Quote:
Originally Posted by tranz am
Are you sure you want to use polyurethane trailing arm bushings? Your trailing arms twist with articualtion. They arme designed to do that to a degree, but polyurethane bushings will make them twist alot more than they were designed and bind up suspension movement.
Rubber bushings will be far better suited for this application as they alow more give allowing more articulation. Nascar guys use the truck arm design and use either rubber or a mono ball style bushing.
I think they know a thing or two about these arms when it comes to performance.
either way thought I would mention that.
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Your general ideas about urethane bushings are correct, but in application form it doesn't apply. These bushings aren't so stiff that the suspension will bind in travel. I could see them flex being hit with a hammer and as i tried to walk it into place. The difference between rubber and urethane in place of track arm bushings is negligible for everyday driving. As a track day vehicle where higher speed turns and consistent left to right weight shifting is normal, there would be a more discerning difference. I also don't understand your comparison between Nascar and street driven trucks. Their frames are MUCH stiffer than a truck frame. They need the flex of rubber to compensate for the super rigid chassis they use. Truck frames are flexible all over unless stiffened. There is also a roughly 150 mph difference in the turns they make as opposed to the turns street vehicles make on average.
will the bushings squeak? Over time I'm sure.
will you notice a difference in handling? You'll notice a greater difference changing worn out bushings to new bushings in a track arm than changing from rubber to urethane.
should you follow the example of a purpose built racecar for everyday driving? Probably not.
This post is not meant to bash you, or degrade you in any way, I'm just pointing out that rubber and urethane bushings aren't separated by huge leaps and bounds, especially in this application.