LCA Bushings, Yours are probably BAD

[SeeeeeYa]

I68 / I79 interchange heading Southbound?

 

Although I know what you're talking about, the actual curve is one here in Charleston just before the Yaeger Bridge across the Kanawha River.

 

But it is just these kind of curves and situations where control and stability of steering input stand out. Another example of that was evident yesterday as I entered another bridge across that river into downtown. The sharp 90* turn meets an equal mirrored lane coming from the opposite direction to merge onto the four lane bridge. There is little room for error between the cement curbing and merging traffic separated by a yellow line. Until the new bushings I had to account for the suspension loading as I entered this curve and the resultant rebound toward the inside as I merged with drivers facing the same direction. It was always a balancing act between entry speed, line, road conditions, and the traffic that met at speed literally inches from this driver's door. Nervous.

 

With the new bushings that has changed. The line is the line and leaves more awareness for other things, like oncoming traffic The yo yo effect is gone.

 

Maybe if I slowed down it would never have been an issue in the first place.... Sometimes my wife doesn't understand . I'll say this, however, she never yelled once on The Dragon. Sure wish I'd had these last June down there.

[Turninconcepts]

Although I know what you're talking about, the actual curve is one here in Charleston just before the Yaeger Bridge across the Kanawha River.

 

But it is just these kind of curves and situations where control and stability of steering input stand out. Another example of that was evident yesterday as I entered another bridge across that river into downtown. The sharp 90* turn meets an equal mirrored lane coming from the opposite direction to merge onto the four lane bridge. There is little room for error between the cement curbing and merging traffic separated by a yellow line. Until the new bushings I had to account for the suspension loading as I entered this curve and the resultant rebound toward the inside as I merged with drivers facing the same direction. It was always a balancing act between entry speed, line, road conditions, and the traffic that met at speed literally inches from this driver's door. Nervous.

 

With the new bushings that has changed. The line is the line and leaves more awareness for other things, like oncoming traffic The yo yo effect is gone.

 

Maybe if I slowed down it would never have been an issue in the first place.... Sometimes my wife doesn't understand . I'll say this, however, she never yelled once on The Dragon. Sure wish I'd had these last June down there.

 

Are you coming to the dragon for the spring meet?

[bskey]

What other suspension mods do you have? I am also curious what you think about them after they are installed.

 

I currently have F & R Perrin 22mm sways and end links w/ stout mount, Hankook K106 tires and Tein S techs. I'll be installing GPMoto coil overs at the same time as the bushings, so my review of the difference in suspension feel will be biased. I'm debating on installing the bushings, taking the car for a drive to get a feel for the difference, and then doing the coil overs, but I'm probably too lazy for that.

[Th3Franz]

I got my bushings in the mail today. I'll see about installing them this week. Any tips/suggestions for the actual install? One of my brothers has a friend at a machine shop who will press in the bushings for cheap, so I've got that covered. Really wish I could put my summer tires back on but it's freaking cold here.

[racerdave]

I got my bushings in the mail today. I'll see about installing them this week. Any tips/suggestions for the actual install? One of my brothers has a friend at a machine shop who will press in the bushings for cheap, so I've got that covered. Really wish I could put my summer tires back on but it's freaking cold here.

 

+1 on the install

 

... and on the cold!

 

Franz, did you get the offset bushings or regular?

 

Also, were your old ones shot?

 

I think I may do this when I do the brakes (lines, pads)... when it gets warmer, of course.

[SeeeeeYa]

Are you coming to the dragon for the spring meet?

 

?? Unaware of this. Links??

[racerdave]

Also... how many bushings did you do? All four? (two per side) Or only the rear LCA bushing on each side?

 

Just wondering how many I need to order. Thanks.

[REM87O]

?? Unaware of this. Links??

 

If you do it, I'll do it...

[Th3Franz]

+1 on the install

 

... and on the cold!

 

Franz, did you get the offset bushings or regular?

 

Also, were your old ones shot?

 

I think I may do this when I do the brakes (lines, pads)... when it gets warmer, of course.

 

Only the rear LCA pair of bushings. I got ballsy and went for the offset set since the positives sound like they far outweigh minor negatives. My old ones are probably shot but I have not had the car up in the air yet this week. It's cold but at least I have access to a garage. I'm still sad that I can't put the summer tires on yet this week. Sigh.

[Turninconcepts]

?? Unaware of this. Links??

 

 

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1171474

[KartRacerBoy]

Only the rear LCA pair of bushings. I got ballsy and went for the offset set since the positives sound like they far outweigh minor negatives. My old ones are probably shot but I have not had the car up in the air yet this week. It's cold but at least I have access to a garage. I'm still sad that I can't put the summer tires on yet this week. Sigh.

 

The positive bushings give more castor? Xenonk somewhere said the added castor had a bad effect on the camber curve as the suspension moved through it's range (less negative camber). I was tired and didn't read closely and may be (and often am) wrong. Is this the minor negative you refer to, Sir Moderator?

[tytek]

If you do it, I'll do it...

 

[REM87O]

^^ Let's get it going now if we are going...rooms are going fast. May 28 is a holiday anyway.

 

Also, I went with the regular bushings. I heard that the additonal castor would make it harder to turn at low speeds so I stayed away. I think it does help high speed though so it's a trade off.

[tytek]

^^ Let's get it going now if we are going...rooms are going fast. May 28 is a holiday anyway.

 

Also, I went with the regular bushings. I heard that the additonal castor would make it harder to turn at low speeds so I stayed away. I think it does help high speed though so it's a trade off.

 

 

Yeah, but since you never go fast, you do not need that additional castor...

[racerdave]

additional caster generally helps the camber curve, not hurts it.

[racerdave]

Only the rear LCA pair of bushings. I got ballsy and went for the offset set since the positives sound like they far outweigh minor negatives. My old ones are probably shot but I have not had the car up in the air yet this week. It's cold but at least I have access to a garage. I'm still sad that I can't put the summer tires on yet this week. Sigh.

 

Thanks... I'll wait until it gets warmer. I have a garage too, but it doesn't make it much better right now!

[Th3Franz]

The positive bushings give more castor? Xenonk somewhere said the added castor had a bad effect on the camber curve as the suspension moved through it's range (less negative camber). I was tired and didn't read closely and may be (and often am) wrong. Is this the minor negative you refer to, Sir Moderator?

 

More caster = a better camber curve. The tire will not want to go towards positive camber as much which will help handling. The minor negative I refer to is different. Bump steer might be increased a little bit from this mod which will make the car a little less stable during cornering. Like I said, this is a minor issue and the pluses will outweigh the minuses. We'll have to see once I actually install the new bushings.

[KartRacerBoy]

I still have the stock bushings and when I went to my 8" wide wheels (both sets with +48 offset) I noticed a much greater resistance at the steering wheel, as if there was more caster. I like higher effort steering since I can be abrupt with steering inputs. This effect helps minimize it.

[ERLoft]

^...I heard that the additonal castor would make it harder to turn at low speeds so I stayed away...

 

Ummm, we all have power steering right? The amount of castor change from these bushings is hardly going to make the car feel like a 65 Shelby GT350 at low speeds. Think more like M3 or other BMW. Bimmers run very high castor settings, which gives them that 'solid' feel on turn in and makes the steering more self centering. We're only talking a couple degrees of castor max for the bushings...

[REM87O]

Ummm, we all have power steering right? The amount of castor change from these bushings is hardly going to make the car feel like a 65 Shelby GT350 at low speeds. Think more like M3 or other BMW. Bimmers run very high castor settings, which gives them that 'solid' feel on turn in and makes the steering more self centering. We're only talking a couple degrees of castor max for the bushings...

 

[EL PAALO]

just looking at the lca options.

figured I'd add that my oem bushings are toast at 15k miles - lowered on swifts for the past 7k or so. autox.