Ball joint VS. Heim steering

The team here at 74Weld sat down to help explain tie rods and ball joint VS. heim steering, what we recommend and why.
like and subscribe for more content like this and tell us what you want to see more of.
bronco rack video: • What 74Weld steering s...
subscribe: www.youtube.co...

[@chasedanger9734]

Really enjoying 74weld content. Can't wait for the 200 series system.

[@mattg8116]

Thank you for making this! Making something strong is a lot easier than making something last. I much prefer the ball joint solution for my application. Also, if I hit an obstacle that brought me to a dead stop from 25 mph i'd have a lot more peace of mind replacing a tie rod than seeing my alignment forced out of whack or possibly yielding the frame or control arms or knuckle... I still want my tie-rod mechanical fuse, just with a much higher ceiling.

[@SandyCats]

Excellent information!!!! Super informative! Seams to always be a give and take with any mod

[@peterstewart5666]

We have limited Heim Steering experience... Used them on our Yamaha RMAX2 on 34s. Heim joints were loose and worn after around 300 miles. Our use was slower speed trails and rock crawling. The Heim joints had boots over them and were greased before every trail ride and not exposed to water. I would not run Heims for on road applications. Fine for trailered or race vehicles. Just my experience. Strong but not long lasting and lots of steering play as wear increases.

[@etienneprinsloo6799]

Absolutely great and very intelligent comment. The on road wear is really high. If you are willing to regularly clean and grease them you can double their life. Once they wear your steering gets very messy.

[@dlansburg2673]

Thanks guys

[@iamninjak5250]

Great content. I have been wondering about doing my tierods, I have a full Fabtech setup for my suspension, and I was wondering about the Fabtech tie rods. They have the heims end. Now I do not do rock crawling here in S. FL, but we do have some rough trails, and a lot of mud lol. Also, I know Fabtech has another tierod upgrade which I would believe is more in the vein of the Ford performance. So I'll keep looking out for these tyypes of videos, and great information btw. I want to do it, and do it once, so yeah.

[@dhrracer]

You mention no one has come out with an updated tie-rod for Tacoma's. There is however the ability to go to a heimed end or even heimed end with a clevis at the rack. You did not mention the philosophy of having a known easy to replace weak link. Until there is a real solution for the rack the stock tie rods might still be the best option. What I was hoping to hear is that you will have a new from scratch rack for the Tacoma soon. That would be better than doing the Tundra rack option.

[@74weld]

We will have a full replacement rack for the Tacoma this year. It’s in the works

[@dhrracer]

@@74weld Awesome!

[@PowerTankOfficial]

Another excellent video that explains the pros and cons of each setup well. Three questions: When talking about the RPG tie rod, you say that something else will be the failure point. If it is attached to your billet rack and is using a 5/8 misalignment bolt, what is the failure point? If you were to make an outer tie rod, why would it need to be forged instead of machined from billet? I am planning on running the stock rack from a 22 Squatch with the icon tie rods. Is the tie rod still the weak point in this set up? I would rather break a tie rod than a rack on the trail. 37s and a 2" Icon lift.

[@peterstewart5666]

Stock steering rack will break. 37s and Hoss 2.0 rack + Rock Crawling = High Risk of breaking.

[@peterstewart5666]

Tire becomes the weak point. That's what I always want to be the weakest point. I don't believe in the "fuse" concept. I'd rather "over build" for the tire size and have durability / reliability.

[@popo_patty]

Good stuff! Fabtech also has a ball joint style tie rod offering now as well. Rough Country too lol but we don’t speak of them… As far as the icons go, there seems to be a growing number of people running them experiencing premature failures of the joints. Granted they are typically running larger tires but I’m not seeing the same thing on the Hoss 3.0 or even braced 2.0 tie rods joints. Curious if y’all have seen this?

[@popo_patty]

I’m also stoked on the Rock Krawler setup as well as the Carli setup. I’ll be snagging both and trying them out as well.

[@74weld]

I don’t have any experience with the fabtech or Carli. I did see the fabtech ran a heim on the outer. Have not seen the Carli. I just talk about what I’ve put my hands on. I have not heard about issues with the icon, but I don’t have enough experience with them to say one way or another

[@Eric-c2n]

What about the difference in available travel? That's what I'm dealing with on my modified 2005 Toyota Sequoia. I would like to stay with sealed tie rods for the service life (and because I haven't broken any yet) but my inner tie rods are bending at full drop when they run out of travel. The clevis and heim at the steering rack side allows for so much more angular misalignment

[@rangefreewords]

Do you choose off the shelf F350 tie rod ends? I'd look at diesels as the driving voice behind how the on road delivery and off the shelf. I would blow seals all day until we have an aftermarket rack and pinion.

[@joshlopez9913]

JD FAB makes a heim joint outer tie rod for Tacomas, it double shear on the knuckle but keeps the stock INNER ball/socket rod. Dont know if thats a good or bad thing

[@74weld]

I know those guys and their products well. They are both a few years older than me but we went to the same high school. They were building badass prerunners in the mid 90’s

[@xhailofx]

What do you guys think of the Carli Suspensions Steering system? Most unique one on the market and reduces bumpsteer.

[@jlouis5217]

If you come across bad tie rods should you replace ball joints as well? O had tie rods replaced in 2019 which was for an inspection and emissions test. Then in 2023 when I was in for another inspection/emissions when I was told the front driver side was bad. They apparently replaced both tie rods. Then in March it was fue for inspection and was asked if I had r e center had work done on the car and I had which was replacing the tie rods both sides. I was told just on a recent trip like a day ago that the ball joint were bad and had been bad for awhile. I barely put 1000 miles per year. Did I get ripped off and who does it seem like did the ripping? Better question any suggestions what I should do first. I cannot locate the receipt for the last repain in 6/2023.

[@Prestiged_peck]

I thought you could just run tundra tie rods on the tacos like you can with the fronier/titan/titanxd

[@zcl812]

Do you ever plan to offer bolt on portal kits for the F-150 or any other full size trucks?

[@Harvdawg1981]

Bronco raptor is the hoss 4.0

[@74weld]

Call it whatever you want, it’s the same power, same internals, same motor, same part, different interface and programming. It’s a 3.0

[@Harvdawg1981]

@@74weld Ford calls it the hoss 4.0 system for the raptor.