Heim Joint Replacment?

[wiredgeorge]

When a new anti-sway bar is installed, the original Heim joints are apparently some hard plastic. BajaRon's website shows aluminum Heim joints being sold right below the anti-sway bars. The kits for 2013 and newer anti-sway bars include the aluminum Heim joints. I called the number on the website and the lady who answered told me that a customer had claimed a plastic Heim joint had cracked after the anti-sway bar install. Litigation followed and now the metal Heim joints are a part of the kit(s) where the affected model was part of the legal action. Should the OEM plastic Heim joints be replaced? Sounded to me like there has never been a breakage on 2010-2012 RTs. Advice please.

[Chupaca]

See your other post...you will get answers on both...

[ThreeWheels]

Should the OEM plastic Heim joints be replaced? Sounded to me like there has never been a breakage on 2010-2012 RTs. Advice please.

Cheap crap plastic Heim links never break?
You're new and have missed a LOT of history.
I have no need to replace the sway bar on my 2014, but I still changed out the links, just for peace of mind.

[revjvegas]

I imagine if you ride like a "sane" person, you'll most likely never have issue.


But if you like to push it in the corners, I would do the upgrades to be on the safe side.

Personally, I like the added stability the upgrades add and sometimes I don't drive like a "sane" person

Just say'n.

[Gumbeau]

Play it safe, replace the heim links. Some of the plastic links have cracked and a few have broken. A friend had a personal experience with a link breaking. It was not pretty. Do yourself a solid, replace the links.

[bruiser]

I have a new set of Lamonster Links, same as Ron's. If your interested. $50.00 plush shipping. PM me.

[Bob Denman]

Cheap crap plastic Heim links never break?
You're new and have missed a LOT of history.
I have no need to replace the sway bar on my 2014, but I still changed out the links, just for peace of mind.

I did also!
I wonder if the new suspension design loads the bar more??

[wiredgeorge]

Play it safe, replace the heim links. Some of the plastic links have cracked and a few have broken. A friend had a personal experience with a link breaking. It was not pretty. Do yourself a solid, replace the links.

That is exactly why I asked. Thanks to all who responded.

[Marker]

The OEM heim joints are way too thin for the new beefed up bar. I was shocked at how small the OEM sway bar and heim joints are.
The new bar ,heim joints , Fox shocks and a laser alignment is an awesome combination.

[wiredgeorge]

I have a new set of Lamonster Links, same as Ron's. If your interested. $50.00 plush shipping. PM me.

Thanks for the kind offer. Would have saved me a few bucks but I had already ordered from BajaRon. They are on their way along with an anti-sway bar. I am conservative regarding safety so once I heard of cases of breakage, it was a no-brainer.

[BajaRon]

When a new anti-sway bar is installed, the original Heim joints are apparently some hard plastic. BajaRon's website shows aluminum Heim joints being sold right below the anti-sway bars. The kits for 2013 and newer anti-sway bars include the aluminum Heim joints. I called the number on the website and the lady who answered told me that a customer had claimed a plastic Heim joint had cracked after the anti-sway bar install. Litigation followed and now the metal Heim joints are a part of the kit(s) where the affected model was part of the legal action. Should the OEM plastic Heim joints be replaced? Sounded to me like there has never been a breakage on 2010-2012 RTs. Advice please.

I am not sure who you spoke to from the 'Website'. And I have no idea where they are getting their information. There has never been any litigation regarding the BajaRon sway bars or Heim joint links.

It is unfortunate that such incorrect information is being circulated. I know it can be an exercise in futility. But I would like to set the record straight. I only ask that people stick with the truth.

The OEM plastic links have held up surprisingly well. But you have to remember, they are subject to failure regardless of who's sway bar is being used. It is just the nature of plastic.

Here are the reasons that I produced high quality Billet Aluminum end links.

* Owners requested that I develop a bullet proof link set.

* Under ideal conditions the stock links should last a long time. However, riders experienced breakage from road debris strikes, wear/tear/fatigue, and the occasional bad apple with the stock bars and with my bars.

* Some are not comfortable with a plastic piece under that much stress and exposed to possible road damage.

What really brought it to a head was the quality control issue at the beginning of the 2013 production year. After a number of link failures occurred on the new 2013's with stock sway bars, BRP pulled all replacement links off the shelf. It took some time for BRP to iron this out. So if you broke a link, you had no way to replace it. My links were the only available replacement items for some time.

I highly recommend installing my Billet Aluminum links with my Custom Sway Bar kit. (Some have installed them with a stock bar for piece of mind). My link sets carry a lifetime, free replacement warranty and are much stronger than the stock links. The 2013-15 RT kit is the stiffest bar I sell so I require the aluminum links to be installed with this kit. Because the other kits put less stress on the links I still offer the aluminum links as an option for these.

[Bob Denman]

Thank you, for giving us the REAL story.

[Dubliner]

BajaRon,

Are there different sized links? Are some longer than others, and can they be used to raise the machine higher?

I read a post earlier today but didn't find anything to explain the purpose!

[2 Cruysyn]

WiredGeorge, replace the bar and the links. You will thank yourself the first time you take 'er out!

[Highwayman2013]

BajaRon,

Are there different sized links? Are some longer than others, and can they be used to raise the machine higher?

I read a post earlier today but didn't find anything to explain the purpose!

They have no effect on the height of the spyder. They connect the say bar to the a frame on each side. I'm not sure if they are all the same size but they should be.

[AgentK]

I installed a new sway bar and the original joints, my wife and I were riding, went around a right hand turn and the left link broke. Completely threw us into the on coming lane, fortunately nothing was coming. I would change them even without the new sway bar. A few bucks and a little time is far cheaper than a life! Just saying!