I think Toyota presses in the spherical end shaft from the backside first (washer not yet there), puts the cap with little reverse dimple in, and swags over the back flange to hold it together. They then put on the boot, wire wrap it, and then press the washer on.
Nice design, but if you rip a boot you are screwed and have to replace the whole thing essentially. Not really necessary for a torn boot I guess, but I think of grease like a prisoner that shouldn't get out! We also know that these links are a little weak in the midsection. Sway bar collars help to prevent breakages but I still want my links reinforced.
So I am hoping to design a set for myself and am looking for a little input. I like working with aluminum for a bunch of reasons, and it seems to like me, so the body of my links are going to be billet 6061 T6. Thought about 7050 or 7075, but 6061 is cheaper and easier to come buy and the added hardness is not really necessary here. Might just make it more prone to breaking...
Think Icon lower links. That is close to what I have planned for my swaybar links. The Icon lower links are VERY well designed and I plan to purchase those when money permits.
Moving forward, I found these!
HAB-T-500 High Misalignment Series Spherical Bearings on Aurora Bearing Company
They allow 20 degrees of misalignment from the centre, for the ones I have planned due to design sizes. That's 40 degress overall. Is this overkill? The other ones on the market appear to have way less room for movement, judging by the spherical bearing design incoporated into the rod end. I know more travel is not going to hurt anything, but the stock ones seem to be able to provide closer to this amount if not more, which has me questioning the ability of a standard rod end to hold up to the abuse.
These would be pressed in, with a loctite press fit locker just to be safe. Loctite is not a substitute for a good press fit, but it does help.
From there, I could machine a ring into/out of the housing for those boots I linked to above, making them replaceable (and much more HD compared to the Toyota rubbers). I planned to use an M12 bolt, high grade (same as Toyota) from the back (back seal to be determined... possibly another one of those above boots held in place by the head of the bolt and a spacer to prevent collapse) with a machined flanged bushing that would complete the 12.7mm bore and act as the pressed on washer does on the OEM links. I might need to step up the inside bore of the spherical rod end now that I think about it. 0.7 mm is not going to make much of a bushing...
That limits the travel another degree or two... whatever.
So what do you experts think? Does this sound viable? I want the angle built into the housing and NO threads anywhere except to bolt the link in. The Toyota ones are great, minus the flimsy rod, and I think threads add a weak point. Not what I am after.
Thanks,
Joel
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