Carlos773

iTrader: (3)

Well I have discovered that doing the control arm bushings are a real pain the ****. I spent all day taking them off very carefully and figured I never want to do this again. I then found out that alot have opted for Global Wests Delalum Bushings. Are these worth wild or just a small step forward from Polys?

My 86 is basically gonna be a summer car that I plan to take to the track but I dont see myself getting too serious but who knows.

Another question is about the ES Polys. I have found a mixed bag of users saying they squeak and some say they don't if you grease them. Are they talking about removing the Poly from the case and greasing where the poly itself sits in the case? How would I go with sliding out the bushing without damaging it?

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Not an answer specifically to your question, but here's what I use:

http://www.spohn.net/shop/1982-1992-...FRNb7AodlgxLhQ

Pretty much noise free (once in a while I hear some groaning, but I'm uncertain that the noise is attributable to the bushings). If I were replacing a second time, I'd probably go with the Del-A-Lums.

JamesC

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

I have all poly bushings around the car. I didnt realize the trend was for those del-a-lum bushings either. Oh well. I have the same front bushings as JamesC.

They've been on the car for a year now, no complaints. They dont make much noise in my car. My rear LCA's make a TON of noise, but not the fronts.

Also, I just removedmy a-arms, and took them to a local independent alignment shop and had them install my ball joints and bushings for me. I dont have a press ,and I figured while I was having them press in my bushings,I might as well let them do my ball joints since I had already bought them too. I think it cost me somewhere around $40? Maybe 30? Definitely wasn't expensive.

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

poly will squeak, might be immediate, might take a while. However, if you keep greasing them, they are OK.

the Del-a-lum bushings are sweet, but maybe a but overkill for most applications.

Reid Fleming

iTrader: (2)

Del-A-Lum.....You know you want them.







I say do it right the first time. Why take it apart to upgrade later?

Reid Fleming

iTrader: (2)

What brand/type of rear LCA do you have?

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I have these for my front control arms but havent put them in yet (its been 6yrs) been running poly and hate them.

I had poly in my stock boxed rear control arms for several years and when I took them out (to upgrade to rod ended adj arms) I turned them sideways and the poly fell out of their shells.
I don't know what happened but I guess they just compressed over time and fell out when disassembled..

Carlos773

iTrader: (3)

Dammit well I don't want to do this again. Guess I am ordering Del's.

1ADan

iTrader: (4)

those del-a-lum pieces do look reallllly nice. Unfortunately weren't in the budget this go round, but may be something to look at down the road.

poly will squeak, but keeping them greased should cut down on the noise and definitely much better than the dry rotted factory pieces that were on the car when I got it

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Members mention "keep them greased (poly)," but short of removing the a-arm, how would you go about that?

JamesC

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

With my poly stuff I tried the really sticky grease they send and it sucked, esp when temps dropped. Squeaked, moaned and seemed to bind the control arms..
I ended up taking them apart, cleaning the sticky crap off an lubing them with anti-seize. It freed them up and they no longer squeaked even when cold! During oil changes, I would also put a drop of used oil on the poly stuff and it also helped..

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

I have no idea. I got em for like $25 or something from a local guy. Here's a picture, if you know which they are then you're in luck!



They're your simple tube with bushings on the end type. No spherical joints or rod ends or anything like that.

My 2 cents for the second time:

My rears squeak a lot. My exhaust is louder, so it still doesnt matter much to me. Im pretty sure he sold those LCA's to me BECAUSE they squeak. $25? Score.

My fronts barely make any noise at all. I just went out and jumped on the hood for a minute and I cant hear anything from them. Like I said it's been over a year since the install.

My rears squeak a lot worse, but I also think rears probably squeak worse than fronts anyway because the rear LCA's will always be in a tendency to bind. If only one side of the rear suspension goes over a bump, the LCA's have to twist to absorb that motion, and LCA's cant twist - the bushings have to do it.

The front LCA's on the other hand... I'm not saying they dont twist, Im sure they do, but I would say in normal operation the front A-arm should stay pretty parallel to the mounting points and any inherent tendency to bind and squeak should be MUCH smaller than what you see in the rears. If there were ever a place on the car where fancy bushings and rod ends AREN'T needed(in my not so expert opinion), it's the front LCA's. But hey if you've got the extra money, I dont see any good reason NOT to upgrade the front bushings to Del-A-lums. But if you're stressing because you already bought the poly bushings - I wouldn't fret over it at all. I'd just put em in and be happy.

Johnny Blaze

iTrader: (15)

Who sells del a lums for our front control arms?

Roostmeyer

iTrader: (3)

Global West.

The del a lums are nice, but there's no reason you can't add your own grease zerks to poly bushings for a few bucks and a few minutes of your time. Without grease zerks, you really should be taking the front a-arms out once a year to grease them, then realign the car afterwards.

esc

iTrader: (6)

I don't like poly because it manages the motion of the control arm by pivoting around a central sleeve or bolt. They will wear out eventually and you will be doing the same thing again down the road. I've heard estimates of anywhere from 20K to 100K for how long they will last. I really doubt 100K.

I have steel control arm bushings(inner and outer) with very thin nylon liners in the middle. They have been on my car for 20+ years with never a sound. They made the biggest improvement in handling of any thing I have ever done, and I've (just about) done it all.

The Del Alums are a similar design to what I have except the liner is MUCH thicker and the rest is made of aluminum instead of steel.

If Herb Adams VSE were still in business I would whole heatedly recommend what I use. But since they aren't, I think Del-A-Lum is the best option out there. They have grease nipples and replaceable liners just like mine. I would recommend that you buy an extra set of the liners. Hopefully if you keep them greased you will never need the replacement parts, but if the manufacturer ever goes out of business, you will be happy to have them.

I wish I had an extra set of the Herb Adams bushing liners. I think that it is a standard industrial liner, but I will have to take mine apart to get the originals and match them up to something. I'm considering building a set of control arms with Del-A-Lum bushings to use while I try to find replacement liners for the Herb Adams parts.


Considering how much of a pain it is to put them in, I wouldn't skimp with poly which is going to wear out eventually.

Carlos773

iTrader: (3)

You guys saved me a headache down the road. ES Poly bushings for sale if anyone is interested!

Carlos773

iTrader: (3)

Guess what was waiting for me when I got home from work...




These look a hell of alot better then ES Polys. Even comes with nice instructions for installing them.



Pricey for most but worth it in the end since I really do not want to yank the Polys out after a year for noise problems.

Reid Fleming

iTrader: (2)

$150 shipped for the Del-A-Lum seems reasonably priced to me. For something that is high end suspension and should last for a long time.

Compared to the $195 for a 3 year registration sticker (that does nothing) or the $720 I spent for 3 new tires (stock sized Michelins), I'd say the Del-A-Lums were a bargain.

Installing them is the not so fun part. Dealing with front springs and bolts that (Murphey's Law) are rusted/stripped/over torqued on there.

Carlos773

iTrader: (3)

Well bad news.

I left the a-arms at my neighbors since he had a press. I told him to be careful since the a-arm ears tend to bend from what I hear. Fast forward to Sunday and a phone call and I get this back...











I just laughed. I asked him what he did and he said he just pressed them on and saw it moving in and figured he did not need to brace the a-arm. Ended up with that. It looks like the bushing is right but the a-arms ears are bent. I can see he tried hammering the bushing thinking it was the bushing that was the culprit.


Now I am at a crossroad. Either

A. Get another stock A-Arm

B. Fix it

C. Sell the Bushings, Moog Ball Joints and just get Umi's A-arms with Deldrin's.

This is gonna set me back for a few weeks. =/

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Ouch.. the A arms bend fairly easy. can't really tell from the pix but it can prolly b hammered back into shape.
When pressing the shells in, something needs 2 be fabbed up to hold the 2 sides apart the correct distance..

Carlos773

iTrader: (3)

Yep, Told him to be careful and even gave him the L shaped metal piece Global West included and he said he used it on the other side and did fine. Guess he did not use it on this side.

So I am not at a stand still and deciding what to do next. I don't even want to think what local shops can do let alone the cost since they charge by the hour. Looks like its either getting it back into shape. Buying a press. Another set of bushings. That alone is almost the cost of a set of Aftermarket ones.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Oh what a weird dubble post .

Carlos773

iTrader: (3)

I am not risking it. Looks like I might just get another stock A-Arm and do the work myself. I already removed the stock ones and figured it would be an easy task just to press in. Guess not.

Gonna be picking up a used arm and a press this week. Gonna keep the bushings I have now as spares.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Make sure the grease zirts are lined up to the bottom of the arm 4 easy lubing.
Also if there is what looks like thick paint or POR15 on the holes of the arms where the sleeves press in make sure you remove it.
freeze/coat the outer shells with anti seize, warm the arms and they should just about fall together.
Tha arm really doesnt look bad at all. they bend easy so they wont break.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

you should weld braces before pushing in or out bushings...

Carlos773

iTrader: (3)

Well picked up a set of extra A-arms yesterday. Already started stripping the arm down and sanding it down for POR-15. This time around I will be purchasing a press and doing it myself.

Base91

iTrader: (1)

What sort of braces and where?

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

I made these and just welded them on my arms...