Whats a good brand for polyurethane bushings and ball joints for our stock A Arms?

 

Way better than poly
http://www.globalwest.net/1022.html

Moog ball joints.

 

I checked out that Del A Lum website, I never heard of them before. What is it made out of aluminum? Seems like they would be too rigid and would bind up especially if they werent greased good... Do you have them?

I'll def go with the Moog Ball Joints.

 

the Global West Del-a-Lum bushings are an aluminum housing with a delrin insert.. Delrin is a durable kind of plastic that allows you to essentially have the stiffness of a solid bushing, but it won't wear out like a solid.. it will ride rougher than a rubber or poly bushing, but you can tune around that with a slightly softer spring and shock valving..

 

Many members use the Del-A-Lum's, which are highly regarded. They are greaseable; no poly that I'm aware of has a grease fitting.

JamesC

 

Del alums have no twist or bind and are supposed to last around 100k miles. I did mine when I got my Koni's so I can't say for sure how much each mod is accountable for, but the steering feel is fantastic. They're kind of a pain in the *** since you have to take your springs out, so if you do them you might consider lowering the car too if it it's still stock height with little to no sag since spring compressors are teh suck... but I'd suggest that anyone taking the front end apart on a thirdgen buy good struts and del-alums and have them installed while everything's apart. Well worth it since rubber is crap and poly can squeak and doesn't last.

 

You like the Koni struts? I was thinking of getting Bilstein struts.
Why would you want to lower the front end? Like with 1'' or 2'' Eibach springs?

 

What kind of spring? and strut?

 

moog moog

 

Maybe I'm miss understanding your statement but all my poly Founders and UMI suspension parts have grease fittings

 

+1 on MOOG

 

Since the conversation dealt with Del-A-Lums, my comment was directed toward replacement A-arm bushings, not complete after market pieces which, of course, often have options.

JamesC

 

Good thread ...
Looks like del a lum for my stock a arms

 

Yep; Koni's are single adjustable and the ride with uncut WS6 springs is nice- firm and stiff, but not jarring. From what I remember when I was researching, their valving is better suited to controlling a lowered car than the Bilsteins too. Most members tend to prefer the Koni's, but Bilsteins are still really good shocks.

I just suggested lowering because if you want to do it, the time to do it would be when the control arms are off. Lowering springs and the Ground Control weight jack kit are much easier to get into the spring pocket than stock length springs or MOOG's which almost always require a spring compressor. According to some posters on here some of the lowering springs can be installed fairly easily without a compressor- as to which, I have no idea as I've never run any of them. It's all a matter of preference though- lowering drops your center of gravity and gets rid of some of the wheel gap but lowering too far with too soft of a spring will lead to bad suspension geometry and worse handling than with a stock spring. Put simply, you have three options in this department-
1. Stock springs if you like the ride height and ride, but deal with a spring
compressor.
2.Aftermarket lowering springs- too many different drop heights and spring lengths to cover. The Eibach 1" Pro Kit is probably the most popular of these as it is the only one that really comes close to having stiff enough rates to back up the drop for performance. Most 2" springs are generally too soft for handling, but if it's just a cruiser they'll be just fine and ride pretty smooth. If you want to go this route, decide on what drop would look good and what kind of ride you want (smooth vs. good handling) and then search the forum for recommendations from people that have had a variety of springs and which ones are easiest to install.
3. Ground Control Weight Jacks- By far the most expensive, but you can pick any spring rate when you buy them and you can adjust the height to whatever you want from stock to slammed on the bump stops any time you want. Pretty sure these don't require a spring compressor in most cases.

 

OK, so if someone is going to replace the A-arms, how much better are del-a-lum over greasable Poly?

 

Do the Del-A-Lum's slide in or do you need a press to get them to seat right?

 

Longetivity is better and they are stiffer yet than poly. I don't think you can get aftermarket a-arms with del-alums though.

You need a press. I suggest air chiseling the factory bushings out, they are a PITA. For the new ones I know you can do them with either a ball joint press, hydraulic press or big vice and a cheater pipe. They take quite a bit of pressure too and you have to be careful not to bend the a-arm when putting them in.

 

How are Moog Springs better then stock springs?
Keep same spring rate or go up or down?
Keep Stock Spring height OR Lower 1''?


What do you mean by +1?

 

So the Koni's handle good with the del-a-lum bushing ok. Good to know!
Do you know what part # your Koni's are?
Your cars not lowered is it? You said you have uncut WS6 springs, were those stock on the car? I'm really stuck on the springs. I'm not worried about compressing the stock springs. I just want the best performance and feel I can get out of my car. I like the look of having the front end lowered 1'' with aftermarket springs, but don't you loose performance and handling with lowered springs? Do you know what the spring rate is on the stock springs compared say to the 1'' Eibach?

 

+1 means " I agree "

 

It wasn't lowered when I put everything on last summer, and yep the WS6 springs were stock. The stock IROC/ WS6 springs are supposed to be around 550lb up front or something like that if my memory serves me correctly. The Eibach Pro Kit (1" kit) is around 700lb up front and progressive in the rear. It is true that you do lose a little mechanical grip and increase body roll when lowering the car as the suspension geometry gets a little distorted; however, the stiffer spring rates will decrease the body roll though the grip is still slightly less, and the car will benefit from a lower center of gravity. I can't say for sure what would have the bigger effect; the slightly altered suspension geometry's negative side effects, or the stiffer spring rates and the lower center of gravity's positive effects, but I would be willing to bet that either way, it would be hard to notice on the street. A stiffer car would most likely feel better though.

You can have great handling and feel out of both stock height and lowered cars, it really just comes down to preference. I'm not trying to talk you into either, just wanted to throw that out there that if you'd like to lower it it would definitely be easiest to do it while everything's apart.

 

Anyone here have Raybestos Ball joints or tie rods??
I'm leaning on MOOG...

I think the car would sit good being lowered 1'', but it would be a bitch stopping everytime a few feet short going up or down a hill or pulling into a driveway so the front spoiler wouldn't scrape. Its a tough decision on the springs... I might just stick with the stock WS6

 

I have a brand new set of MOOG ball joints, MOOG a-arm bushings for sale. Used this setup for many yrs on many cars and they rode like new, lasted for yrs and handled great. I had poly bushings were out way faster than stock ones already.

 

Many say Del-A-lum's is stiffer than poly.
Do we lose any comfort by replacing poly with Del-A-lum's?
I mainly enjoy cruising, not sports driving.

 

I have the Raybestos ball joints. I have no complaints, they are designed differently from Moog and appear to be a better design.

I bought them from RockAuto for $25.79 each.