Delrin/Aluminum front control arm bushings installed!
 

I've been waiting a while to post this up. Have had Delrin/aluminum front upper control arm bushings installed on my '11 Nismo for a year and about 10k miles now. Also several other bushings, but I'll leave those for future threads.

Comparison of oem bushings with Delrin/aluminum bushings.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/CIMG3287.jpg

This is the bushing kit, 12 pieces in total, with the bushing removal tool (not included).
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/CIMG3275.jpg

Overall driving impression has been great. Not a big difference in feel over stock, but steering response does seems a little more direct, with no noticeable increase in road noise. The car isn't that quiet as we all know, so it's tough to make it noisier! Under braking there's less twitchiness, which was likely caused by small changes in caster.

What's very noticeable is how smooth the arm travels up and down with the Delrin bushings, but without freeplay in any other direction. With the stock rubber bushings, it was difficult to swing the arm (which adds an unknown spring rate to the suspension), but the arm would deflect front/back, in/out, and was able to twist the bushings which would cause small changes to caster and camber while driving.
There is zero squeaking or clunking, which people might have experienced on other cars. That's usually the result of bushings being too tight, or too loose. All these parts were taken out to measure them after 1 month of use, after 6 months, and after a year. Even with 10k miles worth of LA roads, canyon carving, and 3 track days, all dimensions are within .0005" (half a thousandth of an inch!) of new, and still silent.
:driving:

Installation is pretty easy, took about 2 hours with the proper tools. Once the arms are off the car, removing the OEM bushings is pretty easy using a press and custom machined removal tool. The arms are too nice to subject to the typical burning and chiseling method. The Delrin bushings slide in with light force on a press, or can be tapped in with a rubber mallet.
If anyone wants help removing the bushings, send me the arms and I'll press them out with the special tools.

Here are the 4 bushings disassembled, and the removal tool. The Delrin is self-lubricating so no messy grease is required (which would attract dirt), and the sleeves are 7075 aluminum. The Delrin spacer and the lip on the main bushing get rid of the original gap that allowed the arm to move front/back.
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...s/CIMG3282.jpg

Quick video of the overall removal/installation process:


Any questions, feel free to post or PM me.

Front lower shock bushings have also been replaced with Delrin/aluminum, but I didn't think it would be worth making a new thread for. Also have Delrin/aluminum front lower control arm bushings, but that thread will wait...

I've been meaning to pm you but havent gotten to it.
do you have delrin solutions for these bushings? :) im most interested in 1 and 2
http://www.the370z.com/brakes-suspen...ml#post1945758

why'd you choose delrin btw? just curious. ive read alot about stiction and binding and there are select places where delrin/poly should and shouldn't be used and other places where spherical solid is recommended (but not necessary).

Yes, I have replacement bushings for those 3 locations too. My car is a Nismo model, but the front damper lower bushing is lekly the same size.
Lower control arm bushings definitely make a difference to suspension feel and response, with a slight increase in road noise.

Delrin/aluminum was chosen as IMO it's the best solution for rubber replacements for single axis movement. Wherever polyurethane works, Delrin is better in terms of performance. Polyurethane is good for mounts, but not moving parts since it sticks-slips-sticks-slips (stiction). This is not very smooth, often causes noise, and is still compliant similar to stock rubber.

Spherical bearings have a slight advantage over Delrin with metal sleeves as far as precision and smoothness. They do require a little more maintenance (cleaning, lubing), transmit more noise, and require replacement when they wear.Converting stock suspension parts to use spherical bearings is also more labor intensive and expensive. Since bearings come in set sizes that likely don't match the bore where an OEM rubber bushing was, it requires adapter sleeves and then requires spacers on each side to center it on the mounting pin/bolt. With Delrin parts, the actual bushing is machined exactly to the size needed and reduces part count and price.

I'll work on getting pictures of all the upgraded suspension parts on my Z. There doesn't seem to be much interest in these type of real performance upgrades for these cars, so not sure if a large run of production parts will be made.

I'm interested! :D

I remember receiving some info about this from you ,Im still very interessted but right now since I blew my engine , the budget is set on the rebuilt .. I only hope when its time for me to upgrade that the parts are gonna be available !

thanks for the clarification, i;m extremely interested :D
I just need to do more research on where there exist only single axis movement (replace that with delrin) and where there is more (replace that with spherical - SPL is supposedly going to release a whole set soon). though more compliant than poly, i read that delrin still restricts multiple axis rotation to some extent.
if you have any input on which mounts or moving parts move where, i would love to hear it. especially on the front lower arms and anywhere in the rear. im waiting on the spl front arms to come out so i dont have to worrk about the front upper.

Well to be specific, there are some places where multi-axis movement is happening but it shouldn't be for performance. The A arms these bushings go into are a good example. The only axis of movement should be up and down, but the stock rubber bushings allow front-back and in-out movement as well for "ride comfort".

As for compliance the order would be: rubber, poly, delrin or bronze, and ultimately metal-metal bearings. Delrin does not restrict rotation, it allows parts to rotate smoothly when shapes and tolerances are properly engineered.
Poly only allows parts to rotate when it doesn't fit very tight and grease is used.

I guess a comlex diagram would have to be made to show where parts move in a single axis, in multiple axis, and where bushings are being used to simply hold a component in place.

Got anything like this for the 370Z? I'm interested in getting em.

Whiteline Rear Sub Frame Bushing Kit

They seem to be only for the 350Z :/

:iagree:

Top Element,
wondering if you could elaborate on the front lower inner A arm bushing and what-seems-to-be the front lower compression bushing and if you have delrin conversions, how they are, and the rotation mechanics on them. how do those 2 points rotate?
im actually waiting for the spl upper A arm so the lower guys im very interested in.

Any thoughts about making these bushings offset so user can use them to change front camber? Lots of the racing classes allow offset bushings but do not allow for different upper control arms (SCCA Improved Touring) or assign extra points for changed upper control arms (NASA Performance Touring).

Since there seems to be very little interest in this type of product, offset bushings would probably only be made with several commited buyers.

do you have any pics on the front lower control arm bushing and the compression rod bushing? very interested pending costs, design, and the availability of a removal tool :D

Any updates on lower control arm bushings? Is SPL is the only player in the game? I can't even find OEM stuff..

For OEM stuff on that lower control arm, the entire arm is one replacement piece. You can't even remove the ball joint, and they don't sell separate bushings. So, ball joint / bushing goes bad, replace whole arm, which comes with a new ball joint and both inner bushings installed. On the upside, they're not that expensive.

This threads a year old. No updates? Rusty obviously didn't buy these and went spl everything.

The OP never did any up-dates, so I went with SPL.

I want them to replace the bushings in my adjustable control arms with poly/grease bushings.

Why don't you go with aluminum/bronze bushing for there with grease fittings.

Link? How do I know these will fit diameter and length?

You can have a local machine shop make them for you. All they would need is the arms, old bushings, and bolts to take measurements. I used to be able to get parts made reasonable. But now with the gas well drillers here. Prices have shot up, and you have to wait in line. The shops are making a killin' now.

Why can't that joint just be solid? Fill it in with a sold bar, drill the hole for the bolt size and install the bolt? No chance of movement lube the bolt every now and again.

I would imagine a solid metal cylindrical bushing + bolt would bind in some situations, even if lubed. If you gave it enough looseness to never bind, it would have more play in it than the delrin version.

I prefer this. Need to find out how he did these. He tried selling these for $600 but to me they look like ams or kinetix arms with upgraded bushings and maybe the hemi joint or whatever.

Sorry for the lack of updates everyone, but the delrin bushings are still working great. Have them on the LCA's as well. Of course for adjustability I would prefer full replacement arms machined from aluminum or fabricated from steel tubing, but that takes much longer to design and make, and is 10x the price.
If anyone is interested in the front upper bushings, I have a few sets to sell for cheap.

In the rear suspension I have mostly spherical bearings for the joints, as it's simply easier to purchase high quality parts that are already available.

Considering the low cost of installing delrin/aluminum upgrades, and sometimes restricted by rulebooks, it's a simple upgrade. On the downside, there can be occasional noises either from road conditions or a lot of suspension articulation.

I'm interested in these. You need to clear out your inbox, it says you can't receive any pm's

I'm interested as well. Think there's a PM from me in your inbox somewhere. Thanks

Also interested in lower control arm bushings. SPL is the only option we have for those I believe. How would Delrin work for the rear differential bushings?

If the OP cant or doesnt sell these anymore, My company would love to offer these. We have a cnc lathe sitting waiting to cut some delrin bushings.

I'd be interested in sending you my aftermarket front arms and having you do this since the aftermarket arms might not take his. Also PM me a price on porting my throttle bodies and manifold like Z1 does.

*cough ... cough like I ....cough originally did cough...*

*throat cleared....*


;)

sorry it was to strong to resist for both options, which one of them Z1 is now performing...


*flame suit on*

I know and I know. It's not a new thing to do though. This god damn car we own though seems to be the only one no one gives a **** about or makes anything for in a timely manner!!! And Z1 likes to not reply to emails so I'll go to whoever is willing to help and who likes this thing called money. It's also partly why I think you and I are so much alike, we'd rather make stuff and do it ourselves than wait around and pay more. I just can't port or willing to, so I like a sponsor stepping up to the plate and offering to do it. Even got a PM from them already :tup:

Call Z1, PMs aren't as effective with them

Still waiting to hear back from this guy, man his communication is ridiculous. We need someone else to start manufacturing these and other bushings like rear diff and subframe.

What do you call this?

pm's sent.

Bringing this back to life. OP are you still selling these?

He's hard to get a hold of, however as far as I know he's still selling these. Don't know if he has any in stock, haven't talked to him in a while. On the upside I have these bushings installed and there awesome, fitment was great and work very well alongside my SPL lower arm bushings.

Great thanks for letting me know. Did you get regular bushing of offset ones?

Regular bushings

I made a review on these, just in case you didn't read it, here are a couple photos.