Poly strut rods - more junk

MYBAD79

MYBAD79

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sunny Florida
I just posted photos of the poor quality poly body mounts and today I inspected my strut rods... found more garbage that many vendors sell: these are Mid America's strut rods with poly bushings:

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JUNK !!!!

Now I know why my rear wheels are "leaning" - first I suspected the spring was sagging ...

These are 5 years and maybe 5000 miles old, probably not even that many miles.

The threaded sleeves seem to be fine :lol:

I have not decided yet if I want to use these bushing cups and install rubber instead of the poly garbage.... I might just use spherical bearing rod ends....
 
Check out the post about V-Twins car, I posted about these being junk years ago LOL

They are not suitable for those applications where instead of rotation they also deflect sideways and have to twist and turn.
 
Yes, My same rods from VBP lasted a LOT longer...about ten years....

some years ago, I had to replace the poly and so I somehow had a smaller size bushing in stock....I think from a earlier similar chassis....'63+? anyway...I went across the street and cut off some damn tough plastic from a phone/power pole guy wire....yellow junk, hard as hell, and the correct thickness to make up for the small size bushings...giving another wear point....

you know, knock on wood, they still there....have the correct shit in stock expecting to make the switch...but it's hanging in there, so why bother....

:hissyfit::hissyfit::ill: Hey, the Kludge works, leave well enuff alone...it ain't broke YET....

:gurney:
 
Twin_Turbo said:
Check out the post about V-Twins car, I posted about these being junk years ago LOL

They are not suitable for those applications where instead of rotation they also deflect sideways and have to twist and turn.
Click to expand...

Yes and then people wonder why they can't stop the nuts from loosening.
 
One end needs to be a heim joint/rod end period to allow for rotation at one end.
 
I'll have to take it apart and verify the thread size and hole size (on the shock mount end)... Rod ends are available with 5/8" thread and 5/8' hole.

Too bad I want to install upper strut rods as well so I'll need 8 rod ends.

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I seem to recall my rear strut rods are VB&P with poly bushings I put on like a bazillion years ago (ok, maybe 10 years ago) and I don't recall any signs of degrading like that. Must go look....
 
them thar black ones are chinese right? Get some FKs or Auroras w/ teflon wipers and pony up for the seals it seals. The seals it seals dramatically increase the life span of these, the little seals are expensive but they DO WORK!!!

The poly ends Karsten showed are the same as the junk that Ecjlers or Mid America sells, I think it was Ecklers. My buddy had those, the threaded section is welded on, his were welded crooked and they are too large for the early style "fork" on the bearing housings, the early cars have a less deeply machined section where the strut rod goes between.

Best deal would be a type of johnny joint or roto joint. There are several players making them for F bodies like Spohn and Umi, maybe they have one in 5/8ths that are not too wide. You can always use a reducer bushing to get the outboard one to the 1/2" size that the shock/strut rod bolt uses Same for inner one or upgrade to 58 w/ square washers there.
 
Probably Chinese also but I placed the order today: 4x 6154 and 4x 6155 - these have a larger thickness ring or "body" than most other rod ends, they're made from CrMo steel and have a Teflon liner... advertised to be good for 23000lbs.... (static load capacity).... got the seals as well...

cee-6154_w.jpg
 
Those are the ones I have on my rack&pinion. I just inspected them a few days ago. They have held up very well for the past couple of years.
 
MYBAD79 said:
Good to hear :thumbs:

Did you install these seals as well ??
Click to expand...

No :tomato:
I need to order some next time I make an order with someone that has them...
I will say that I had heard about using the seals before (yet I still didnt get them :rolleyes:) So I did check for a gritty feeling, or loose play, and the joints had neither of those symptoms. Felt the same as they did when I installed them December of '08
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Time to revive this thread. My VBP adj poly strut rods are trashed. The poly is crumbling on the drivers outer end. Camber is messed up.

Mybad, did you use reducer bushings on the 5/8 ends? What did you do for spacers? Or maybe misalignment spacers? I found a place that makes the ma spacers that reduce 5/8 hole to 1/2 in different widths. Did you go with the seals? I think I saw rubber boots available somewhere.

How does it ride? I need to do something, just not sure what.
 
I have not installed yet but I bought 8 rod ends for upper and lower strut rods. Now I am considering replacing the stub axles (yokes) and just use the lower rods only, with hardened tips side yokes it should be good for 20 years....

Now I can offer two lower rods with rod ends and seals for sale, I bought the reducer sleeves as well, just not sure if I got these for upper and lower rods. Inboard at the bracket you can simply enlarge the hole and use a 5/8" bolt, outboard a sleeve is needed....for spacers I'd just use stainless washers.
 
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MYBAD79 said:
I have not installed yet but I bought 8 rod ends for upper and lower strut rods. Now I am considering replacing the stub axles (yokes) and just use the lower rods only, with hardened tips side yokes it should be good for 20 years....

Now I can offer two lower rods with rod ends and seals for sale, I bought the reducer sleeves as well, just not sure if I got these for upper and lower rods. Inboard at the bracket you can simply enlarge the hole and use a 5/8" bolt, outboard a sleeve is needed....for spacers I'd just use stainless washers.
Click to expand...

I just measured an old shock mount and it looks to be 5/8ths.
 
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