Front control arm poly bushings loose?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,488
Likes: 4
From: Frostburg MD
Front control arm poly bushings loose?
For anyone who has installed poly bushings on the front lower control arm, how loose are the supposed to be. It took very little pressure to install the inner ones, and the outer ones will far our under their own weight if the arm is tilted without the inner sleeve in. They are not as loose with the inner sleeve in place, and seem to have no play then. Is this normal? Control arms only have ~40k on them and do not appear to be worn out, the machined ridges are still inside the arms where the bushings go.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
You're just fine, the bushings go in very easy. Once they're in and the insert is in place they don't move as you say. This is the way my 85 was and they work just fine. Button her up and get ready to smile on your first drive with the new poly bushings.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Mine weren't that loose.
But as long as their tight when the sleev is in, you're good. The lowers get sandwiched anyways when you torque em down, that'll help make em even tighter.
But as long as their tight when the sleev is in, you're good. The lowers get sandwiched anyways when you torque em down, that'll help make em even tighter.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,488
Likes: 4
From: Frostburg MD
I did some measurements of the 2 types of lower control arm bushings I have:
VBP 1.530"
ES 1.560"
Control arm inner diameter 1.535"
The ES bushings would seem to fit fine, my concern is with the looseness of the VBP ones.
ES bushings are regular poly ones, the VBP bushings have one setscrew for each of them to prevent them from turning in the arm because they are offset bushings. Could this be why they fit so loose and would a setscrew be enough to hold them in place, or should I send them back?
VBP 1.530"
ES 1.560"
Control arm inner diameter 1.535"
The ES bushings would seem to fit fine, my concern is with the looseness of the VBP ones.
ES bushings are regular poly ones, the VBP bushings have one setscrew for each of them to prevent them from turning in the arm because they are offset bushings. Could this be why they fit so loose and would a setscrew be enough to hold them in place, or should I send them back?
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
The setscrew tells it all, they have to be able to turn once the setscrew is backed off. This would be for super tuning the suspension, needed only on a race car, that's why they're offset. If yours is a race car then stick with VBP but if you just drive the vette then I would go with the ES, they work great.
