Suspension of Disbelief, Part 1.d.
Intro: This is a fourth article about a mod to prevent the development of fore/aft travel in stock bushed front type A-arms. Please follow the links back (bottom of post) to read previous, see photos, or to contact author (via the ad may be best) regarding sourcing.
In my view it is well worth re-examining this up-dated older idea, how one might better employ stock A-arm bushings that with help, can provide both maintenance and performance improvements far beyond what stock alone can provide, for very low additional cost. With this piece I aim to explain the need for and effect of the mod on the bushings and A-arm behaviour; and the success I’ve had with this in the hope that others might also want to try the mod.
Premise: In Praise of Original Equipment (OE) Bushings.
Not older bushings, not used bushings, nor recently replaced ones. As this whole concept is about preserving the characteristics of unspoiled “as wrought” new bushings, this next part begins there and is strictly about correctly installed brand new bushings. More specifically the Boge ones, more as to why later. Without stepping into the debate of OE vs. alternatives, I will simply state that there are characteristics of OE bushings that are most suitable for our application here forming the inner hinge-axis of the A-arm as follows:
a.) Sealed unit with no 'moving parts' that is impervious to water, road grit, etc.;
b.) Acts as a friction-less, zero-play, silent and maintenance-free hinge-line which provides an excellent basis from which to align the wheels precisely and repeatedly (my alignment tech prefers them over all other types). Laterally, they feel stable and strong enough when driving at the limit; &
c.) Fits precisely, are relatively low-cost, and are easily available.
The only real criticism is that while excellent when brand new, they simply do not last. If their “as new” character could be preserved, they’d be near perfect. Like their sister the strut-mount, the main flaw lies in what appears to be missing from beside the bushing in the installed A-arm to the sub-frame, rather than what is present in the bushing alone. Hence “Stops” (re-named "Arm-Stops" post script, and explained later), a mod to buttress OE bushing function for longer bushing life, more accurate fore/aft positioning of the A-arm and other benefits that follow from these two improvements.
This piece aims to explain how this is achieved. Because this would otherwise be overly long, I’ll add the rest in sections to follow.
Again, please also see the links going back (parts 1.a., b. & c.) starting with the previous Part 1.c.
Intro: This is a fourth article about a mod to prevent the development of fore/aft travel in stock bushed front type A-arms. Please follow the links back (bottom of post) to read previous, see photos, or to contact author (via the ad may be best) regarding sourcing.
In my view it is well worth re-examining this up-dated older idea, how one might better employ stock A-arm bushings that with help, can provide both maintenance and performance improvements far beyond what stock alone can provide, for very low additional cost. With this piece I aim to explain the need for and effect of the mod on the bushings and A-arm behaviour; and the success I’ve had with this in the hope that others might also want to try the mod.
Premise: In Praise of Original Equipment (OE) Bushings.
Not older bushings, not used bushings, nor recently replaced ones. As this whole concept is about preserving the characteristics of unspoiled “as wrought” new bushings, this next part begins there and is strictly about correctly installed brand new bushings. More specifically the Boge ones, more as to why later. Without stepping into the debate of OE vs. alternatives, I will simply state that there are characteristics of OE bushings that are most suitable for our application here forming the inner hinge-axis of the A-arm as follows:
a.) Sealed unit with no 'moving parts' that is impervious to water, road grit, etc.;
b.) Acts as a friction-less, zero-play, silent and maintenance-free hinge-line which provides an excellent basis from which to align the wheels precisely and repeatedly (my alignment tech prefers them over all other types). Laterally, they feel stable and strong enough when driving at the limit; &
c.) Fits precisely, are relatively low-cost, and are easily available.
The only real criticism is that while excellent when brand new, they simply do not last. If their “as new” character could be preserved, they’d be near perfect. Like their sister the strut-mount, the main flaw lies in what appears to be missing from beside the bushing in the installed A-arm to the sub-frame, rather than what is present in the bushing alone. Hence “Stops” (re-named "Arm-Stops" post script, and explained later), a mod to buttress OE bushing function for longer bushing life, more accurate fore/aft positioning of the A-arm and other benefits that follow from these two improvements.
This piece aims to explain how this is achieved. Because this would otherwise be overly long, I’ll add the rest in sections to follow.
Again, please also see the links going back (parts 1.a., b. & c.) starting with the previous Part 1.c.
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