{
 "version": "2026-10-20",
 "license": "Dimension sheets are written by Xem Studio from the cited sources and are free to use (CC BY 4.0, attribute 'Xem Studio'). Linked files belong to their publishers under the license shown; Xem Studio does not host them. 'license_verified: false' means the license shown is from memory or the publisher's page as last read and should be confirmed at the link before commercial use.",
 "slug": "rod-ends-heim-joints",
 "name": "Rod ends (heim joints) M3 to M8",
 "kind": "hardware",
 "category": "Hardware",
 "group": "Motion",
 "year": null,
 "question": "What are the dimensions of M3–M8 rod ends?",
 "tags": [
  "rod end",
  "heim joint",
  "ball joint",
  "linkage",
  "spherical bearing",
  "stirling",
  "long earth society"
 ],
 "aliases": [
  "rod end m5 dimensions",
  "heim joint sizes",
  "rod end bearing step",
  "m3 rod end",
  "pos rod end dimensions"
 ],
 "overall_mm": {
  "length": null,
  "width": null,
  "height": null
 },
 "official_cad": false,
 "xem_status": "free-files",
 "les": true,
 "free_files": 5,
 "url": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/rod-ends-heim-joints/",
 "sheet_txt": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/rod-ends-heim-joints/sheet.txt",
 "sheet": {
  "basis": "POS-series male rod-end envelopes: ball Ø 2 × M, head OD ball + 4, head thickness 0.8 × ball",
  "overall_mm": {
   "length": null,
   "width": null,
   "height": null
  },
  "notes": [
   "Envelope of a male rod end: a ball with a bore of the thread size, held in a head of OD ball + 4 and thickness 0.8 × ball, on a threaded shank drawn at the thread major Ø.",
   "Ball Ø: M3 6, M4 8, M5 10, M6 12, M8 16. Ball centre to shank end: 20, 24, 28, 32 and 42 mm.",
   "The ball's bore is the thread Ø (3–8) and takes a bolt of that size; ±13° of misalignment is the catalogue figure for this series."
  ],
  "table": {
   "columns": [
    "file",
    "thread",
    "ball bore",
    "ball Ø",
    "head OD × thickness",
    "centre to shank end"
   ],
   "rows": [
    [
     "rod-end-m3",
     "M3",
     3,
     6,
     "10 × 4.8",
     20
    ],
    [
     "rod-end-m4",
     "M4",
     4,
     8,
     "12 × 6.4",
     24
    ],
    [
     "rod-end-m5",
     "M5",
     5,
     10,
     "14 × 8",
     28
    ],
    [
     "rod-end-m6",
     "M6",
     6,
     12,
     "16 × 9.6",
     32
    ],
    [
     "rod-end-m8",
     "M8",
     8,
     16,
     "20 × 12.8",
     42
    ]
   ]
  }
 },
 "sheet_text": "Rod ends (heim joints) M3 to M8 — dimension sheet\nSource: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/rod-ends-heim-joints/  (CC BY 4.0)\nBasis: POS-series male rod-end envelopes: ball Ø 2 × M, head OD ball + 4, head thickness 0.8 × ball\nCatalog version: 2026-10-20\n\nSizes: see table below\n- Envelope of a male rod end: a ball with a bore of the thread size, held in a head of OD ball + 4 and thickness 0.8 × ball, on a threaded shank drawn at the thread major Ø.\n- Ball Ø: M3 6, M4 8, M5 10, M6 12, M8 16. Ball centre to shank end: 20, 24, 28, 32 and 42 mm.\n- The ball's bore is the thread Ø (3–8) and takes a bolt of that size; ±13° of misalignment is the catalogue figure for this series.\n\nfile  thread  ball bore  ball Ø  head OD × thickness  centre to shank end\nrod-end-m3  M3  3  6  10 × 4.8  20\nrod-end-m4  M4  4  8  12 × 6.4  24\nrod-end-m5  M5  5  10  14 × 8  28\nrod-end-m6  M6  6  12  16 × 9.6  32\nrod-end-m8  M8  8  16  20 × 12.8  42\n\nFiles elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher):\n- Wikipedia: Clevis fastener — web — CC BY-SA 4.0 (text) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clevis_fastener\n- Wikipedia: Universal joint — web — CC BY-SA 4.0 (text) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_joint\n- Wikipedia: Rod end bearing — web — CC BY-SA 4.0 (text) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_end_bearing\n- McMaster-Carr: Clevis pins (free STEP per part, for your own design use; no redistribution) — STEP, PDF — McMaster-Carr site terms [verify license at link] — https://www.mcmaster.com/products/clevis-pins/\n- McMaster-Carr: Rod ends (free STEP per part, for your own design use; no redistribution) — STEP, PDF — McMaster-Carr site terms [verify license at link] — https://www.mcmaster.com/products/ball-joint-rod-ends/\n- Long Earth Society: Engine and rig builds — web, video — LES site — https://longearthsociety.com/engineering/\n\nFree files (CC BY 4.0, Xem Studio; STEP + STL, 5 parts): https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/rod-ends-heim-joints/index.json\nAPI: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=rod-ends-heim-joints\n",
 "sources": [
  {
   "publisher": "Wikipedia",
   "title": "Clevis fastener",
   "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clevis_fastener",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0 (text)",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Wikipedia",
   "title": "Universal joint",
   "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_joint",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0 (text)",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Wikipedia",
   "title": "Rod end bearing",
   "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_end_bearing",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0 (text)",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "McMaster-Carr",
   "title": "Clevis pins (free STEP per part, for your own design use; no redistribution)",
   "url": "https://www.mcmaster.com/products/clevis-pins/",
   "formats": [
    "STEP",
    "PDF"
   ],
   "license": "McMaster-Carr site terms",
   "license_verified": false,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "McMaster-Carr",
   "title": "Rod ends (free STEP per part, for your own design use; no redistribution)",
   "url": "https://www.mcmaster.com/products/ball-joint-rod-ends/",
   "formats": [
    "STEP",
    "PDF"
   ],
   "license": "McMaster-Carr site terms",
   "license_verified": false,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Long Earth Society",
   "title": "Engine and rig builds",
   "url": "https://longearthsociety.com/engineering/",
   "formats": [
    "web",
    "video"
   ],
   "license": "LES site",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  }
 ],
 "xem": {
  "status": "free-files",
  "sheet_free": true,
  "mesh_price_usd": null,
  "step_price_usd": null,
  "tolerance_mm": null
 },
 "related": [
  "clevises",
  "clevis-pins",
  "four-bar-links",
  "bell-cranks"
 ],
 "fits": [
  {
   "role": "Connects to",
   "items": [
    {
     "slug": "four-bar-links",
     "why": "bolt through the ball into the link"
    },
    {
     "slug": "bell-cranks",
     "why": "bolt through the ball at the crank arm"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "role": "Alternatives",
   "items": [
    {
     "slug": "clevises",
     "why": "fork and pin instead of a ball"
    }
   ]
  }
 ],
 "dimensions": "exact (nominal, no printing tolerance)",
 "dimension_rule": "All geometry on Xem Studio is exact (nominal, true size) with no printing tolerance. Where a part meets another part, the object lists its mating features (feature, exact size, what it mates with, fit class: press, slide, run, socket, clamp or designed). Apply your process's allowance to those features only; 'designed' gaps are part of the design and stay as drawn.",
 "mating": [
  {
   "feature": "ball bore",
   "exact": "Ø3–Ø8 (= M)",
   "mates": "bolt of the same Ø",
   "fit": "slide",
   "files": "rod-end-"
  }
 ],
 "fit_classes": {
  "press": "stays put: pin, tube, bearing or magnet held by interference. Typical FDM: hole +0.0 to +0.1 mm on diameter.",
  "slide": "assembles by hand and is held by a grub, pinch or clamp: shaft in a hub, rod in a socket, spigot in a bore. Typical FDM: +0.2 mm.",
  "run": "turns or slides in use: pin in a link, rod through a guide. Typical FDM: +0.3 mm.",
  "socket": "large sliding fit: syringe barrel, sleeve, bobbin in a bore. Typical FDM: +0.3 mm.",
  "clamp": "split part that closes on the mating part with screws: make it at size.",
  "designed": "a gap that is part of the design (piston fit option, displacer gap, air gap): do not change."
 },
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "What are M5 rod end dimensions?",
   "a": "Ball bore 5, ball Ø10, head Ø14 × 8 thick, 28 mm from the ball centre to the end of the M5 shank."
  },
  {
   "q": "What bolt goes through a rod end?",
   "a": "One of the thread size: the M6 rod end's ball has a Ø6 bore."
  }
 ],
 "files_license": null,
 "offers": [
  {
   "file": "rod-end-m3",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio)",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/pins-clevises-and-joints/rod-end-m3.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/pins-clevises-and-joints/rod-end-m3.stl",
   "note": "rod end (heim joint) envelope M3: ball bore 3, ball Ø6, head OD ball + 4"
  },
  {
   "file": "rod-end-m4",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio)",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/pins-clevises-and-joints/rod-end-m4.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/pins-clevises-and-joints/rod-end-m4.stl",
   "note": "rod end (heim joint) envelope M4: ball bore 4, ball Ø8, head OD ball + 4"
  },
  {
   "file": "rod-end-m5",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio)",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/pins-clevises-and-joints/rod-end-m5.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/pins-clevises-and-joints/rod-end-m5.stl",
   "note": "rod end (heim joint) envelope M5: ball bore 5, ball Ø10, head OD ball + 4"
  },
  {
   "file": "rod-end-m6",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio)",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/pins-clevises-and-joints/rod-end-m6.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/pins-clevises-and-joints/rod-end-m6.stl",
   "note": "rod end (heim joint) envelope M6: ball bore 6, ball Ø12, head OD ball + 4"
  },
  {
   "file": "rod-end-m8",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio)",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/pins-clevises-and-joints/rod-end-m8.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/pins-clevises-and-joints/rod-end-m8.stl",
   "note": "rod end (heim joint) envelope M8: ball bore 8, ball Ø16, head OD ball + 4"
  }
 ],
 "markdown": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/rod-ends-heim-joints/index.md"
}