re: 4KQ subframe bushings

[Ken <kkeith@qnet.com>]

Jay Rabe <brabe@snet.net> wrote:
> > 
> > Does anyone know where to find the following things? Any good subframe
> > bushings?  I dont feel like paying an arm & a leg for stock mush.  About
> > delrin A-arm bushings, How long do these last?  If anyone is currently
> > using them, specially if you have had them a while, please let me know
> > your opinions.

I'm running delrin (same as "urethane" sold by TAP, no?) A-arm bushings.
They are hard, I thought they'd shatter if I drove on them.  I used to
want
to switch back to stock, but I'm not so sure now.  I think they're
growing 
on me.  No apparent wear, they seem like they'll last the life of the
car, 
as long as I don't crash into a curb or something.

I would imagine Delrin subframe bushes would be way too harsh.  Can you
say 
"road vibration"?

> > How about some type of strut bearing not made of rubber,
> > but not a solid mount?

If you want stronger ones, try the ur-q ones.  They fit, don't they guys 
and gals?

> > Last one I promise, Heim joint (i think) tie rod
> > ends instead of the rubber bushings (where they connect to the rack.)

Heim joints are not suitable for street use, IMO.  They wear out and can 
break.  You gotta have some kind of "give".  I had hydraulics (odelay!)
on 
the front of a Toyota truck with heim/himes/whatever joints at the
bottom, 
with coilover springs over a skinny cylinders.  The springs were in
mounts 
on the frame, and cylinders went through the springs and mounts, and at
the 
bottom the himes joints we attached like shocks to the bottom A-arms.

Anyway, they break.  Granted, this is alot more stressful than using
them 
on the end of tie rods, or at the attachment points of a sway bar ala
Duane 
Hale's 4kcstq/2 Bennett Audimotive-style modification, but the point is,
they're 
made for racing where you can replace them all the time.  You don't want
to 
have to get into the damn inner tie rod thing too often.  Not to mention
a 
failure would be pretty dangerous.

I was pretty hard on the himes joints I was using (yes, I could hop the 
front wheels off the ground, don't ask me why, Holmes!).  ;-)

Just make sure everything is in good new condition.  I'm sure that'll be 
worlds of improvement if it's currently worn.

Ken