Classic Mustangs List Archive

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Mail From: Damon Koch (email redacted)

I have heard much about the use of polyurethane bushings. Here are my
qeustions: Is polygraphite the same thing? When a mail-order house says
"Poly bushings" are they referring to polygraphite? I am making an assumption
that polygraphite is just graphite-impregnated polyurethane.
Also, I keep hearing about the annoying squeak they produce. Can anyone tell
me if this is indeed a problem, and how do you avoid it?
Background: I have a 65 coupe that I'm starting to rebuild. I already have
the Shelby pittman arm and idler arm and a 16:1 (GT) steering box ready to
go in. I'm getting ready to order new upper and lower control arms (any
suggestions on who is the best to go with would be appreciated) and tie rod
ends. Since I don't want to do this again in a couple of years, I want to
do it with the most quality and reliability. Are poly bushings the answer
here? I want the end product to be something that handles at least as good,
if not better than, a Shelby or my wife's Acura.

Thanks in advance for any answers,
Damon
__________________________________________________________________________
Damon Koch Paranet Currently on loan
UNIX Administrator 16475 Dallas Pkwy, suite 470 to Convex Benchmark
Phone (972) 497-4384 Dallas, Texas 75248 and Reliability Lab
(email redacted) (email redacted) Support.

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Mail From: Eugene Y C Chu (email redacted)

I think unless they actually SAY that the poly bushings have graphite
(as in PolyGraphite), it probably does not have the graphite lubricant.
The graphite impregnated polyurethane bushings tend to stay quieter
than those without. The non-graphite bushings WILL squeek when they
get dried, making your car sound like a real clunker. My solution has
been to use a cutting disc on a Moto-Tool to cut gashes into the inside
diameter of the bushing. This helps trap the grease that you apply.
Then, drill a hole through the bushing shell and the bushing, and install
a grease fitting so that you can pump grease into it. You can get
creative and actually carve grease channels with your Moto-Tool.

eyc

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Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

In my opinion, the best control arms on the market are Global West. They
are very expensive, very close to $1K. I have a pair myself, and the car
handles awesome. They are made of tubular steel, not stamped, and are
much stronger. Also you get the added benefit of negative camber. If
you are serious about performance, (is that phrase copywrited by
SuperShops??) then these are what you want.

Rod

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Mail From: Damon Koch (email redacted)

How far do these Global West control arms allow you to lower the upper arms
without binding? Would you still need a negative wedge kit to go along
with them?

>
> In my opinion, the best control arms on the market are Global West. They
> are very expensive, very close to $1K. I have a pair myself, and the car
> handles awesome. They are made of tubular steel, not stamped, and are
> much stronger. Also you get the added benefit of negative camber. If
> you are serious about performance, (is that phrase copywrited by
> SuperShops??) then these are what you want.
>
> Rod
>
__________________________________________________________________________
Damon Koch Paranet Currently on loan
UNIX Administrator 16475 Dallas Pkwy, suite 470 to Convex Benchmark
Phone (972) 497-4384 Dallas, Texas 75248 and Reliability Lab
(email redacted) (email redacted) Support.

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Eugene Y C Chu (email redacted)

Damon Koch asked:

>How far do these Global West control arms allow you to lower the upper arms
>without binding? Would you still need a negative wedge kit to go along
>with them?

>> In my opinion, the best control arms on the market are Global West. They
>> are very expensive, very close to $1K. I have a pair myself, and the car
>> handles awesome. They are made of tubular steel, not stamped, and are
>> much stronger. Also you get the added benefit of negative camber. If
>> you are serious about performance, (is that phrase copywrited by
>> SuperShops??) then these are what you want.
>>
>> Rod
>Damon Koch

I have these on my 69 Mach, and they are truely amazing. I think I
lowered the upper control arm mounting point by about 1.5 inch. They
are designed to hold the upper ball joint at the right angle for
lowering the car by at least this much, so no, do not add any more
wedges to it. I remember them being real expensive, but I don't think
they were $1k though.

eyc

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Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

All,

Upper and lower arms together will run just over $1000.00 last time I priced
them. About 9 months ago.

Brian

I have these on my 69 Mach, and they are truely amazing. I think I
lowered the upper control arm mounting point by about 1.5 inch. They
are designed to hold the upper ball joint at the right angle for
lowering the car by at least this much, so no, do not add any more
wedges to it. I remember them being real expensive, but I don't think
they were $1k though.

eyc

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Mail From: Eugene Y C Chu (email redacted)

I almost forgot about the lower control arms. I didn't get them because
at that time they only had prototypes at the time. They were stock arms
that whose outer ends were cut, bent, welded, and then the open channel
was boxed and welded. The inner pivot was also replaced with a BIG heim
joint. Are the current lower arms tubular like the upper arms?

eyc

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Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

eyc,

Last I knew they were just as you have described below.

Brian

I almost forgot about the lower control arms. I didn't get them because
at that time they only had prototypes at the time. They were stock arms
that whose outer ends were cut, bent, welded, and then the open channel
was boxed and welded. The inner pivot was also replaced with a BIG heim
joint. Are the current lower arms tubular like the upper arms?

eyc

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Mail From: (email redacted) (email redacted)

You're right about the price. I ordered all my stuff at the same time,
and I remembered it beeing close to $1K. The truth is, the uppers are
$470.70, the lowers are $275.63, and shipping was $41.58. So that's a
grand total of $777.91. I guess that's still kind of close to $1k, but
not as much I guess. Those are right off my invoice, but that was in
March of '96.

Rod