Trailing Arm Bushings, What material to select? Options

[malcolm2]

I need to replace the rear wheel bearings, so "while I am in there" I will also tackle the bushings.

Rubber looks to be the OEM choice but is hard to find with the exception of the elephant racing kit that includes the shafts and install tools. $300+ I used the Elephant bushings on the front.

I found poly-graphite to be the least expensive < $20 for a set of 4 bushings only

With Delrin as the middle of the road choice. @ $50 for a set of 4 bushings only

So what is the +/- of each material? Can you throw a few vendors out there?

My car is a daily driver?

Clark

[malcolm2]

The phone just rang, Jonathon says the answer is JB WELD. They say they have done hundreds like that.

But still no written instructions. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

I have some time while I wait on Bruce's carton and my new pivot arms, so maybe they will have some explicit instructions by the time it arrives.

Lots of good things said about Rebel Racing, but this JB weld thing seems half-assed to me. Internet research to come on that stuff, I guess.

I guess if I follow thru with the install, I'll video the whole thing and they (OR the 914World) can have it from YouTube. shouldn't I get a discount? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[JamesM]

When I got my rebel setup for the fronts I was feeling the same way about the jb weld, but trust me, it is the way to go. The issue is that the factory parts were not precise and the rubber bushings just took up the slop, when you are working with a non compressible material there is no way you can ensure a perfect fit on every car. On the fronts anyway the JB weld acted as a sort of filler between the sloppy control arm manufacturing and the precision machined race for the bushing. once together it is very clean.

You can see my install of the fronts here.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...211241&st=0

I am a little suspect of the shaft fit on the rear though, I thought they were going to provide new shafts machined to fit their bushings. as with the fronts the PTFE slides against a precision machined race, by the looks of the rear i would think it is intended to spin around a precision machined shaft to match (unless the PTFE spins inside that steel tube in which case you probably fasten the tube itself to the swing arm, and the PTFE inserts to the shaft).

Do the PTFE inserts spin in the tube or are they interference fit in?

Do you have pics of the shims for the thrust surfaces? That is the area I am most curious about.

The phone just rang, Jonathon says the answer is JB WELD. They say they have done hundreds like that.

But still no written instructions. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

I have some time while I wait on Bruce's carton and my new pivot arms, so maybe they will have some explicit instructions by the time it arrives.

Lots of good things said about Rebel Racing, but this JB weld thing seems half-assed to me. Internet research to come on that stuff, I guess.

I guess if I follow thru with the install, I'll video the whole thing and they (OR the 914World) can have it from YouTube. shouldn't I get a discount? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[malcolm2]

Do the PTFE inserts spin in the tube or are they interference fit in?

Do you have pics of the shims for the thrust surfaces? That is the area I am most curious about.

The PTFE inserts appear to be tight, I'll check that and also get a picture of the shim later today.

Below, I drew up a ruff idea of how Jonathon explained the install process to me.
2ndly I mentioned to him that the 2nd rebel assembly (not in the video) slipped in the top of the OEM arm but was very tight at the other end. He said, "no worries. Just add the JB WELD, then press the rebel assembly in, if needed."

Clark

[lonewolfe]

Do the PTFE inserts spin in the tube or are they interference fit in?

Do you have pics of the shims for the thrust surfaces? That is the area I am most curious about.

The PTFE inserts appear to be tight, I'll check that and also get a picture of the shim later today.

Below, I drew up a ruff idea of how Jonathon explained the install process to me.
2ndly I mentioned to him that the 2nd rebel assembly (not in the video) slipped in the top of the OEM arm but was very tight at the other end. He said, "no worries. Just add the JB WELD, then press the rebel assembly in, if needed."

Clark

Hey Clark!

Did you install the rear control arm bushings yet? I had no luck reaching anyone at Rebel on the phone but emailed them a couple of days ago asking them to join the discussion in this forum. I've not gotten a reply back from them and it does not appear they've added anything to the topic on 914world. I've been trying to buy these rear bushings for almost a year, now I have them and I have to admit I'm disappointed so far. Mine have a lot of slop like the one in your video. I did not get a tight end on any of the 4 corners. If seems to me if these get JB Welded in place it will take quite a bit of JB Weld and I have to wonder how to center the their tube while the JB Weld sets up. I think that if this tube is not perfectly centered it would throw off the geometry of the rear suspension and cause some handling issues.

[malcolm2]

Hey Clark!

Did you install the rear control arm bushings yet? I had no luck reaching anyone at Rebel on the phone but emailed them I've been trying to buy these rear bushings for almost a year, now I have them and I have to admit I'm disappointed so far.

I have been successful in reaching Jonathan at Rebel Racing, on the phone, 805-835-5809 or 805-550-8105 and also email, jonathan@rebelracingproducts.com. Clint has emailed a few times and they have a guy named Max monitoring the SALES@... email.

Jonathan is the most reliable to return your email or answer the phone. He says he has put the RSR product on the front and rear of his 911 and he likes them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

I found some great info about JB Weld online. Lots of people doing different stuff with it on YouTube.

However, I have decided to return the bushings. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Jonathon replied quickly with info on returning them. I sent them back yesterday, I hope they will refund quickly as well.

During my rebuild, I spent the $$ buying the rubber ones for the front from Elephant, so yesterday I bought their rubber rears. They spell it out, you get pivot arms, bushings and a tool, instructions maybe even You-tube vids.

With all the back and forth, I ended up having Bruce send me some re-plated pivot arms and nuts, so now I have extra and have ended up spending way more $$$ than I planned on this. With all the shipping, extra parts etc.... All the while thinking I would save buying the RSR units. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) Live and learn I guess.

I have a daily driver, not a AX or race car, I need to remember that when I make decisions. Oh well, what's another couple hundred $ on this car going to mean anyway, right? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif)

I hope this is an instance where they brought a product to market too early and just did not have all the details worked out, or that this is a side business or hobby, cause they did not leave me with a good taste in my mouth. If I had known either of the above, I would not have tried this, unless they gave them to me to be the beta tester. If I can help any other way, let me know, but I am OUT.

Clark