Delrin for sway bars?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,023
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From: New Carlisle, Ohio
Delrin for sway bars?
Thinking again of making Delrin sway bar bushings and links. Anyone done this? Are they commercially available?
Anyone made a combination on the frame bushing, with delrin as the bearing in the rubber isolator? Or just solid delrin?
Anyone made a combination on the frame bushing, with delrin as the bearing in the rubber isolator? Or just solid delrin?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
Re: Delrin for sway bars? (gene284)
For the sway bar mounts that's a great idea, I was hoping you were posting a link. :)
For the links, just go with the solid ones, rod ends.
For the links, just go with the solid ones, rod ends.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 1
From: New Carlisle, Ohio
Re: Delrin for sway bars? (BrianCunningham)
Really don't want solid links, want something more compliant.
Just made some tubular links in stainless, should be able to accomodate some bushings. That's what got me thinking about delrin. Similar to Del-Alum bushings.
Thanks for the lead about polybushings, but have found them to squeek.
Delrin has some natural lubricity, but not much rebound, might take a permanent deformation.
Just made some tubular links in stainless, should be able to accomodate some bushings. That's what got me thinking about delrin. Similar to Del-Alum bushings.
Thanks for the lead about polybushings, but have found them to squeek.
Delrin has some natural lubricity, but not much rebound, might take a permanent deformation.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 9
From: Houston TX
Re: Delrin for sway bars? (gene284)
delrin is quite hard, it ends up being about as harsh as metal (but without the lubrication problem). that said i know some people who have machined delrin into bushings for various applications, with success.
-michael
-michael
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 1
From: New Carlisle, Ohio
Re: Delrin for sway bars? (MSR)
Michael, can't disagree.
What do you think about buying 30mm factory sway bar bushings, and installing delrin sleeves to get to 26mm for the bar. Best of both worlds?
Use delrin to size for the end links?
What do you think about buying 30mm factory sway bar bushings, and installing delrin sleeves to get to 26mm for the bar. Best of both worlds?
Use delrin to size for the end links?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 9
From: Houston TX
Re: Delrin for sway bars? (gene284)
delrin on the end-links would probably work great.
what are you really trying to do, though? a quicker set? fwiw, in auto-xing my car i found that i preferred a little "squishiness." i might have too much spring rate, though.
-michael
what are you really trying to do, though? a quicker set? fwiw, in auto-xing my car i found that i preferred a little "squishiness." i might have too much spring rate, though.
-michael
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 1
From: New Carlisle, Ohio
Re: Delrin for sway bars? (MSR)
Looking for quicker, smoother response.
Has to be a lot of stiction in the rubber.
May just go ahead and do it. Some rubber for compliance, delrin for the lubricity in the chassis bushings. All delrin in the end links. The rubber in the main bushings may keep the plastic from being extruded out from the pot holes in Ohio!
[Modified by gene284, 8:40 PM 2/16/2004]
Has to be a lot of stiction in the rubber.
May just go ahead and do it. Some rubber for compliance, delrin for the lubricity in the chassis bushings. All delrin in the end links. The rubber in the main bushings may keep the plastic from being extruded out from the pot holes in Ohio!
[Modified by gene284, 8:40 PM 2/16/2004]
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,375
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From: Northern CA
Re: Delrin for sway bars? (gene284)
Michael, can't disagree.
What do you think about buying 30mm factory sway bar bushings, and installing delrin sleeves to get to 26mm for the bar. Best of both worlds?
What do you think about buying 30mm factory sway bar bushings, and installing delrin sleeves to get to 26mm for the bar. Best of both worlds?
Delrin in rubber doesn't seem to offer much advantage. You lose the torsional resistance of the rubber on the bar but still have the compliance of the rubber allowing the bar to deflect. You could actually end up with a less stiff bar that way.
If the Delrin didn't have thick walls, it would probably fail because the rubber bushing wouldn't provide enough support for it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,375
Likes: 1
From: Northern CA
Re: Delrin for sway bars? (gene284)
Thanks for the lead about polybushings, but have found them to squeek.
Delrin has some natural lubricity, but not much rebound, might take a permanent deformation.
Delrin has some natural lubricity, but not much rebound, might take a permanent deformation.
I hope not because I have a big batch of them I'm going to install :) :)
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,023
Likes: 1
From: New Carlisle, Ohio
Re: Delrin for sway bars? (xs650)
You may be right, just go with the Delrin outright and see what it does.
They've used it for A-arm bushings.
No, haven't used polygraphite. Noted that some still use a synthetic lube with it though. Is that necessary?
They've used it for A-arm bushings.
No, haven't used polygraphite. Noted that some still use a synthetic lube with it though. Is that necessary?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,375
Likes: 1
From: Northern CA
Re: Delrin for sway bars? (gene284)
No, haven't used polygraphite. Noted that some still use a synthetic lube with it though. Is that necessary?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,847
Likes: 293
From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
Re: Delrin for sway bars? (gene284)
Went to Global West, appears to be Camaro and Mustang components.
Just call them up.
