Xem Studiomeasured geometryRod ends (heim joints) M3 to M8
What are the dimensions of M3–M8 rod ends? · Hardware · basis: POS-series male rod-end envelopes: ball Ø 2 × M, head OD ball + 4, head thickness 0.8 × ball
Long Earth Society build part. Serviceable pivots on the LES linkages; a U-joint between engine and alternator when the shafts don't line up. The engines
Exact dimensions. Every file is drawn at true size with no printing tolerance. The holes and pins that meet another part are listed below under Mating features, with the fit each joint needs; open those by your printer's or process's clearance before making the part. Mating features
- sizes
- 5 in table
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.
Sizes
| file | thread | ball bore | ball Ø | head OD × thickness | centre to shank end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Mating features
Drawn at the exact size. Open press, slide, run and socket features by your process's clearance; leave designed gaps and clamp fits as drawn.
| feature | exact | mates with | fit | files |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ball bore | Ø3–Ø8 (= M) | bolt of the same Ø | slide | rod-end-* |
Where the files are
Other publishers' files are linked, not hosted. "verify" = check the license at the link before commercial use.
| Wikipedia | Clevis fastener | web | CC BY-SA 4.0 (text) |
| Wikipedia | Universal joint | web | CC BY-SA 4.0 (text) |
| Wikipedia | Rod end bearing | web | CC BY-SA 4.0 (text) |
| McMaster-Carr | Clevis pins (free STEP per part, for your own design use; no redistribution) | STEP, PDF | McMaster-Carr site terms verify |
| McMaster-Carr | Rod ends (free STEP per part, for your own design use; no redistribution) | STEP, PDF | McMaster-Carr site terms verify |
| Long Earth Society | Engine and rig builds | web, video | LES site |
Free files
★ Free files 5 parts. Generated by Xem Studio from the standard; threads are plain cylinders at major diameter. CC BY 4.0. index.json
| rod-end-m3 | rod end (heim joint) envelope M3: ball bore 3, ball Ø6, head OD ball + 4 | STEP · STL |
| rod-end-m4 | rod end (heim joint) envelope M4: ball bore 4, ball Ø8, head OD ball + 4 | STEP · STL |
| rod-end-m5 | rod end (heim joint) envelope M5: ball bore 5, ball Ø10, head OD ball + 4 | STEP · STL |
| rod-end-m6 | rod end (heim joint) envelope M6: ball bore 6, ball Ø12, head OD ball + 4 | STEP · STL |
| rod-end-m8 | rod end (heim joint) envelope M8: ball bore 8, ball Ø16, head OD ball + 4 | STEP · STL |
Plain text: sheet.txt · JSON: /api/geometry?object=rod-ends-heim-joints
How it fits
Connects to
Four-bar linksbolt through the ball into the link
Bell cranksbolt through the ball at the crank armAlternatives
Clevises with M3 tapped shankfork and pin instead of a ballYou might also need
Questions
What are M5 rod end dimensions?
Ball bore 5, ball Ø10, head Ø14 × 8 thick, 28 mm from the ball centre to the end of the M5 shank.
What bolt goes through a rod end?
One of the thread size: the M6 rod end's ball has a Ø6 bore.