Delrin/Aluminum front control arm bushings installed!

TopElement

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.


This is the bushing kit, 12 pieces in total, with the bushing removal tool (not included).


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.


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.


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...

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-'11 Gun Metallic Nismo 370z
-'12 WRB STi hatch
-'99 2.5RS coupe

jujubii

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
Doran Racing NISMO RC suspension parts

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).

TopElement

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.

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-'11 Gun Metallic Nismo 370z
-'12 WRB STi hatch
-'99 2.5RS coupe

Rusty

I'm interested!

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Megan370z

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 !

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jujubii

thanks for the clarification, i;m extremely interested
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.

TopElement

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.

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-'11 Gun Metallic Nismo 370z
-'12 WRB STi hatch
-'99 2.5RS coupe

binary0x01

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 :/

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jujubii

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.

DR_

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).

TopElement

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

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-'11 Gun Metallic Nismo 370z
-'12 WRB STi hatch
-'99 2.5RS coupe

jujubii

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

threeseventy

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

wstar

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.

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