Non-stock subframe bushings

[sdpatt]

My "mature" SHO is calling out for a new set of subframe bushings. I had replaced them about 125,000 miles ago, but my enthusiastic driving and boat pulling has allowed me to hear the clunking need for a new set. I checked out the SHO suppliers on the 'net and wanted to get some feedback from those owners that have experience with either the Delrin or solid aluminum subframe bushings. I am curious as to the increase in steering and handling accuracy and the increase in noise, vibration and harshness that is transmitted by the firmer bushings.



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Scott

1991, 254K miles, glass hood, police grill, SVO shifter, Catz fogs,
K&N, 73mm MAF, Superchip, PP Y-pipe, Borla cat-back, 190 lph pump
Eibach/Tokico/polyurethane, SHO Shop front & rear strut braces,
16x7.5" Moda R1, 225/55ZR16 Bridgestone RE730, -1 deg camber x 4,
Class II hitch, Silver award at the SHOklahoma Car Show

 

[FordLover]

Originally posted by sdpatt:
My "mature" SHO is calling out for a new set of subframe bushings. I had replaced them about 125,000 miles ago, but my enthusiastic driving and boat pulling has allowed me to hear the clunking need for a new set. I checked out the SHO suppliers on the 'net and wanted to get some feedback from those owners that have experience with either the Delrin or solid aluminum subframe bushings. I am curious as to the increase in steering and handling accuracy and the increase in noise, vibration and harshness that is transmitted by the firmer bushings.

Scott, both of my cars have aluminum subframe bushings. The silver car has SHOnut's bushings and my green car has FPS's style that were already on the car when I bought it. They both look nearly identical, and certainly accomplish the same task. With my shoshop springs and tokico's on the green car, the ride is extreamly rough. I've often joked that I'm afraid of the air bag deploying with the harshness of the ride on some bad roads in the area. My mostly stock '92 reacted very well to the aluminum bushings. I feel slightly more vibration, but I don't feel that the ride quality was diminished by any measurable amount. The inital turn in while cornering was an amazing change. It is my best mod yet to the silver car (mod list is rather short on it however).
-Martin

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AOL IM: FastTaurusSHO and Kyle5324
My girl

92 Silver UDP's, coneless, Alum SFB, SHOnut motor mounts
93 Green MTX, High Rev's Jr, lightened flywheel, grizzly paw TOB, fishtank lights, SHOnut motor mounts, K&N panel, coneless, SHOshop linears, tokicos, alum SFB, 26MM RSB, wigwag headlights, 225/55ZR16 firehawk SZ50's, G-tech [email protected], 0-60 in 6.31
My Webpage

 

[drivinhard]

Scott, stay away from the delrin. Go w/ alum. I run delrin on my 92 and have recently suffered a crack on the upper ring on one of them. Although it should be fine, the alum won't do this. I run alum on my race 89.

You live in TX and have winter/salt free roads (ie good ones) so you won't notice much NVH. IMHO the trade off in steering response and improved shifting is worth the small amount of lost smoothness.

IMHO the most noticable/inexpensive things you can do to a SHO's suspension, would be the 26mm rear bar (if you have a post 91), subframe connectors, and solid subframe bushings.

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White 92
SR71SHO - racer '89

 

[sdpatt]

Thanks for your comments Martin and Mark. I have a '91 with the 26mm rear bar and probably soon to add the aluminum subframe bushings to that list.

Scott

 

[Wildstar]

Go with the Aluminum, Scott. I didn't notice much difference in NVH, but a huge difference in steering feel. In our part of the world, the ride difference is nil.

 

[sdpatt]

Thanks Kerby, I've already been in touch with SHO NUT for the bushings (and some more valve shims). Do you have a better source for the bushings?

Scott

 

[jthomas68]

NOTE TO EVERYONE CONCIDERING DELRIN BUSHINGS:
I`m a CNC Machinist by trade,and i`ve worked with delrin for years.It simply is not a suitable material for bushings like these.It is soft enough that the need to be retorqued,which obviously doesn`t sound good,and they will crack if hit hard.Also,it will weaken with age.I don`t know who even started producing them,but they obviously haven`t had much experience with it.

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Jeremy Thomas
Juiced 91+
SHO Pic Of The Week:

 

[89 Gary]

Originally posted by jthomas68:
NOTE TO EVERYONE CONCIDERING DELRIN BUSHINGS:
I`m a CNC Machinist by trade,and i`ve worked with delrin for years.It simply is not a suitable material for bushings like these.It is soft enough that the need to be retorqued,which obviously doesn`t sound good,and they will crack if hit hard.Also,it will weaken with age.I don`t know who even started producing them,but they obviously haven`t had much experience with it.

Ditto with that as in 93 I put Delrins on my 89 and in two years the rears were shot aka enlarged and I junked them. I use energy susp. greasable and use a teflon "military aircrcraft" based "clear" grease.

 

[sdpatt]

You convinced me. The aluminum bushings are on order through SHO NUT. Thanks.

Scott

 

[DfwSho]

FWIW, there is a group purchase going on for Aluminum SFB's. [email protected]

He's offering natural aluminum bushings for $85 per set or $105 for hard anodized.

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Laurence

94 mtx, 17x7 SVT Thunderbird, 235/45/zr17 Kumho Ecsta Supra 712, Eibachs/Tokicos, '96 brake upgrade, Perf. Plus y-pipe, UDP's, dynomax, Jared Beck reinforced motor mounts, K&N, PIAA 1500XT, Gen3 badge, TX plate "MTX SHO", Alpine CD, "Yamaha" badges
Gtech Pro 0-60mph 6.36, 1/4-mile [email protected]
98 Suzuki GSXR600
1/4-mile 11.66@119mph

 

[luigisho]

Scott and others, I'm in on the al. sfb group buy but my question is, isn't there other bushings that need to be replaced? When I had my sfc's installed I took a good look underneath and the bushings near the wheels (strut?) looked rotted. Does anyone recommend anything other than oem? How about poly other than Delrin (Energy Susp.?)
Oh yeah and what about the rear end? Mine sounds really "clunky".

[This message has been edited by luigisho (edited 01-16-2002).]

 

[luigisho]

Bump.

 

[AutoXSHO]

I went with the Delrin bushings, but that was mainly because when I bought them they were about half the price than the aluminum ones. I don't see any reason to go with the Delrin ones now that the aluminum ones are cheaper or as expensive.

That said, my Delrins are in perfect shape after about 15,000 miles. I check the torque with each oil change and they're fine. I'll have to keep an eye on them in terms of cracking though.

JV