A drop (1 drop) of oil on each of the downlink heim joints twice a season does wonders for their longevity. Same thing for the bar heim joints (if you have them) - clean them with a rag and then a drop of oil on both sides and you're done.
What @Sacto Mitch has:
And what some others have:
There is a spacer between the hex bar and the heim joint, inside of the spring, to keep everything centered. inside of that spacer is a 5/16" OD metal dowel that's pushed into the end of the hex bar and then pinned with a roll pin. The upright tab that holds Mitch's bar in place is removed and the upright, male-end heim joint added and adjusted for height.
Mitch - I can send the rework instructions to you, if you're interested. Parts list and illustrations included.