anyone tried to make there own control arm bushing- they seem to be over priced here. $200 for both front and rear control arm bushing.
Ive tried searching on the net for online shops but have not come across any yet.
Had come across a site that sells the polyurethane type bushes, used as a performance mod and is more expensive.
The bushes look simple- and you can buy cylinder shaped lengths of polyurethane, which then can be machined on a lathe. (Used to do it at work for the machinery), and probably re-use the steel parts.
think it could be done
john.
possible to make control arm bushings
Moderators: daewoomofo, Moderators Group
possible to make control arm bushings
97 nubira 1.6 dohc
Re: possible to make control arm bushings
Hi mocpac
decided to buy them, and have them pressed in, as well as new ball joints. (got sick off working on this car-as its not mine and i hate working on the things-probably spent more time getting parts than doing the work)
take a shot at it yourself, purchase some urethane from a bearing shop or similar.
Looks simple if you have access to a lathe.
basically an outer metal ring (which is pressed into the control arm) , the center spacer in which you could probably use the original, and one piece of polyurethane bush probably lathed just slightly tighter than the
metal rings/spacer. both ends top and bottom were chamfered.
dont throw away the split sleeves that centre the rear control arm bolt, although you may need to damage them when taking out the control arm as they tend to climb up into the bolt hole, i used a screwdriver and hammer to bend it out of the way,
These did not come with the new bushes, but the metal casing of a marker pen was a good replacement.
after purchasing these for $225 including having them pressed, makes me think that i should have used a lathe to turn some urethane myself.
they look similar to the ones on this site.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 0541341106
installing the control arms with these bushes was more hassle than i thought.
i didnt want to use the urethane bushes originally as i dont believe the hype about them lasting longer.had discovered this when i used them on a previous car years ago, had to replace them within a year.
problem was its hard to find the original rubber type here in oz for a decent price- On the US daewoo site (below) they are less than $10, here in oz there over $50 each, what a rip off.
http://www.daewoous.com/Search.aspx?opt ... r=96259768
the urethane bushes looked like they egged at the points on the bush which had the most force- which then caused play in the suspension.
its hard to spot unless you bolt the strut off the control arm and wiggle it, this is because when jacking the car up the angle of the control arm takes out the slack in the bush, (even when installing the new bushes and having to force the control arm down to fit the strut , you will notice the angle is too great for the bush, and its egged away from the center metal spacer), i almost thought it was about to blow out.
Now with all this work done on the front end , i thought the handling would be better. WRONG
Problem now is i bought 2 new cheap, Chinese made front tyres, car had a bad vibration at above 85 kmh.
The vibration was extreme when driving along a bend- its 10 times worse than when the car had worn out tires and bushings, slowed down immediately.
The vibration was noticeable at lower speeds as well and had a floaty feel.
jacked up the front and checked if the tyres were round, rim was good and my guess is that the place i purchased the tyres from knew they were out of round.
when i went back the second time for balance and alignment they told me the rim had a small dent or buckle, and they added 20 grams, problem is they were lying out there backside and hadnt even taken the wheels off the car.
both tyres are out of round (up and down motion ) by 3mm, and its not gradual, it happens suddenly for about 90 degrees of rotation. im sure this is too much, and no balancing helps.
as usual its my problem not theirs.
changed the rear wheels to front and checked there roundness- it was less than 1 mm out, and the ride was much better, even the handling was improved.
i wont be buying Chinese made tyres again.
also feels like they have bugger all sidewall strength.
anyone know if you can use a belt sander to round the tyres ?
john
decided to buy them, and have them pressed in, as well as new ball joints. (got sick off working on this car-as its not mine and i hate working on the things-probably spent more time getting parts than doing the work)
take a shot at it yourself, purchase some urethane from a bearing shop or similar.
Looks simple if you have access to a lathe.
basically an outer metal ring (which is pressed into the control arm) , the center spacer in which you could probably use the original, and one piece of polyurethane bush probably lathed just slightly tighter than the
metal rings/spacer. both ends top and bottom were chamfered.
dont throw away the split sleeves that centre the rear control arm bolt, although you may need to damage them when taking out the control arm as they tend to climb up into the bolt hole, i used a screwdriver and hammer to bend it out of the way,
These did not come with the new bushes, but the metal casing of a marker pen was a good replacement.
after purchasing these for $225 including having them pressed, makes me think that i should have used a lathe to turn some urethane myself.
they look similar to the ones on this site.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 0541341106
installing the control arms with these bushes was more hassle than i thought.
i didnt want to use the urethane bushes originally as i dont believe the hype about them lasting longer.had discovered this when i used them on a previous car years ago, had to replace them within a year.
problem was its hard to find the original rubber type here in oz for a decent price- On the US daewoo site (below) they are less than $10, here in oz there over $50 each, what a rip off.
http://www.daewoous.com/Search.aspx?opt ... r=96259768
the urethane bushes looked like they egged at the points on the bush which had the most force- which then caused play in the suspension.
its hard to spot unless you bolt the strut off the control arm and wiggle it, this is because when jacking the car up the angle of the control arm takes out the slack in the bush, (even when installing the new bushes and having to force the control arm down to fit the strut , you will notice the angle is too great for the bush, and its egged away from the center metal spacer), i almost thought it was about to blow out.
Now with all this work done on the front end , i thought the handling would be better. WRONG
Problem now is i bought 2 new cheap, Chinese made front tyres, car had a bad vibration at above 85 kmh.
The vibration was extreme when driving along a bend- its 10 times worse than when the car had worn out tires and bushings, slowed down immediately.
The vibration was noticeable at lower speeds as well and had a floaty feel.
jacked up the front and checked if the tyres were round, rim was good and my guess is that the place i purchased the tyres from knew they were out of round.
when i went back the second time for balance and alignment they told me the rim had a small dent or buckle, and they added 20 grams, problem is they were lying out there backside and hadnt even taken the wheels off the car.
both tyres are out of round (up and down motion ) by 3mm, and its not gradual, it happens suddenly for about 90 degrees of rotation. im sure this is too much, and no balancing helps.
as usual its my problem not theirs.
changed the rear wheels to front and checked there roundness- it was less than 1 mm out, and the ride was much better, even the handling was improved.
i wont be buying Chinese made tyres again.
also feels like they have bugger all sidewall strength.
anyone know if you can use a belt sander to round the tyres ?
john
97 nubira 1.6 dohc