Hot Rods Rubber, clevis or heim for Hairpins

Maybe I missed something in this post, but I'm curious as to stress on the axle/frame mounts. I have a Super Bell front axle with clevis joints. Currently on the frame end there are heim joints. My main concern isn't lubrication or longevity but stress on the axle and frame brackets. Would a bushing be better on the frame joint, or would it make the front end too loosey-goosey? Thanks!

 

How heavy is the car ? Yeah , it matters .

 

I have no idea. It's a steel body '27 bucket. The weight on the ***le might be made up for all I know.

 

How big are the heim joints? That matters also.

 

Generally , a '27 open car will be about 22-2300 pounds , your axle travel will be about 1 1/2" , up & down . Very little movement . Lots of T's using 3/4" tubing 1/2" clevis' & heims . Unless the setup is binding significantly there's not much stress to deal with concerning front end components or frame mounts . IME

 

I suggest you look at the Pete & Jake's catalog. Thousands of units sold.
Some installs have tens of thousands of miles without a problem.
Follow the leader. You will be safe.

 

If the frame mounts are made out of adequate material and welded on properly/bolted on securely; should be good to go.

The question is: why are you concerned with them?

 

Because I'm dealing with the rear hairpins right now, which got bent under load and now I've got a torn up diff, driveshaft and trans tail. I've never owned a "street rod" before, and the car had Curtis hairpins on the back which were already slightly bowed when I got it, but I didn't know any better. They slowly got more and more bent until I threw the driveline. I know it sounds stupid...like why didn't I notice, but they were incrementally (and equally) getting more bowed as I drove it. The car is (was) new to me, so I didn't know it's various noises, and it is LOUD-- megaphone open headers loud. I did notice a whine but I initially thought it was the big tires on the rear, until I noticed it changed when loading/unloading the drivetrain. About that time the driveshaft up and left me. Lesson learned. Anyway, clearly the builder not only put the incorrect hairpins on the rear, but they also put heim joints on all three connecting points. Non-gusseted hairpins and no give at all in the suspension, and I've got an expensive mess. Long winded, but that's why I'm concerned. I don't know what I don't know. It's one thing to have the driveshaft let go, but entirely another to have the front end buckle under. Diff and driveshaft work is expensive, but funerals are even more expensive.

 

Might post some pics ... " Threw the driveshaft" ??

 

If you are looking at material for hairpins.

I make front hairpins out of 7/8" x 5/32" wall DOM tube. Tapped 5/8-18 for clevises on the front and a piece of the same tube tapped 5/8-18 for heims or urethane bushed ends (yuck) on the back. If using tie rod ends on the back, I use a piece of 1" DOM tube tapped 11/16-18.

I use the same 7/8" tube to build ladder bars; with clevises on the rear and a urethane bushed end on the front due to the twist.

For rear hairpins on a light car like a T bucket, I use 1" x 1/4" wall DOM tube with 5/8" clevises on the rear and usually tie rod ends on the front.

I think there is too much stress to use hairpins on the rear of a heavier car.

I have seen 3/4" tube front hairpins buckled from braking force and also 1/2" heim joints snapped on front hairpins.

Rears need to hold up to drive torque besides braking forces.

Not too hard to make stuff last as long as you use proper materials and follow good sense on the design.

If in doubt, ask. Pictures of what you are asking about are helpful.

Hamb is a good place for inquiries.

The "experts" on Facebook not so much.

 

Thanks, I really appreciate the help. The car has the same front-end setup as you described above -- clevis on the axle and heim on the frame. For the rear, I'll go back with the same heim joints on the axle, but use 11/16" Ford tie rod ends up front; new Curtis radius rods, and I'll have my daughter weld in some cool-looking gussets (she's an architectural welder/metalworker). The shackles got splayed, so new shackles & bushings, and I am HOPING that it just wrecked the trans tailshaft bearing/bushing & seal and not the whole damn transmission (Turbo 350). And a new set of gears and driveshaft.
Thanks guys! Really appreciate the advice and help here!
FWIW, here are some pics of my issue(s). You can see how the rear end geometry got jacked up when the hairpins bent. I'm thinking that this caused the pinion bearing to go out, then the yoke gave up due to binding and vibration, and the whole damn driveshaft came skittering down the road behind me. You'd think I'd have heard/felt this disintegration process before it all finally gave up...and I did to some extent...but I guess in a loud, open T-bucket with a lumpy cam in a car that's new to me, I didn't identify the problem soon enough.

 

Yes.
See my reply to RichB.

 

I will add, using the proper shouldered bolts is important as well.

 

The hair pins or whatever they are and shackles all look sketchy.

 

@'50_SEDAted Is this a speaker, or a light? If it's a speaker, W.T.F.?

 

The front end is trying to tell you something ...... there's rotational stress/torque happening and if you were able to lock up the joint you'll only transfer that stress to somewhere else which could be more catastrophic. It needs a swivel type joint there like a tie rod end.

 

Yes, that is what I was thinking !

 

A "rubber" probably urethane bushed end has an inner steel sleeve. As long as a stop nut or even a regular nut & lock washer are tightened properly against the sleeve there should be no reason for it to loosen.

But; with urethane bushed rod ends you need to watch that the jam nut is tight and stays that way as there is a rotational force placed on that connection by these ends as compared to a Heim or tie rod end.

 

Rear hairpins should be braced to prevent this kind of damage. Fronts can be left unbraced, they don't have to deal with the same force loads as the rear.

 

Thanks !
pretty sure that they are urethane bushes.
I will keep an eye on it and see what happens.

 

Yes, it's the AHH-OOO-GA horn. It's stupid. Replaced with a real horn.

 

It told me. Loud and clear. Tie rod end joint is going in.

 

All getting replaced.