Upper and lower A arms

[Dwayne]

A friend of mine who races a G-body at Bonnieville, has offered to give me the upper and lower a-arms from his car. They are the stock arms but they have steel bushings in them instead of the rubber. The bushings have a spiral groove cut into them to accept grease. All the bushings have a zirk fitting in them to keep them greased. On the right side of my car, where the 3.5" DP goes thru, the bushings are cooked from the heat. I was wondering if anybody had tried steel bushings in their a-arms.

 

[Gary Wells]

FWIW & IMHO:
Steel against steel might apply the wearing on the wrong part, ie, the a arms instead of the bushing.
Global West suspension uses a special brass bushing for the same application.

 

[TKGN1]

BMR fabrication now carries tubular upper and lower a arms for the G-body. Uses poly bushings, not too bad of a price for what you get. http://www.bmrfabrication.com/G-Body.htm

 

[Dwayne]

When I get home this evening I'll take a pick of the bushing and post it here. I know about the tubular arms but I really didn't want to spend the money on them for I've spent about all the money I'm going to spend on this car this year. I don't drive the car on the street much other than just around the neighborhood, it's 85 % race car. I was wondering if there would be any advantage to getting away from the rubber bushings in the stock a-arms. Thanks

 

[stickybones]

The UB Machine UCAs on my GN have a greasable steel on steel bushing. I haven't had them on my car long enough yet to tell how they hold up in the long run.

 

[Dwayne]

Did it change the quality of the ride, like noise or rough handling ?

 

[stickybones]

Did it change the quality of the ride, like noise or rough handling ?

No. Not at all as far I could tell.

 

[robert1320]

Did it change the quality of the ride, like noise or rough handling ?

I used poly and solid mtr mounts in lots of g-bodies. They are not that bad. There was a company that made a telfon lower control arm bushing. So after installing a BBC in the g-body you would not cook the bush out. Sorry no link.

 

[UNGN]

Two thumbs up on the UB greasable steel lowers. I don't know if I'd put them on a car I drove in snow or rain, but for a fair weather driver they are great.

I really noticed the difference at 165 mph. Much more steering control and less floating the steering.

 

[justabuickv6]

I have UB Machine uppers w/ steel bushings. Not one squeek.

 

[Dwayne]

Thanks for the replys: since this is just about a race only car, I'll make that a winter project and put them on and have the car aligned.

 

[mec108]

The UB Machine UCAs on my GN have a greasable steel on steel bushing. I haven't had them on my car long enough yet to tell how they hold up in the long run.

Bones; Is the UB uppers a direct replacement?

 

[stickybones]

Yes. I mean you still need a ball joint and you'll need a realignment and all when you're done, but otherwise a direct replacement.