Hiems are better that urethane..period. Urethane works, so does rubber or a handful of other materials. But a bearing works best. The first couple years we used a nylon-lined joint that, although very strong, would often make a squeeking or popping noise after time, maybe a bit less loud than most urethane bushings when they squeek, annoying but plenty strong. We now use a very nice teflon 3-piece heim that, after over 250 sets of arms in the last year, have not had one issue. To repalce the old style hiem with the new style is $80 for all 4 bearings shipped, not sure what urethane bushings are selling for now-days, but I'd bet its about the same price retail (truth is urethane bushing halves cost about $2.00 each, you will need 8 of them, but see what they actually cost to replace). Compare our arms to some others out there, urethane is cheap and easy to use, that is why some builders use it. Urethane is also very compilant and works well when you need a mutil-axis joint (like a traction bar or shackle), but for a single-axis pivot (like our truck's a-arms) Delrin or a bearing is better option.not to mention the fact that if you do bend the frame form a hard hit you can adjust and heims are available through many vendors, you are not stuck with a special bushing. Because bushings require grease, dirt and debris gather in the pivot points and slowly grind the bushings down. This is like the argument for carbs vs injection or better yet, drums vs. disks. As far as noise goes, bearings will transmit more noise, but since most anyone using aftermarket upper arms will most likley have a coilover, and the shock is a much more direct path for road noise to follow, the arm is really inconsequencial at this point. Some one brought up Camburgs arms, Camburgs best kits run uniballs on the lower arms too!!! I personally have heim'd uppers and coilovers on all my trucks, and they are as quiet as any urethane bushed arms, I know because I have run both other brands Titan arms on my Titan and the other Frontier arm on my Xterra. I have also ridden in a few hundred different Frontier/Xterras with either sets of arms...there is no noise difference.
I also want it to be known that I could sell brand "T" arms and actually make more profit than my own arms, (dumb for business I know). Why do I build and sell my own arms instead of the others, because I belive that we need to offer the most/best product to the customer at a given price point. I am not obligated to sell only brand T, I, or D, I have no allegence to any company, I am not part of a brand-loyalty-cartell where I have to suggest one brand over another for special favors. If brand K built a better arm than ours for less money, I would sell that instead. Maybe we will offer a urethane pivot arm with a 1" uniball...since its the same as our titan bearing and the urethne is the same as out titan shackles....hmmm could probably build and sell those for $450/set shipped.
http://www.chaosfab.com/product/96504/96504H_kit.jpg
I belive these are $900/set
http://www.iconvehicledynamics.org/catalog/popup_image.php?pID=92
note, these arms use the same joint we do.
