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Thanks everyone for their inputs!
I wasn't thinking about the whole axial vs radial load situation at all. That really cleared things up for me.

If I could tack on a quick question: the arms I'm making employ the same style as the inboard side of the UCAs in the picture (the ends screw into short pieces of tube that are oriented so they're perpendicular to the chassis). If the mounts are also welded perpendicular, i.e. so they meet the ends head-on, how narrow can/should I make the mounts? In other words, how much horizontal motion do these ends experience? The mounts I started making are about as narrow as on the inboard side of the LCAs in the picture, so there are only a couple mms of space on each side of the heim joint bearing. It doesn't seem like that would be a problem, since for the angle to change on one mount something would have to have broken on the other?

Thanks!

Spherical bearings have clearance between the ball and race so the uca will be able to move a little from thrust loading. Cheaper heims tend to have more. As they wear, more clearance is created. There are rubber/metal washers that help to keep dirt out and grease in so they don't wear out as quickly. The further the heims are separated, the less movement there is at the ubj for a given bearing clearance.

Fitting spacers to the sides of heim balls that pivot on the same axis that is parallel to the ground allows for subtle caster adjustment to correct alignment issues from damage or construction errors that can't be found without precise measurement.

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