Tie Rod VS Heim Steering

[k9lestat]

unless you're running parts on a commercial vehicle, I'm unaware of any instant were police inspect mechanical parts on a vehicle. Unless there is lift or bumper height requirement in your state. The only time ive towed a vehicle for being unsafe was this jack wagon in a s-10 truck with no floor boards while using cider blocks and horse blanket wrapped board for a seat. None of which was attached to nothing. and he couldnt understand why it was unsafe. As usual i got "you should arresting real criminals" speech as well as "you wouldn't be so tough without that badge" speech.

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[pappawheely]

I'd be interested to know what vehicles came from the factory with heims in the steering linkage.

I would guess some 2wd cars with rack & pinion steering have heims.

 

[Toiyabe]

I would guess some 2wd cars with rack & pinion steering have heims.

Some of the weirder track-day oriented Lotus, Porsche, and Ferrari models had them. All were ostensibly street legal when sold new.
I'll see if I can dig some of my pictures up from my photobucket.

 

[precision powder]

I daily drove my big turbo diesel vw every day straight through Maine winters for years with heim joints making up my entire shift linkage assembly, my tie rod assemblies, my rear sway bar, rear beam bushings (spherical bushings), LCA bushings (spherical bushings), and my rear beam stiffening bars. The key is to use dry lubed joints WITH dust covers. The car saw aggressive driving, a great deal of salt, and dirt/dust every day as I live on a dirt road. Not to mention the car was substantially lowered (just over 1.5" clearance ground to subframe) so it wasn't like I could avoid dirt and rocks with height. I never replaced one they were all still very tight when I sold the car.

I say go for it, just make sure you buy high quality joints when you do and you do get dry lubed joints with dust covers. The vehicle will be MUCH more solid to drive and you will feel more of the road. There is no slop

 

[spencyg]

Put me down as another vote for TRE's. I've used both tie rod ends and heims in rigs where street longevity was as much as concern as trail capability, and every heim rig eventually got swapped back to TRE's. Heims corrode terribly and since they aren't protected from winter road salt and grit, the most I ever got out of them was 2 seasons. TRE's will last for years without any additional maintenance considerations.

SG

 

[precision powder]

All the good things of both, heim with a dust cover.