Heim Joints

[Trikes]

Can we talk about Heim Joints please.

I have a 03 Honda Type R Integra and while it's a bullet in a straight line I can't get the Wheel Alignment anywhere near correct. It's running static 8 degree's Toe In atm (front) and when 3 guys get under it and pull down a bit (2-3mm) it shoots up to 16 degree's of Toe In. Anyway the Heim Joint / Rose Joint is bottomed out on the Threads on the Steering Arm that connects to the front of the Rack.

Thread engaged with the current HJ is about 14 threads. I reckon to get my Toe / Camber where I want it I may have to lose up to 7 threads by perhaps utilizing a shorter H/J and chopping the Arm.

With H/J how much is not enough thread engagement using R Spec tyre's?

Current wheel alignment specs are + 2.34 Camber and - 3.0 Caster with 8mm Toe In.

A bit more history : I bought the Car from Interstate here in Australia and it was winning lots of big events (circuit racing). Watching the Video's the past owner supplied he had the same problem but put up with it. I've raced it twice (Time Attack) and won twice but it's a scary ride where the Track raises and falls - especially falls and it's bloomin sketchy in Sweepers.

Your thoughts Gentlemen please.

[Icarus_nz]

You'd be perfectly safe with 1.5 times the thread dia as an engaged length.
More to the point, I'd be reading up on bump steer...

[Trikes]

Working on the Bump Steer also. Just needed to know safe thread engagement. Thanks guy's

[Trikes]

'The Plot Thickens'. It would appear that with the DC5 Honda Integra Type R (runs Struts) I race that when lowered the car the Rack goes down (obviously) but this leaves the Steering Arm on the Struts rather high up and forward. The Arms end up at an odd angle. So the fix is to buy or build a 35mm thing called a Rack Raiser that bolts to the Rack Slider. This places the Inner Point on the Steering Arms back where the manufacturer intended. Oh and I had to change Arms from the Rack to the Strut with Hard Race Shorter Steering Arms. Took a lot of finding out but I got there. And because I lowered the car (front and rear substantially (70mm front / 60mm rear) I also had to change to a Lowering Roll Centre Ball Joint (never heard of these before). Type R was looking better (far far less) on the Wheel Alignment Machine as far as Toe gain simulating under brakes. Anyway will be on track soon will let you know how it goes.

[Trikes]

Update:

Spent most of the year developing the DC5 Integra Type R and it was quite a lot of work but finished with good results. Won my Class B in the Tasmania State Hill Climb Series plus finished 2nd Outright. Won Time Attack in Class B and again finished 2nd Outright. Won Super Sprint Events as well. Broke a couple of Track records along the way. So even though I received very little assistance here I was able to put together some wins. In fact the worst I did was First, got to be happy with that first year out.