A-Arms Part 2 - ??
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Anderson SC
A-Arms Part 2 - ??
OK... I paid a shop dood 30 clams to remove my A-arm bushings. Best $30 I ever spent! (I kinda made it back by doing my own sandblasting out in 90 degrees.)
Before assembly of the bushings ... I just want to know the theory of operation. I know the bushing shell is a tight press fit to the A-arms and does not pivot. So does the shaft pivot in the inner sleeve or is that "tight" as well and any "pivoting" is just the "flex of the bushing?
I'm using the Energy Suspension poly bushings. The sheet says to take them apart 1st and grease them all up. Since they are tight and together already... I see no real need to take them apart at all.
So what say the gallery?
-W
Before assembly of the bushings ... I just want to know the theory of operation. I know the bushing shell is a tight press fit to the A-arms and does not pivot. So does the shaft pivot in the inner sleeve or is that "tight" as well and any "pivoting" is just the "flex of the bushing?
I'm using the Energy Suspension poly bushings. The sheet says to take them apart 1st and grease them all up. Since they are tight and together already... I see no real need to take them apart at all.
So what say the gallery?
-W
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
OK... I paid a shop dood 30 clams to remove my A-arm bushings. Best $30 I ever spent! (I kinda made it back by doing my own sandblasting out in 90 degrees.)
Before assembly of the bushings ... I just want to know the theory of operation. I know the bushing shell is a tight press fit to the A-arms and does not pivot. So does the shaft pivot in the inner sleeve or is that "tight" as well and any "pivoting" is just the "flex of the bushing?
I'm using the Energy Suspension poly bushings. The sheet says to take them apart 1st and grease them all up. Since they are tight and together already... I see no real need to take them apart at all.
So what say the gallery?
-W
Before assembly of the bushings ... I just want to know the theory of operation. I know the bushing shell is a tight press fit to the A-arms and does not pivot. So does the shaft pivot in the inner sleeve or is that "tight" as well and any "pivoting" is just the "flex of the bushing?
I'm using the Energy Suspension poly bushings. The sheet says to take them apart 1st and grease them all up. Since they are tight and together already... I see no real need to take them apart at all.
So what say the gallery?
-W
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,343
Likes: 4
From: Anderson SC
I just saw no need to take a set of new pressed together bushings all apart again.
-W
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,343
Likes: 4
From: Anderson SC
So you're saying you really would press the busing and sleeve out of the shell (outer bushing) and grease it? I'm still not sure exactly what pivots here?
Sleeve on shaft? Sleeve in bushing? Bushing in shell?
All we've established here is that the shell is pressed into the A-Arm and does not move., and needs no grease. I kinda knew that going into this.
-W
Sleeve on shaft? Sleeve in bushing? Bushing in shell?
All we've established here is that the shell is pressed into the A-Arm and does not move., and needs no grease. I kinda knew that going into this.
-W
Last edited by Clams Canino; May 27, 2010 at 03:18 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
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I used the ES bushings as well, and I did in fact disassemble them and grease any and all polyurethane surfaces. There was a very light coating of grease on them already when I popped them out. I just added a bit more. I think they jam them in the shells just to save on packaging dimensions honestly because if you look at the provided instructions, they do tell you to grease the bushing inside and out. And trust me when I say you do NOT want to try to install those shells with the bushings still in them 
Oh and FYI when you go to reassemble, be sure to keep the cross shaft centered in the a-arm. When you go to torque down those end bolts, they'll try to pull it in one direction or the other. The bolts won't bottom out in the cross shaft. Which BTW is also why they have a tendency to work loose and need to be well cleaned and lock-tighted in.
Oh and FYI when you go to reassemble, be sure to keep the cross shaft centered in the a-arm. When you go to torque down those end bolts, they'll try to pull it in one direction or the other. The bolts won't bottom out in the cross shaft. Which BTW is also why they have a tendency to work loose and need to be well cleaned and lock-tighted in.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Anderson SC
Team Owner
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I built a crude wooden jig to hold the tip the of arms steady and to avoid putting pressure on the 'V', tapped the sleeve in a little bit, put a 2x4 over the sleeve, and then beat the ever living chit out of that 2x4 with a 2lbs sledge. I don't know if this is the right way to do it, but it worked for me and I didn't damage the sleeves or arms. But had the bushing still been in there, I've no doubt I would've severly damaged their lips. Even if you have a proper press, I think the necessary pressure would be way too much for those bushings.
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Pro
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Fleetwood PA
I just did mine, and I did them in one piece. Put them in the freezer for a night, little grease on the shell, and whack em in using a piece of wood between them and the hammer. If you press them in, make SURE to use a support made from a piece of pipe with a slot in it in between the two bushing holes. As far as pivoting goes, they don't so much pivot as flex rotationally. That's why you don't tighten them past finger tight until the full weight of the car is on them. You want them in their natural driving position before torquing them. The biggest reason for greasing the poly bushings is so that they don't squeak(at least not right away) I'm not sure it's any real advantage in the actual installation.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Savannah GA
My dos pesos goes to using OE style rubber bushings in a non-race style street build... the poly parts are more complex to install, ride worse and require more maintainance than rubber... and cost enough more to matter to me as well. The plastic parts do perform better on a skid pad or race track or hard core street application though.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,343
Likes: 4
From: Anderson SC
My dos pesos goes to using OE style rubber bushings in a non-race style street build... the poly parts are more complex to install, ride worse and require more maintainance than rubber... and cost enough more to matter to me as well. The plastic parts do perform better on a skid pad or race track or hard core street application though.
But considering I said that I already BOUGHT the poly bushings I'm not sure how your dos pesos applies to my understanding of how they operate and now to install them.
-W
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Anderson SC
Dood, you just did expose yourself again. 
I've got no problems with 2nd guessing stuff so long as the deed isn't already a done deal. Then it serves no purpose. In the case of the above, I read it as... "y'all got the wrong bushings".
Then, when you added no insight other than the above.... you became a "thread seagull" too. The type that flies in - craps on a thread - and leaves.
-W
I've got no problems with 2nd guessing stuff so long as the deed isn't already a done deal. Then it serves no purpose. In the case of the above, I read it as... "y'all got the wrong bushings".
Then, when you added no insight other than the above.... you became a "thread seagull" too. The type that flies in - craps on a thread - and leaves.
-W
Last edited by Clams Canino; May 27, 2010 at 10:28 PM.
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Originally Posted by markids77
the poly parts are more complex to install, ride worse and require more maintainance than rubber... and cost enough more to matter to me as well.
1. Poly bushings are easier to install in that they do not need to be pressed nor staked and the a-arms can be fully torqued without the weight of the car on them.
2. I don't know what you mean by "maintenance" as there's really nothing to do with them after installation, but it's generally accepted that poly bushings are more durable than rubber as they will not rot and are not attacked by petroleum products.
3. If you buy a c3 for ride quality, you're probably retarded.
4. The complete Energy Suspension polyurethane bushing package can be purchased at Summit for $175.88. FIND ME a complete car rubber bushing kit for less than that. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ENS-3-18123G/
Last edited by wcsinx; May 27, 2010 at 10:23 PM.
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From: Fleetwood PA