Better than urethane bushings control arm

[Psychotuner]

im in the process of swapping over Control arms. While doing so, Id like to find a Solid or more solid than Es Control Arm bushings.
I did read someone was using delrin bushings or something, ill have to read more into it aqnd find out exactly what it is and what it did.

Anyone experimented with putting in Spherical bearings in place?

I think im going to try and do it, im just needing help on deciding what size bearing to get, I guess out bushings are 35mm inner diameter?

[Blue ZX2]

I don't know... I looked around didn't really come up with much. But honestly how much stiffer does it need to be?? With ES they flex little. And if you go to much stiffer stuff, your ride quality could suffer. But IDK its up to you.

[Psychotuner]

With SOLID metal motor mounts, no a/c no power steering, comfort is a not in my cars case, so bring it on.

[mechtech]

Spherical is best - no slop and squish like rubber, no lube problems like urethane.
But it will be jittery on the steering wheel!
I would hesitate to go beyond urethane that is properly fitted and greased.

[Blue ZX2]

I can respect that. But like mech said. I could see it being jittery. Im not saying that the engineers were the best on this car, but there needs to be a bit of give and solid mounts could put stress on other parts and or transfer bad vibrations causing things to losen, or fatigue stressed and lead to other parts failing... Its a possibility but Im going to stand by my previous statement. I don't think there is going to be a huge or noticeable gain from solid mounts and im sure polys will be fine, i love mine. But it would be neat to seen done.

[Psychotuner]

yes, im doing the spherical bearings in the control arms. Ive been running the Solid metal mounts for a while now. I also run an engine torque damper.

Ive seen lots of old school muscle cars put sphericals in there control arms, ive also seen the street tuner challenge do it on skunk 2's Evo.

[croquetgod]

im in the process of swapping over Control arms. While doing so, Id like to find a Solid or more solid than Es Control Arm bushings.
I did read someone was using delrin bushings or something, ill have to read more into it aqnd find out exactly what it is and what it did.

Anyone experimented with putting in Spherical bearings in place?

I think im going to try and do it, im just needing help on deciding what size bearing to get, I guess out bushings are 35mm inner diameter?

Delrin is a hard plastic material. its not overly expnsive, its east to work with and it comes in a lot of shapes and sizes.

[Texas Tracer]

I was about to say delrin.

[yellow2000S/R]

Most track cars run heims. If you get sealed units or the washers that go on the sides with rubber that act like seals, they last longer and stay cleaner. Keeping them clean and greased is important.

With how basic our rear suspension is, you could probably replace 2 of the arms with standard swedged tubing from a speed shop with heims on both ends and then you would have tons of adjustment. To figure out the heim sizes you will have to just measure the bolt or take them with you to fit the heim over. You can run heims with a larger spherical hole than shank and viceversa or run a larger one and put a bushing in the spherical side to step down the size.

You would have to figure out how to do a sway bar mount which you could just make that arm custom out of DOM tubing, drill a hole, weld a sleeve in it and put the endlink bolt through it like normal. Doing this would require you to run a shorter spacer in the endlink, say only 1/2", and a .75-1" longer bolt if the tubing was 1.25".

Doing this all custom would allow you to have the possibility of making the track width wider which should lead to making handling better as long as other geometry stays happy. If you want to get real technical you could do a ton of measurements, but its all up to you.

[2000ZxT]

Just wondering, what is the use of this car now. Track only/mainly?

[Psychotuner]

street/track

[iceracer]

I wouldn't want that for the street. Installing spherical joints involves a lot of fabrication, how to attach to the control arm, mounting brackets on the frame and all has to be made strong. Doable but is it worth it ?
Also, how will affect the supension geometry ?

[2000ZxT]

Delrin has a Rockwell hardness rating of R118. Polyurethane seemsto more fickle and ranges from slightly softer to even harder (R80-R140) than Delrin in some circumstances. I thought for sure Delrin would be more rigid the PU but it doesn't seem like it.

I would go all out and do something like what Josh is saying.

[yellow2000S/R]

I wouldn't want that for the street. Installing spherical joints involves a lot of fabrication, how to attach to the control arm, mounting brackets on the frame and all has to be made strong. Doable but is it worth it ?
Also, how will affect the supension geometry ?

The rear arms for the rear suspension would be real easy (just swedged tubing and heims in the ends). The front ones would require small amount of fab work because of the swaybar endlink mount. The arms going from the body back to the spindle would require 2 small bends.

The rears could be done from swedged tubing, or you could make it all out of DOM tubing and use a tap to thread it all.


Like I did the parts in school based off the 240sx suspension

http://www.endlessmotorsports.net/Gallery/Shop%20Projects%20and%20Cars/1992Nissan240sx/Suspension/Powder2.jpg

[mechtech]

Those metal Heim joints will wear fast in that high load application. The slightest play will then knock. There is no forgiveness.
It just seems that your excellent work and planning will likely dissapoint you in the end.

[yellow2000S/R]

Those metal Heim joints will wear fast in that high load application. The slightest play will then knock. There is no forgiveness.
It just seems that your excellent work and planning will likely dissapoint you in the end.

There are TONS of guys that run aftermarket suspension components that have heims.


I dont plan on running the ones I made, mainly because the ends that arent actual heims dont have the clearance for the spindles. I mainly made them instead of working on something stupid and they got me a great grade in chassis fabrication class.

[Psychotuner]

I dont see what so hard about going to a bearing place and taking my control arm up there and finding out what will work. I may have to press the bearing in.

[Psychotuner]

http://www.geocities.com/evlmx3/controlarm.jpg

[iceracer]

Good looking. It's not exactly spherical. How would you lubricate it ? No compliance for sure.

[Tygen1]

I would agree with Mech that the Heim joints wouldn't fair to well on the street.
I've seen conical bearing, like what's used in the spindles of old cars, used on suspension joints, like where the A-arms attach. They can take quite a beating and you can adjust the preload to remove all slop.