A-arm bushings, Pros - cons?? Options

[East coaster]

What's the best setup for a street car?

Tarret bronze/urethane? (Sounds like a good idea, but never heard from anyone running them)

Needle Bearings? ( I worry about rust and maintenance issues)

Stock with 40K on them? (Has a low "trick" factor, but probably works good)

Delrin/urethane (squeeky........don't want them)

Ditto for rear trailing arm bushings????

[MattR]

QUOTE (alpha434 @ Mar 19 2006, 11:58 PM)

Your 996s have wishbone suspension. And 5 link. We don't have that kind of control over all three axis. All we can do is get two as good as we can.

Every component in the physical world is subject to the same 6 forces - translation in x, y, and z, and rotation in x, y, z. 996s use spherical bearings that allow for free rotation in x, y, and z. What I'm feeling when we hit a bump is the solid connection between translation in x, y, and z (which is lessened because its free to rotate). The 914 still rotates in x, but we feel the rotation in y and z and translation in x, y, and z. We have much more force being absorbed by the chassis if its a solid mount... which doesnt feel good. Theoretically we need a really stiff chassis that lets the suspension do the work, but we all know that aint true in a typical 914. So either we stiffen the car considerably, replace the joints with spherical bearings, and install high quality dampers OR we enjoy what we have and drive the piss out of it and try not to fine tune the "suspension."

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And the rubber bushing shouldn't be acting as a chassis damper, even if it does. Are you sure that the difference your feeling between Cup cars and stock isn't the huge difference in springrate and shocks. The tighter bushings are more of a "handling" upgrade, since it doesn't "float" around with solid mounting, causing minute changes in toe and camber.

I dont know who told you rubber bushings shouldnt be acting as a chassis damper on a street car, and PLEASE dont say Al... I'm pretty tired of you being his puppet...

And yes, I know what overdamped and oversprung cars feel like.

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The next generation. Hard at work. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beer.gif)

Nah, I just wing it...