Hi All.
Fettling the car prior to Le Mans Classic trip. I have 2 failed Metalastik bushes on the rear radius arms. Westfield do not have any stock. Does any one on here know of a source for these or have a couple I could buy.
I have a feeling the nylon bush and steel tube option would not be correct for the radius arm application?
Thought- swap metalastiks from the front wishbones for nylons and fit them in the radius arms.
Suggestions
Thanks.
Rear Suspension Bushes- Help
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Splat
- Posts: 461
- Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 5:12 am
Re: Rear Suspension Bushes- Help
I've a couple knocking about. They'll cost you!
My price is; Westfield's list price + a Jiffy bag + first class postage + a beer at Le Mans with your Eleven together with mine and Jons. (Post Brexit, it's the latter that'll be the imposition!)
Email your contact details and postal address to petrol.head@hotmail.co.uk
My price is; Westfield's list price + a Jiffy bag + first class postage + a beer at Le Mans with your Eleven together with mine and Jons. (Post Brexit, it's the latter that'll be the imposition!)
Email your contact details and postal address to petrol.head@hotmail.co.uk
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Westfield 129
- Posts: 867
- Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2011 4:20 am
Re: Rear Suspension Bushes- Help
Usually, the rear bushings fail at diagonals: The chassis mount of one control arm, and the diagonally opposite rear axle bushing. One upper arm, one lower arm.
In any case, I also found that installing the Proflex bushings at the CHASSIS end of the arms will greatly increase the life of the bushings at the axle end of the control arms. You need 4 Proflex bushings to do this little job.
Of course, don't torque the axle end bushings to any more than about 5 lb.ft. so that they can rotate. If you torque them down, they fail in short order. Clunk, Clunk!
The Metalistics have a sleeve and thrust washers, so you can tighten them down without inhibiting the rotation of the outer bushing around the sleeve.
My own experience with delrin/aluminum bushings is that they would not be appropriate to the rear suspension, as thy would promote binding (as there is no compliance, while the equal length 4 link requires some compliance in roll) and reduce the car's predictability. This is much the same performance that I found using rod end arms in the rear. Grip is reduced, adn corner exit speed is reduced as the inside wheel spins, a result of increased inside wheel lift from the increased roll stiffness imparted by the non compliance rod ends.
In any case, I also found that installing the Proflex bushings at the CHASSIS end of the arms will greatly increase the life of the bushings at the axle end of the control arms. You need 4 Proflex bushings to do this little job.
Of course, don't torque the axle end bushings to any more than about 5 lb.ft. so that they can rotate. If you torque them down, they fail in short order. Clunk, Clunk!
The Metalistics have a sleeve and thrust washers, so you can tighten them down without inhibiting the rotation of the outer bushing around the sleeve.
My own experience with delrin/aluminum bushings is that they would not be appropriate to the rear suspension, as thy would promote binding (as there is no compliance, while the equal length 4 link requires some compliance in roll) and reduce the car's predictability. This is much the same performance that I found using rod end arms in the rear. Grip is reduced, adn corner exit speed is reduced as the inside wheel spins, a result of increased inside wheel lift from the increased roll stiffness imparted by the non compliance rod ends.