those who say "You could have made do with baling wire and a jar lid" I can only say "Who gives a damn?".
Whenever you send your daughter to her high school prom I am sure you will send her with the cheapest sun dress that you can find and tell her that she does not really need to have her hair done at the hair salon.
I had an uncle like that and he maintained his cars in the same manner.
Have a laugh.
Unfortunately my heirs wouldnt have a clue what they were looking at .
Evo-Wes, those thin misalignment washers are perfect for this application, non-mechanical people don't understand load forces in single shear applications. It's not the how hard you stomp the shifter, its the number of times you will be doing it over the years. But, to each his own.
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