Control Arm Spherical bearing Mod

voodoovette

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I am reaching out to find someone who has modified C-3 corvette lower or upper control arms to install spherical bearings. I see Duntov Motors sells the complete sets for a big penny. I would like to do my own and am researching the process. Looking for some input from someone who has hands on experience, your input is appreciated.
 
Do ypu have a link to the spherical bushings? You are talking about front control arms, correct?
 
Yes, bearings for both upper and lower front control arms. I have see some info showing a sleeve welded in the pivot bore of the control arm, then a spherical bearing is installed with a snap ring to retain it. I am looking for info on part source, type or P/N of parts, process to install sleeve and do's and do not.:search:
 
I am reaching out to find someone who has modified C-3 corvette lower or upper control arms to install spherical bearings. I see Duntov Motors sells the complete sets for a big penny. I would like to do my own and am researching the process. Looking for some input from someone who has hands on experience, your input is appreciated.

Look at post 5 of the "Finding the center of a ball joint" thread in this section. I posted a picture that included a Howe Racing spherical bearing (with the snap ring as you describe). The bearings I use were made for Camaro control arms. The outer diameter of the bearing housing is 1.65 inches, and the length is 2.05 in. Each pair also comes with one larger sleeve that the bearing slides into and it's outer diameter is 1.87 in. It would be easy to machine a similar sleeve to adapt the bearing housing to the inner diameter of the C-3 control arm. The bearing uses a 9/16 bolt that is drilled and fitted with a grease zerk so the bearing can be lubricated without taking it apart. Allstar and others sell needle bearings for upper control arms, but I use tubular uppers from Joe's Racing products that have needle bearings and Torrington thrust bearings -- obviously not stock appearing. Hope this helps.

Edit: Howe part number for the Camaro bearings is 22915 (pair-$63.20) and the bolt is 2294 ($12.40 each)

Pappy
 
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Are we talking about ball joints or control arm bushings? This is the picture

Look at post 5 of the "Finding the center of a ball joint" thread in this section

View attachment 1630

I must be missing something. I've never seen spherical joints on control arms (if you are talking about the pivot joint). What is the purpose of spherical joints on a shaft?

Is there a link you can provide to the Duntov part?
 
I am not talking about the ball joint, I am talking about the control arm pivot point that stock uses rubber bushings. Replace the rubber with a spherical bearing. Check out the link and scroll down to the control arms with bearings, P/N RS340.

Duntov
 
I am not talking about the ball joint, I am talking about the control arm pivot point that stock uses rubber bushings. Replace the rubber with a spherical bearing. Check out the link and scroll down to the control arms with bearings, P/N RS340.

Duntov

They must be putting Johnny Joints in there. I still don't know why you would put sperical joints on a single shaft.
 
I am not talking about the ball joint, I am talking about the control arm pivot point that stock uses rubber bushings. Replace the rubber with a spherical bearing. Check out the link and scroll down to the control arms with bearings, P/N RS340.

Duntov

What would that spherical bearing set bring to the table that a set of black urethane bushings like what I still have in the LCA's but the uppers finally went bad after many years, and I just replaced with Moog stock rubber.....I had urethane for some 17 years bought in '95....it's my '72 vert....

:wink:
 
Are we talking about ball joints or control arm bushings? This is the picture

Look at post 5 of the "Finding the center of a ball joint" thread in this section

View attachment 1630

I must be missing something. I've never seen spherical joints on control arms (if you are talking about the pivot joint). What is the purpose of spherical joints on a shaft?

Is there a link you can provide to the Duntov part?

The control arm spherical joint -- for the inboard pivot of the control arm, not the ball joint end -- is pictured in the right-center of the attachment. The spherical joints "on the shaft" as you describe take all of the deflection-compliance out of the control arm pivot for more precise suspension geometry. Not very comfortable for a street car.

Pappy
 
Good question, but I have see other road race cars use spherical bearings such at PAFDT Race Engineering. Anyone who has experience with this type of set up, please chime into our discussion.
pfadtracing.com/c6-corvette/?sort=featured&page=2[/URL]
 
Are we talking about ball joints or control arm bushings? This is the picture

Look at post 5 of the "Finding the center of a ball joint" thread in this section

View attachment 1630

I must be missing something. I've never seen spherical joints on control arms (if you are talking about the pivot joint). What is the purpose of spherical joints on a shaft?

Is there a link you can provide to the Duntov part?

The control arm spherical joint -- for the inboard pivot of the control arm, not the ball joint end -- is pictured in the right-center of the attachment. The spherical joints "on the shaft" as you describe take all of the deflection-compliance out of the control arm pivot for more precise suspension geometry. Not very comfortable for a street car.

Pappy

So you consider that removal of last 5% of bushing flex worth it?? I mean the urethane hardly give at all.....:surrender:
 
MFAIN-Do you have a source where I can purchase the sleeve, bearing and retainers. In the past, I do remember running across a company who sold a selection of different sleeve sizes and bearing combo, but I can not remember the web site.
 
Mrvette- What can I say, I just do not like rubber or urethane bushing or body mounts. I have worked for 28 years with aircraft and I guess it has had a bad influence on me.
 
Good question, but I have see other road race cars use spherical bearings such at PAFDT Race Engineering. Anyone who has experience with this type of set up, please chime into our discussion.
pfadtracing.com/c6-corvette/?sort=featured&page=2[/URL]

For a C5-6 they do not use a single pivot shaft so it may have some merit. For a C3 it's overkill.
 
MFAIN-Do you have a source where I can purchase the sleeve, bearing and retainers. In the past, I do remember running across a company who sold a selection of different sleeve sizes and bearing combo, but I can not remember the web site.

I order direct from Howe Racing and I machine my own sleeves. Howe has some applications for other than the Camaro control arm, but I have not measured them. By the way, Ron Sutton is standing up a new company in California (probably next month) that will sell hard core suspension components, mostly for pro-touring cars and track cars. I would bet he has a handle on most of the best component suppliers.

Pappy
 
Are we talking about ball joints or control arm bushings? This is the picture

Look at post 5 of the "Finding the center of a ball joint" thread in this section

View attachment 1630

I must be missing something. I've never seen spherical joints on control arms (if you are talking about the pivot joint). What is the purpose of spherical joints on a shaft?

Is there a link you can provide to the Duntov part?

The control arm spherical joint -- for the inboard pivot of the control arm, not the ball joint end -- is pictured in the right-center of the attachment. The spherical joints "on the shaft" as you describe take all of the deflection-compliance out of the control arm pivot for more precise suspension geometry. Not very comfortable for a street car.

Pappy

So you consider that removal of last 5% of bushing flex worth it?? I mean the urethane hardly give at all.....:surrender:

Absolutely, for a pure track car with 12.5 in wide front tires. I also have "slugs" that can be changed out to vertically adjust the inboard pivot points to adjust roll center, anti-dive, and/or caster gain -- no single shaft between the fore and aft pivot points. The spherical bearings accomodate those changes quite well.

Pappy
 
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