what if

oscarloco · Post by **oscarloco** » 25 Jun 2005, 03:03

Since reading all the threads about worn bushings, I was wondering what if I was to replace the lower arm rubber bushings on the front suspension with steel inserts?
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that would make them more durable and give me a better response during cornering. Am I wrong?
Oppinions please.

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 25 Jun 2005, 03:43

If it was feasible, I think the makers of all cars would have done this years ago.
Personally I think the stress and jarring on the components would be such that you'd be snapping and cracking things everywhere.
I've heard of neoprene inserts being made mainly for track work and they reckon that whilst they wear better, they do make the ride very harsh, so imagine what steel would do?
Think you'd better get used to living with the rubber ones Oscar.[:D][:D]
Alan S

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 25 Jun 2005, 04:00

Polyurethane bushes are the things boy racers put on their cars, apparently they're very long lasting but more expensive than rubber, they can be made in a range of softnesses i.e. boy racer stiff to limousine soft.
Rubber bushes aren't really there to stop things snapping or cracking (bear in mind that the rear swing arms on various Citroens don't have bushes, instead they have bearings) the tyres do the biggest part of absorbing big lots and stopping things breaking. The bushes biggest purpose is to stop suspension components transmitting mechanical noise and vibration to the car.
I think if you replaced your bushes with bearings your car would become very noisy, every little noise that the brakes made would be transmitted further into the suspension that it would otherwise be. It wouldn't make a lot of difference to your ride either because the bushes don't provide the biggest part of the softness in your suspension, tyres and struts have a much bigger effect.

Post by **Richard Green** » 25 Jun 2005, 04:15

Polyurethane bushes are the way forward but at a cost and they do last 3 times as long and longer for the sensible driver like me "just got a speeding ticket wata sod" so it a cost effective route, the speeding ticket is an art since they have caught me till now now I have stealth number plates so cameras cant see them, im thinking of James bond swivel type.

Post by **Richard Green** » 25 Jun 2005, 04:22

I just done the stealth plates but should have done it sooner and probably would have saved the fixed penalty of £60 and 3 points but who gives a sh@t if the police can get away with doing 158 MPH the gloves are off for evasion on the cash machines.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 25 Jun 2005, 13:41

I'd have thought that using anything other than standard was a waste of time. From postings here it would seem that occasionally ZX wishbone bushes fail but then no-one is running a new car are they. I would think that there are very few cars that have had those bushes done more than once.
I'd have said that the ZX responded well to steering inputs so if yours doesn't you may have another problem.
Jeremy

ghostrider · Post by **ghostrider** » 25 Jun 2005, 13:42

Do the stealth plates really work? on Tuvelos as well as GATSOs and what about mobile traps?
The ultimate answer for suspension bushes is to change them for rose joints, complex to do on suspension arms as you would need to make a mounting bracket at each end of the arm and remove the centre support, coupled with an Activa system it would give most so called super cars a run for their money[:D] [:D] [:D].
Trouble is as others have observed you would lose ride quality and noise levels would go up, it would still be better than a springs over dampers set up but there is the conundrum, how do you get F1 handling with a Cit magic carpet ride? Activa goes a long way but all the time you are essentially shifting the balance from the comfort end to handling end. I've yet to experience an Activa ride, hopefully if Activa still has that gearbox I'm after I'll get a ride in his [:D] [:D],
Are any of the C5s Activa suspended?
If not it would seem that Cit have decided that although Activa works the extra complexity and expense is either un warranted on an ordinary saloon, or that like the last of the DSs where everything was hydraulic that it was simply the end of an evolutionary cycle that became superceded by advances in other technologies.
pete
________
Website host

Post by **Richard Green** » 25 Jun 2005, 13:48

it might seem that way Jeremy but if the item was developed for the race track "and one cant go higher than that" it will last much longer on a road car, the race track is the future of cars that's where it all happens development we call it.

Post by **Richard Green** » 25 Jun 2005, 13:55

humans evolve and cars are developed by us.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 25 Jun 2005, 14:08

Race cars don't do 150,000 miles plus do they! Steel and bronze suspension bushes were common in the 30's and all needed frequent lubrication, manufacturers recommendations were weekly!
jeremy

Post by **martyhopkirk** » 25 Jun 2005, 14:17

Ahhh, My grease gun has seen little use since I stopped buying old Austin's. I remember the Sunday ritual of washing, then greasing my nipples.
Then I would go outside and do some maintainance on the car.....

Post by **Richard Green** » 25 Jun 2005, 19:02

ahh greasing the nipples takes me back to the good old days when you could fill your tank for pennies, as far as miles are concerned Jeremy the race cars are punished much more than the road car so its not distance but stress and miles = stress.

vanny · Post by **vanny** » 25 Jun 2005, 19:16

Ghost Rider, i would be interested to know more about the rose joint bearing things. I've heard about them befor and im helping build a kit car with them on, but i really have no idea what they actually are, nor how they work!
As for activa, well there is a rumour that the C6 once released will have Activa II fitted! It's speculated that this is one of the reasons that it hasn't been released yet, and it is likely to challenge BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar on all aspects but the price, certainly sounds nice!
On the issue of bottom wisbone bushes, there are a couple of cases in the BX16v world where bushes are failing VERY regularly, down in at least one case to only 500miles! One of the biggest contributing factors appear to be 17" alloy wheels! However we suspect that there is something more contributing to this than simply big wheels, more likely the offset!

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 25 Jun 2005, 20:15

If bushes are failing that often then either they are defective or under an enormous load. If the load is that large then presumably many other components aren't strong enough either.
Jeremy

born2die · Post by **born2die** » 25 Jun 2005, 21:15

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ghostrider</i>

Do the stealth plates really work? on Tuvelos as well as GATSOs and what about mobile traps?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
sory to hijack the thread a litle here
On a recent program a guy had sprayed his car with some substance that was supposed to make it invisable to cameras and it worked he only got clocked when a police car with these new fangled number plate readers was behind him the police could read his number plate but the camera couldnt and his plate did not show up on the incar screen that they have. thanks to a sharp eyed policeman he got got and no ammount of blagging could save him.