My dad is a machinist - we were thinking of replacing the front and rear bushings with brass and incorporating grease fittings. We are using brass 660 compound.
We use the car for autocross and DE. Need to be faster that a yellow 4 cyl with a Jake ruby engine, last year I tried throwing my crank pulley at him in a DE, but it didnt even slow him down. I was gong to make them a light press fit and also use JB weld to fill in the front supports that arent round.
Am I wasting my time?
Full Version: replacing suspension bushings with Brass
Why not Delrin???
More lubricity.
Or you can make a needle bearing setup ALA Mueller.
Clayton
More lubricity.
Or you can make a needle bearing setup ALA Mueller.
Clayton
You are reinventing the wheel. Delrin, poly, needle, elephant bushings are all in existance and require only a check and an install. I would think with brass you would want to upgrade your dental insurance at open enrollment too...
i hear the needle bearings will be available again soon ...
Andy
I made mine out of steel for the rear on my car. The poly bushings lasted 1 year 15,000 miles.
OMG it changed the entire feel of the car. there is no more wallowing as the suspension takes a set and then the car begins to turn.
I pressed in frozen bushings into heated trailing arms. I machined the steel pivot bar enough to make it round and provide .002 oil clearance.
When I lift the rear of the car the wheel slowly falls to the ground under strict control of the shock. IT'S LIKE BUTTER.
I also put grease fittings in each bushing.
OMG it changed the entire feel of the car. there is no more wallowing as the suspension takes a set and then the car begins to turn.
I pressed in frozen bushings into heated trailing arms. I machined the steel pivot bar enough to make it round and provide .002 oil clearance.
When I lift the rear of the car the wheel slowly falls to the ground under strict control of the shock. IT'S LIKE BUTTER.
I also put grease fittings in each bushing.
Bill - I am not completely sold on using brass, I would think it would want to "wallow" out under heavy load and rotation. I was thinking steel and see Joe has BTDT, so I go with Joe's recommendation. I ended up not messing with it when I went tube chassis and 5-link, but I was going to try and find a bearing I could simply press in there from McMaster-Carr or something similar... maybe you could reference some roller bearing info and find one you could make work. Then if the inner pivot is the wrong size just machine your own.
The roller bearings will be available again shortly... 
With machining and material I was right at 100 bucks.
Lifted the car on Sunday to fuss around with something. I am just in awe of how smooth the wheel falls to earth.
Lifted the car on Sunday to fuss around with something. I am just in awe of how smooth the wheel falls to earth.
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