Has anybody used these on their 7? They provide the benefits of a rod end, while providing some shock absorption:

https://www.rockjock4x4.com/products...-johnny-joints

 

that might be a nice option for a street car? plus a little extra give wouldn't be a bad thing either.

i would try it in the Watts link first...

 

I was looking at some for the Watts link in my upcoming rear end rebuild, but at $60 a pop it made more dollars and cents to go with new OEM links.

I *think* these will fit in the watts link brackets, not sure on the bolt hole size.

 

I have installed two of them on my car, in the third link. Lower links are OE at the chassis end and UMI joints at the axle end.




I drove the car for about a week and then parked it to rebuild the engine. That was in the spring.... just dropped the engine in yesterday.

Definitely better than rod ends as far as NVH is concerned. Also transmits a lot less driveshaft shudder to the car, which is a real problem over 5000rpm driveshaft RPM. Also less differential noise. I'd say "we'll see how long they last" but in my experience, rod ends last about two or three days before they start to clatter and rattle and knock loose, so anything is better than that.

 

What was the perceived effect to spring rate? OEM-style rubber bushings typically contribute a noticeable amount.

 

I've never noticed a difference between rod ends or OE bushings or anything like that. Given that the OE bushings can be easily moved with hand pressure, I don't see them contributing more than 1-2lb-in of rate at the extreme ends of travel.

I can see going from OE bushings to poly causing a noticable change with the stock 4 link because it relies so much on bushing compression to be able to move at all. That's why you generally should not put poly or rod ends in the rear suspension if you still have the upper links.

Which reminds me, I need to go about making relieved bushings for my '81 so the suspension can move better.