Thoughts on a-arm bushings for racing

The race Cobras back in the day had brass bushings.

I don't know what the Group 4 Panteras used.

I would say that Delrin is going to be the best compromise on this subject but I don't know of anyone that offers them pre-made, i.e., you are going to have to make your own out of Delrin bar stock on a lathe.

I had a link for someone that would make them for you but it was quite old and doesn't work anymore.


Check with Larry Stock. He may have some already made.

http://www.benzboost.com/showt...ar-suspension-799-95

These actually look very much like Pantera bushings.

Do a Google search. There are actually a few online shops that will make them for you.

First of all, they would need to be staked inside the sleeve of the arm, so the body would be fixed in place, and I'm not quite sure how you would do that. Secondly, at $3.75 each ($37.59 for a pack of 10), they've got to be super low quality and I certainly wouldn't want to rely on them for a suspension component. If you could figure out how to adequately retain them and utilized something of higher quality, I don't see whay they wouldn't work. Personally, I don't think you could go wrong with a high quality poly bushing for racing, many others do. It would certainly be much easier.

Mike Mileski
Tucson, AZ

The Weistec are $799.99 for 32. That comes out to $25 each.

These are done EXACTLY like the polyurethane. A stainless center "pipe" through a left and right bushing.

The poly would be molded and the Delrin would machined down out of bar stock.

The poly fit finger tight in the suspension arm. Makes them very easy to service.

Only the rubber bushings are pressed in but they are molded into a steel sleeve and they use a steel inner sleeve for the bolt to pass through.

I don't know if the Delrin is machined for an interference fit since I have never used them, just the stock and the polyurethane.

I haven't seen durameter numbers on the poly's but I agree, they are more than adequate and you won't need to seek out a dental technician to repair the fillings that got knocked out of your teeth.

The Delrin has virtually zero give to them. It is the same effect as metal to metal except there is no noise.

I would expect them to wear rapidly also.

It's really the grip of racing tires that would make you need high durameter numbers on these bushings.

Even that is a little controversial in that the grip of race tires of the era aren't as good as a current "aggressive" street tire so it depends on the engineer who is setting the criteria?

how about radical and unproven?
use poly spherical bearing with spherical thrust

http://www.igus.com/wpck/3779/..._Gelenklager_EGLM_mm

http://www.igus.com/wpck/3753/...haerische_Axiallager

quote:

Originally posted by JFB #05177:
how about radical and unproven?
use poly spherical bearing with spherical thrust

http://www.igus.com/wpck/3779/..._Gelenklager_EGLM_mm

http://www.igus.com/wpck/3753/...haerische_Axiallager

All of the Pantera a-arms use simple axial loadings. Why complicate it?

Some cars have already been converted to "rod ends".


I did one conversion on the rear IRS on a Ford Contour and it works fine but it rattles a bit because of the nature of the rod ends.

The stamped steel arms were replaced with 1" od x 3/16" wall DOM tubing. L&R 3/4" rod ends.

No more bent suspension arms as a result.



I THINK I have seen bushings changed to caged roller bearings but I can't find those pictures and don't remember the car they were on?

Those would eliminate the unnecessary movement the rod ends permit that cause the noises.

A good discussion on the theme here:
Practical Machinist