[DeTomaso] [POCA Forum] A-ARM BUSHINGS (Pantera Technical)

[carguy60]

Hello Mike,
I'm new to the POCA forum and the e-mail list, and haven't quite figured out how they both work.  I posted my question about the advantages of Poly on the thread started by John in the forum.  His response came in the form of an e-mail to me but doesn't show up on the thread in the forum.  My follow on comment was a response to his e-mail, John's additional comments and now your statement don't show up on the forum thread either.
Glad to know Lori was able to change her bushings herself!  Guess that will be a winter project for me. I put poly bushings in my BMW Roadster and I do have to lubricate periodically to stop the squeaking but it always comes back.  I use WD-40 which is probably not good for the bushing but I don't know what else to use. Perhaps I'll try Wurth HHS-K which is a penetrating lubricant used by some for this purpose.
Anyway, hope to see you and Lori tomorrow at the PCNC meeting.
Thanks,Dennis  


     On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 2:11 PM, "MikeLDrew at aol.com" <MikeLDrew at aol.com> wrote:
   

 
In a message dated 4/29/15 12 34 27, demongusta at me.com writes:



     What is the main advantage of the Poly A-arm bushings? If they are
>     replaced with the stock rubber, I assume you would not have the
>     squeaking, correct.



>>>Interesting--I never saw this original message, or John Donahue's response, or Dennis' response to that; the only thing that came through is John's subsequent reply.  Is this something that bled over from a web-based forum perhaps?

As to the question above--the principal selling point of poly bushings is that they offer less compliance (which is what bushings are for in the first place).  They are favored by racers and autocrossers (back in the day, race Cobras came with solid metal bushings, yow!).  The main advantage they used to have over factory bushings was greatly reduced cost.

Drawbacks are many, however.  As you mentioned, they can squeak something awful if they aren't properly (and routinely) lubricated.  (People often fail to lube the outside ends of the bushings, which is where most of the squeaking happens).  Too, they can deliver a somewhat harsher ride, and fail to absorb road shocks as well, transmitting them through the body instead.

Now MaseratiSource sells stock-style bushings at a very affordable price, making them competitive with poly bushings.  I vastly prefer stock-style bushings for a variety of reasons.

Getting the old ones out is time-consuming and labor-intensive, but not especially difficult.  Using a sawzall (you can use a hacksaw but it would take forever), you cut the large end off the bushing.  Then you use a just-large-enough deep well socket on one side, and a just-small-enough socket on the other, put the whole affair in a vice and compress it; the small socket should be small enough to fit inside the A-arm tube, and the large one large enough to accept the bushing as it is pressed out of the A-arm.

My wife Lori changed all 16 of her bushings herself, once the process was demonstrated, so you can definitely do it too! :>)

Mike

  
-------------- next part --------------
   Hello Mike,
   I'm new to the POCA forum and the e-mail list, and haven't quite
   figured out how they both work.  I posted my question about the
   advantages of Poly on the thread started by John in the forum.  His
   response came in the form of an e-mail to me but doesn't show up on the
   thread in the forum.  My follow on comment was a response to his
   e-mail, John's additional comments and now your statement don't show up
   on the forum thread either.
   Glad to know Lori was able to change her bushings herself!  Guess that
   will be a winter project for me. I put poly bushings in my BMW Roadster
   and I do have to lubricate periodically to stop the squeaking but it
   always comes back.  I use WD-40 which is probably not good for the
   bushing but I don't know what else to use. Perhaps I'll try Wurth HHS-K
   which is a penetrating lubricant used by some for this purpose.
   Anyway, hope to see you and Lori tomorrow at the PCNC meeting.
   Thanks,
   Dennis
   On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 2:11 PM, "MikeLDrew at aol.com"
   <MikeLDrew at aol.com> wrote:
   In a message dated 4/29/15 12 34 27, demongusta at me.com writes:

          What is the main advantage of the Poly A-arm bushings? If they
     are
     >     replaced with the stock rubber, I assume you would not have
     the
     >     squeaking, correct.

   >>>Interesting--I never saw this original message, or John Donahue's
   response, or Dennis' response to that; the only thing that came through
   is John's subsequent reply.  Is this something that bled over from a
   web-based forum perhaps?
   As to the question above--the principal selling point of poly bushings
   is that they offer less compliance (which is what bushings are for in
   the first place).  They are favored by racers and autocrossers (back in
   the day, race Cobras came with solid metal bushings, yow!).  The main
   advantage they used to have over factory bushings was greatly reduced
   cost.
   Drawbacks are many, however.  As you mentioned, they can squeak
   something awful if they aren't properly (and routinely) lubricated.
   (People often fail to lube the outside ends of the bushings, which is
   where most of the squeaking happens).  Too, they can deliver a somewhat
   harsher ride, and fail to absorb road shocks as well, transmitting them
   through the body instead.
   Now MaseratiSource sells stock-style bushings at a very affordable
   price, making them competitive with poly bushings.  I vastly prefer
   stock-style bushings for a variety of reasons.
   Getting the old ones out is time-consuming and labor-intensive, but not
   especially difficult.  Using a sawzall (you can use a hacksaw but it
   would take forever), you cut the large end off the bushing.  Then you
   use a just-large-enough deep well socket on one side, and a
   just-small-enough socket on the other, put the whole affair in a vice
   and compress it; the small socket should be small enough to fit inside
   the A-arm tube, and the large one large enough to accept the bushing as
   it is pressed out of the A-arm.
   My wife Lori changed all 16 of her bushings herself, once the process
   was demonstrated, so you can definitely do it too! :>)
   Mike