Del-A-Lum Upper Control Arm Bushing Install w/ Photos
11-28-2009, 10:56 AM
#21
Race Director
11-28-2009, 12:19 PM
#22
Drifting
Member Since: Sep 2002
Location: Suwanee,Ga
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I manually greased the delrin inserts and installed them prior to pressing in the aluminum replacement bushing inserts.
It is very important to also inert a support beteen the arms (see my photo of temporary strut installed between arms) prior to doing the second insert install or you will spring the A arm and cause a permanent misalignment which can cause binding.
Prior to torquing the end nuts to 10 ft-lbs, I made sure everything was well greased. I then worked the arms up and down to loosen them up and get the grease flowing, then retorqued the arms and then drilled the holes for the cotter pin install.
After installing the cotter pins, the arms did have some resistance, but basically were pretty readily moved up and down without excessive force.
Hope this helps.
BTW, just checked how they look in the car and they are a thing of beauty....some of the best $'s I've spent
It is very important to also inert a support beteen the arms (see my photo of temporary strut installed between arms) prior to doing the second insert install or you will spring the A arm and cause a permanent misalignment which can cause binding.
Prior to torquing the end nuts to 10 ft-lbs, I made sure everything was well greased. I then worked the arms up and down to loosen them up and get the grease flowing, then retorqued the arms and then drilled the holes for the cotter pin install.
After installing the cotter pins, the arms did have some resistance, but basically were pretty readily moved up and down without excessive force.
Hope this helps.
BTW, just checked how they look in the car and they are a thing of beauty....some of the best $'s I've spent
Thanks!
I just got back from getting grease. Murhpy's Law. of running out of stuff.
Part of my base concern is the difference in dimension between the two upper arms. Left gap was 235/1000s wider from the get go.
I used a steel rod machined to fit, [for the smaller dimension] when pressing everything out [ and back in] .
The right was dead nuts with two [one each side] of 200/1000s bushings? The left would have required two .200" and one .175"? ?? ??? Didn't like the like of that.
But after a Sam Kennison moment, I went on with the formula on the right. I can't see any sort of deformation, but it just doesn't hit my "gut" as being right?
But I am shocked and Awed that I can flex theses things with my arm strength, at least a couple 1/16ths, so I am a little twitchy right now, things not as I expected.
As far as the bushings go, I think this is the only way to do it, but it may be harsh for some tastes. This is a track car and won't see the jolts [ hopefully ] a street car gets.
TJM
11-28-2009, 01:09 PM
#23
Tech Contributor
11-28-2009, 01:24 PM
#24
Race Director
Thanks
11-28-2009, 11:57 PM
#25
Drifting
Thread Starter
The A arms are designed to be axially loaded through the center of the strut arms (not in bending perpendicular to their axis).
The arms form a load triangle which is extremely efficient at transfering loads without distortion.
When axially loaded in their intalled position they are extremely strong
Last edited by 95BLKVette; 11-29-2009 at 12:02 AM.
11-29-2009, 08:27 AM
#26
Drifting
Member Since: Sep 2002
Location: Suwanee,Ga
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Don't be, I'm a structural engineer, and in the direction your flexing them, the load is normally taken by the bushings and shaft assembly.
The A arms are designed to be axially loaded through the center of the strut arms (not in bending perpendicular to their axis).
The arms form a load triangle which is extremely efficient at transfering loads without distortion.
When axially loaded in their intalled position they are extremely strong
The A arms are designed to be axially loaded through the center of the strut arms (not in bending perpendicular to their axis).
The arms form a load triangle which is extremely efficient at transfering loads without distortion.
When axially loaded in their intalled position they are extremely strong
I noticed both arms exhibited that flexibility.
I have torqued both sides to 10Ft Lbs and they are both as snug. Holding grease as well.
The thing that occurs to me is that the instructions imply that using a combination of the Derlin washers is intended.
This would set one Ball joint a distance off, from the other, if both sides did not uses the same formula??
0.175" seems like an awful lot and it would seem to also change the angle of the knuckle as well???
TJM
02-04-2017, 06:18 PM
#28
OK, just spent 6 hours installing those in the control arms of my ride. It was a lot of work and thank goodness for a buddy with a machine shop! He turned (on the laith) the proper parts to use to press them in. And then, one of the delrin inserts had an ID that was smaller than the others and would not fit. We put it on the laith and shaved off 35 thou from the ID.
We used the Amzoil water resist, extreme pressure synth grease.
Next step.... put her back together. Glad its done and can't wait for spring to come so I can try her out. She should be a lot tighter than she was. I also had a bad rag joint in the steering shaft. We machined a piece of T6 to replace it, along with aircraft bolts.
No more slop in the steering please!
Will post pics if there is a need for it but so far it's all been covered.
Doable for a weekend mechanic with a press, but still quite a lot of work. Make a friend with a machine shop!
Nice bit of kit from Global West. Wish they made a rear kit.
We used the Amzoil water resist, extreme pressure synth grease.
Next step.... put her back together. Glad its done and can't wait for spring to come so I can try her out. She should be a lot tighter than she was. I also had a bad rag joint in the steering shaft. We machined a piece of T6 to replace it, along with aircraft bolts.
No more slop in the steering please!
Will post pics if there is a need for it but so far it's all been covered.
Doable for a weekend mechanic with a press, but still quite a lot of work. Make a friend with a machine shop!
Nice bit of kit from Global West. Wish they made a rear kit.
Last edited by Blue Cheese; 02-04-2017 at 06:20 PM.
02-06-2017, 09:55 AM
#29
Melting Slicks
Nice work! The global west Del-A-Lum bushings are awesome I've been running them on my lower control arm for a year now and really like them, you will be happy with them!
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Blue Cheese (02-06-2017)
02-06-2017, 11:42 AM
#31
Melting Slicks
I used longer bolts on the back and coilovers on the front to lower it. I have spc adjustable upper control arms which come with delrin bushings otherwise I would have used the global west bushings on the uppers as well.
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Blue Cheese (02-06-2017)
02-06-2017, 07:50 PM
#32
Finished putting her back together today. Can't wait to try it out.
02-07-2017, 09:54 AM
#33
Melting Slicks
12-12-2017, 01:11 PM
#34
Any regrets regarding the Del-a-lum bushings?
I am doing a complete suspension rebuild right now and I am undecided between using poly and Del-a-lum for the front end.
My car will mainly be driven on the street with ocasional drag strip passes. Very little if any road racing or tracking. I can apreciate a tight steering car on the road though.
I dont know if the Del-a-lum bushing will eventually develop noises like rod ends do in suspension parts.
Another idea that crossed my mind is to use Del-a-lum in the lower control arms and poly in the upper control arms.
Opinions welcome!
I am doing a complete suspension rebuild right now and I am undecided between using poly and Del-a-lum for the front end.
My car will mainly be driven on the street with ocasional drag strip passes. Very little if any road racing or tracking. I can apreciate a tight steering car on the road though.
I dont know if the Del-a-lum bushing will eventually develop noises like rod ends do in suspension parts.
Another idea that crossed my mind is to use Del-a-lum in the lower control arms and poly in the upper control arms.
Opinions welcome!
12-12-2017, 01:30 PM
#35
Melting Slicks
I have no regrets with the global west lower del-aluminum bushing or the spc 'race' upper control arms (delrin bushing), no noise from the rod ends in my suspension either.
Infact the ride is smoother than stock and it handles better.
Infact the ride is smoother than stock and it handles better.
07-10-2019, 12:05 PM
#36
Drifting
Sorry for bringing this back from the dead.
Last year I installed a full set of energy suspension poly bushings on my 84, that turned out into my car becoming totally unsettled and following every line.
Odd part is that it got worse depending on how warm the car and road was.
usually early in the morning, the car was fine.
Then it would start trying to kill me about 30min into the drive.
Finally it took a good alignment shop to show me how much play I had in the rear camber bushing when pressure was applied.
That turned into a set of banski rods, that made a HUGE difference in the rear end.
However front was still unsettled, so I figured I would try the Del-A-Lum lower control arm bushing first.
Result: BIG Improvement!
Now with the poly bushings on the upper control arms, again I notice the same thing.
Car is cold, early morning and it's fine, get the car hot (I have headers), and I can feel those upper control arm bushings..
With the lower bushings in there it's not too bad...
As I type this, the postman just dropped off my set of del-a-lum upper control arm bushings!
I think this will be the last piece to the nightmare and a total waste of money and time that was poly bushings.
One thing I'll add with the lower control arm bushings,
For the grease fitting; I found drilling the hole slightly towards the outside of the center point gave me better clearance.
On my first side I needed to do some filing of the zirk fitting, and some mild cleanup of the welding lines inside of the control arm socket (front most) in order to get a nice clearance gap.
While I had the press lined up and both the control arm and the bushing greased up, I applied some heat using my plumbers mapp torch.
once the grease started smoking the bushing started to drop in with very light pressure from the press.
I drove in until flush, and then cooled off the control arm via a hose and cleaned up any control arm metal shavings.
Last year I installed a full set of energy suspension poly bushings on my 84, that turned out into my car becoming totally unsettled and following every line.
Odd part is that it got worse depending on how warm the car and road was.
usually early in the morning, the car was fine.
Then it would start trying to kill me about 30min into the drive.
Finally it took a good alignment shop to show me how much play I had in the rear camber bushing when pressure was applied.
That turned into a set of banski rods, that made a HUGE difference in the rear end.
However front was still unsettled, so I figured I would try the Del-A-Lum lower control arm bushing first.
Result: BIG Improvement!
Now with the poly bushings on the upper control arms, again I notice the same thing.
Car is cold, early morning and it's fine, get the car hot (I have headers), and I can feel those upper control arm bushings..
With the lower bushings in there it's not too bad...
As I type this, the postman just dropped off my set of del-a-lum upper control arm bushings!
I think this will be the last piece to the nightmare and a total waste of money and time that was poly bushings.
One thing I'll add with the lower control arm bushings,
For the grease fitting; I found drilling the hole slightly towards the outside of the center point gave me better clearance.
On my first side I needed to do some filing of the zirk fitting, and some mild cleanup of the welding lines inside of the control arm socket (front most) in order to get a nice clearance gap.
While I had the press lined up and both the control arm and the bushing greased up, I applied some heat using my plumbers mapp torch.
once the grease started smoking the bushing started to drop in with very light pressure from the press.
I drove in until flush, and then cooled off the control arm via a hose and cleaned up any control arm metal shavings.
