Rose joints/Heim Joints/Rod Ends and Ontario winters
 

For those of you who daily drive their car through the thick of winter and all the slush, salt and ice that comes with it, anyone have any long term exposure to these joints. I've heard everything from it's not too bad to they'll last a season at most.

Not exactly what you were asking but things can get a bit crusty.

This is off my old car. Mind you that is after 6 winters and 230,000 kilometers.
https://i.imgur.com/DHFstkC.jpg?1

@villainous_frx can probably tell you more about the condition of everything else.

What I can say is that I had no issues with anything so the "one season" thing sounds more like people afraid of some surface rust than an actual problem.

The rubber covers that hold the grease in aren't particularly susceptible to rust in the short term (10yr or so).
Ozone is what does for them. Just stop farting ozone in the cabin.

Stock/Original OEM diff bushings needed some grease added back, but everything else is in pretty good condition. OEM rear toe arms needed to be cut off on 1 side at the eccentric bolt due to being seized and not wanting to come off with and impact going at it.

As for rose joints, they can get gunked up with grime and not be as effective/move as smoothly. I cleaned mine on the RLCA after last season, but did not drive them in the winter. I'm still undecided if this car will ever see winter again, but I am leaning towards no. If it does, I will be buying new/lightly used OEM toe arms, OEM RLCA, and stock struts for the season and swap back to the SPL for the summer.

https://i.imgur.com/BOkXOlD.jpg?1

OP is asking about these kind of joints, not OEM balljoints or endlinks.


https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41-51nFORWL.jpg


The open ones (like pictured) won't do well in our winters, but if it's sealed inside a rubber boot it'll hold up much better.

Yes, thank you.

I was looking at the Cusco rear LCA's since they are the only ones that I know that have boots over the joints. But shied away at the end of the day since I've heard people say our winters and salt will destroy them on a daily. Not sure how plentiful replacement parts are either from Japan/California.