Posted By: 340duster340
LCA poly bushings walking out of the shell when install - 09/28/14 03:09 PM
anyone else deal with this before? after installing LCAs with poly bushings they seem to want to walk out of the shell. i shortened up the adjustable LCAs which helped a lot but they still seem to be about 1/16 out of the shell.
Posted By: moparpollack
Re: LCA poly bushings walking out of the shell when install - 09/28/14 07:58 PM
Yes, they walk. I went back to rubber lower bushings.
Posted By: 340duster340
Re: LCA poly bushings walking out of the shell when install - 09/29/14 01:42 AM
yeah it pressed in hard and wanted to walk when i tightened up the pin bolt.
i think the issue is that the poly strut rod bushings are about 1.5x as thick as the originals, and i didn't have them tight enough so the SR length was/is too long.
i think between tightening down the SR bushings and shortening the SR length i should be OK here.
Posted By: 70blackfish
Re: LCA poly bushings walking out of the shell when install - 09/29/14 09:50 PM
use moog replacement bushings in there..... no poly
Posted By: 340duster340
Re: LCA poly bushings walking out of the shell when install - 09/30/14 03:00 AM
believe me i thought about it, but i have all the parts to put it back together and since all the parts are fresh, taking it apart later on if i had to is not a big deal. i think once i get the adjustable SR dialed in it will be no problems.
Posted By: ahy
Re: LCA poly bushings walking out of the shell when install - 09/30/14 04:18 AM
The poly's will "walk" if there is any tolerance stack-up on strut rod, bushing or K. Adjustable strut rods will correct (mine did) as long as nothing is seriously off or tweaked.
When everything is snug, just check for clearance (eg LCA to K) and don't crank on it so much the LCA is pulled into a bind.
Posted By: 74_360_Cuda
Re: LCA poly bushings walking out of the shell when install - 10/01/14 02:27 AM
In my humble opinion poly bushings for LCA's are an aberration. This is simple physics based on the geometry and load path of the suspension, even if it is probably relatively small there will always have some axial load to be reacted there so using a floating arrangement is wrong IMO... Just think when you are braking in reverse.
I've tried them and even with adjustable struts your LCA will move Aft on the pins. Maybe some people put more pre-load on their struts and have some luck with it but I would assume the axis of the LCA's is no longer co-axial with the axis of the pins...
I went back to stock bushings. BTW I love everything I've purchased from Hotchkis so far but their poly bushing were way over sized for my LCA's and could not be installed even with a press, Moogs were perfect fit. Would be nice to have a properly designed replacement LCA's that use bearing instead of bushing no?
Posted By: 540challenger
Re: LCA poly bushings walking out of the shell when install - 10/01/14 02:47 PM
if i remember correctly there was a different shaft someone was selling for the poly bushing
found it
http://chucker54.stores.yahoo.net/coarmst.html
Posted By: TC@HP2
Re: LCA poly bushings walking out of the shell when install - 10/02/14 08:25 PM
Hmm, maybe I've just lucked out, but I've never had any issues with any of the poly installs I've done. Then again, I avoided using Energy Suspension and Prothane and only ever used PST stuff. Lower control arm fitment has always been good with their parts, in my experience.
Posted By: 340duster340
Re: LCA poly bushings walking out of the shell when install - 10/03/14 02:39 AM
funny you mention that because i thought of something similar when dealing with my bushings. in the end figured that its unlikely the t-bar moves at all once under load, and that i could just stack washers between the back of the bar and the retaining clip if i wanted to keep it positioned more to the front of the car.
Posted By: BergmanAutoCraft
Re: LCA poly bushings walking out of the shell when install - 11/07/14 04:29 PM
I manufacture a Delrin bushing that does not use the original outer shell.
If the torsion bars are installed all the way forward AND adjustable strut rods are used, they won't move.
My opinion on OE bushings are they were junk when new and are worse now due to offshore manufacturing. I see these blown apart on a regular basis even with limited usage.
Stabilizing the lower arm and strut rod are so important in creating a tight suspension, but it takes the purchase of some pricey parts.