I just recently picked up some boxed upper and lower control arms with poly bushings and then realized the uppers might not be the best idea because they cannot flex and may bind up. I found this spherical bushing that I could use in the ears on the axle. Has anybody had any experience with these before. I figure it would let those arms have some flex and move around.

http://www.wolferacecraft.com/detail.aspx?ID=187

 

Here are the arms I bought

000_0645_zpse0ogef0l.jpg

 

Yes you can run the spherical bearings to give movement or you can leave rubber bushing in the rearend housing to them alittle flex. Second check UMI or BMR as they make those bushing inserts too but they are not $100 a pair. sheesh! Also if there are no grease fittings in the ends where the bushings are I would drill them and add zerk fitting so you can grease the bushings.

 

Looks like UMI's bushings are even more. So if I have polyurethane all round and spherical at the axle I shouldn't be binding too much? I don't take turns very fast, it's mostly a straight line street car and taken to the strip sometimes.

 

Ah I see that as well. :-( You can look on ebay for other makers and investigate them. No you should be fine with the inserts.

 

I think the poly have enough give and won't bind.

 

Not true. You do not want to run eight poly bushings on an A-body rear suspension, ESPECIALLY if you have aftermarket boxed upper arms that are stiffer in torsion. The design of the four bar suspension requires some twisting of the upper arms to avoid binding. The stock rubber bushings and open section upper arms provide this necessary compliance. Spherical metal bushings at one end of the upper arms will also fix the problem.

 

I stand corrected Joe, we used them in our cars back when they first were introduced and it really stiffened everything up. Apparently now that I read up on the subject that stiffness was in actuality, bind.


I was planning on doing the poly's on my rear, thanks Joe.