Load ratings for rod ends

Been looking at getting rid of some of the factory pivots and using rod ends (heims, whatever you want to call them) and obviously there is a large variation in quality of these things. Most places state a static and dynamic load rating in newtons or kgf, but really the numbers don't mean much to me.

Is there any way to roughly guess or calculate how much strength is enough? Car is a mk3 VW GTi - and these would be in the suspension setting.

What position on the suspension?
Don'y worry so much about the load rating, worry about breaking the rod end at the threads. Rod ends in bending is a serious issue in a lot of vehicles.

Serious setups use bearing cups welded to the tubes.

Focus bearings.

Thanks for the replies - I'm torn about how far I want to take this. I found as long I use quality parts and life cycle stuff I've never catastrophically broken a tie rod end or ball joint, thus I don't really want to bother to make up any sort of tubular control arm although it would have a high awesome factor. Thats more what this question was for if I ever do that - so it would be the front and rear control arm pivots.

But for now....

really all I want to do is replace the rear control arm bushing with a weld in sleeve and bearing. Poly ones don't allow for the unrestricted travel I have after modifying my arms and subframe and factory ones (Even r32) squirm too much. I figure a captured bearing won't have any issues - is this correct?

Going for a weld-in cup and a spherical bearing in the rear position of the control arm would be nice. Basically what is done on the Fiesta.

Check out Rod End Supply, Poly Performance, or FK (available@Summit racing) for weld cups. You might be able to find a weld-cup that just drops in. Then you'll just need some simple reducers for the bolt to pass through.

Just make sure you have enough range. I found I did not have enough droop on my MKII with spherical bearings in the rear position. I replaced them with R32 bearings.

Thanks again for the replies. Droop has been an issue throughout. I've modified the control arms and subframe and have much more over stock, about as far as I'm willing to push the CV joints. I'll have to actually get out a protractor and measure it.

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Robert Culbertson
Going for a weld-in cup and a spherical bearing in the rear position of the control arm would be nice. Basically what is done on the Fiesta.

Check out Rod End Supply, Poly Performance, or FK (available@Summit racing) for weld cups. You might be able to find a weld-cup that just drops in. Then you'll just need some simple reducers for the bolt to pass through.

This seems like a good place for this...
http://www.asbbearings.com/metric_bushings.html
M18 metric bushing reducer those tag words were just for my ability to search this forum in a few years time..

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Grant Hughes

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Matt Bobyn
Thanks again for the replies. Droop has been an issue throughout. I've modified the control arms and subframe and have much more over stock, about as far as I'm willing to push the CV joints. I'll have to actually get out a protractor and measure it.

How much travel do you have? How much did you raise the front strut towers?

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