Adjustable Strut Rods

Dirtbuster1 said:
I keep looking, but no one out there seems to have any with rubber bushings. I have asked them to check there vendors to see if they will make any.

I keep everyone updated!
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Like I said, I converted mine to rubber with little to no effort. The strut's ends are too small for the rubber bushings. All you need to do is open up the ends so the rubber bushings are a slight press fit. You will not be able to press them in without ruining them unless you open up the bore on the ends. I'll post some pics of them installed on my smart struts. Mike Dyer told me how to convert them over the phone.
 
SmokinBBC said:
[

Gene, what about a little loctite purple or blue? That should keep the nut from turning.
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I don't recall if I used it or not, only been about 5 years....:waxer::tomato:
I use locktite RED never used anything else...it SAYS permanent, well, that's all BS as we know....
 
stinger12 said:
Dirtbuster1 said:
I keep looking, but no one out there seems to have any with rubber bushings. I have asked them to check there vendors to see if they will make any.

I keep everyone updated!
Click to expand...

Like I said, I converted mine to rubber with little to no effort. The strut's ends are too small for the rubber bushings. All you need to do is open up the ends so the rubber bushings are a slight press fit. You will not be able to press them in without ruining them unless you open up the bore on the ends. I'll post some pics of them installed on my smart struts. Mike Dyer told me how to convert them over the phone.
Click to expand...

I keep putting it off but the front end squeeks like crazy with the urethane, and I"m tempted to take it all outta there this next time and replace with rubber while I have it down again cause the 15 y/old silicone lube has had it, lazy about it.....

but I would presume you take a brake hone to the eye loops and open them pu a tad for the rubber to slip in...maybe put some silicone on it....

or KY??

:banghead::shocking:
 
mrvette said:
stinger12 said:
Dirtbuster1 said:
I keep looking, but no one out there seems to have any with rubber bushings. I have asked them to check there vendors to see if they will make any.

I keep everyone updated!
Click to expand...

Like I said, I converted mine to rubber with little to no effort. The strut's ends are too small for the rubber bushings. All you need to do is open up the ends so the rubber bushings are a slight press fit. You will not be able to press them in without ruining them unless you open up the bore on the ends. I'll post some pics of them installed on my smart struts. Mike Dyer told me how to convert them over the phone.
Click to expand...

I keep putting it off but the front end squeeks like crazy with the urethane, and I"m tempted to take it all outta there this next time and replace with rubber while I have it down again cause the 15 y/old silicone lube has had it, lazy about it.....

but I would presume you take a brake hone to the eye loops and open them pu a tad for the rubber to slip in...maybe put some silicone on it....

or KY??

:banghead::shocking:
Click to expand...


Unfortunately, a brake hone is too weak for this application. I tried it and all it did was make the surface shiny. Bascally, you use a die grinder with a grinding stone on it and go round-and-round in the eyelets to open them up. Now, this will not be a perfect circle anymore if you measure it with a dial caliper. If you have a bridgeport, you can open up the bore so it is a perfectly round circle. I don't own one. I used my grinding stone to open it up until the largest dimension that I measured in the ends was 7-8 thou less than the OD of the rubber bushings. I can't remember what that measurement was...I forget. Not the best tool to use, but like I said, I don't own a bridgeport mill.

The bushings aren't only rubber. There is a metal sleeve that the rubber is incased in. In the middle of this piece of rubber is a serrated metal tube which locks into the bearing support ears.
 
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A round flapper disc will enlarge that hole pretty quickly, just get a really coure one that is oversized and whith the drill spinning, feed it in the hole, then leave the drill running for a while :)
 
Twin_Turbo said:
A round flapper disc will enlarge that hole pretty quickly, just get a really coure one that is oversized and whith the drill spinning, feed it in the hole, then leave the drill running for a while :)
Click to expand...

That will work too. I just didn't have an appropriate sized flapper wheel on hand, so I used the grinding stone.
 
Twin_Turbo said:
A heim end is a spherical end, yes you can use 5/8 heims. For outboard you'll need 5/8 hole & thread, inboard you'll need the same or 1/2" hole 5/8 thread or even smaller depending on what bolt you'll end up using.

A johnny joiny joint is a crossbreed, a poly bushed spherical end (not steel on steel). Too bad they don't make those small johnny joints, they would be dieal for those areas as well.
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Not sure if this is what you meant but these are what I used.
Here is the description.


These chrome moly rod ends have close tolerance and a 3 piece, extreme duty rod end. Heat treated, 4130 Chrome Moly steel body. Hard chrome, heat treated ball to support heavy shock loads. Injection molded Kevlar/teflon liner to seal out dirt and debris. Super strength chrome moly rod ends are available with same size shank and thru hole, as well as mixed size shank and thru hole.
Applications: Steering & Suspension For Racing & High Horsepower Applications. Kevlar/Teflon Race Reduces Slop & Eliminates Binding To Provide Smooth & Precise Movement Of Steering & Suspension. The Ultimate In Strength & Durability.
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DSC03755.jpg


If anyone is interested, here are the part no's for the rear struts. A little over a hundered bucks.

DSC03751.jpg
 
I got the smart struts from VBP and didnt like the way they felt like they were binding when you move them through their travel so I got the heims from speedway and am happy with them now. The heims say they are perfect for suspension so I hope they wont wear too quick :)
 
They fit ok. I had to use spacers. Speedway motors has spacers but my dumb ass forgot to order them with the heims, I drilled out 1 nut for each side of the shock mounts and I think I used washers for the bracket side. I can snap a couple of pics if you want.
 
010752 said:
Old struts worn

Original2.jpg
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:eek: those suckers are spent! I made a set of HD struts with heim joints (same ones posted before from speedway) last summer and still haven't got around to putting them on the car... Are you guys using the stock cam bolt in the bracket or using some small square plates with the hole drilled in the middle?

I'll get some pics when I get around to installing them. Hopefully in the next month.
 
lsejlowe said:
010752 said:
Old struts worn



:eek: those suckers are spent! I made a set of HD struts with heim joints (same ones posted before from speedway) last summer and still haven't got around to putting them on the car... Are you guys using the stock cam bolt in the bracket or using some small square plates with the hole drilled in the middle?

I'll get some pics when I get around to installing them. Hopefully in the next month.
Click to expand...

I have adjustables (not the heim joints). I'm using the plates that came with them.
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Use the square plates and remove the cam bolts. There will be no more worrying about them coming loose.
 
I have the adjustable struts with heim joint ends. I bought them from Tom's Differentials.

I bought some VBP Smart Struts, but never used them. I didn't like them because

(1) the normal up and down motion of the trailing arms tends to loosen up the outboard bushing holders (the lock nut works loose)

(2) I've heard that sometimes the outboard bushing holders; a steel ring, with the bushings inside, that's welded to the screw threaded stud, can fracture due to stress. The steel ring fractures at the weld joint with the stud.

(3) And then there's the VBP differential attach flange with the four bolt holes drilled in it.... the bolt holes are larger then needed. Compare with the stock attach flange and you'll immediately see how much bigger these holes are than stock. This creates the possibility of the flange shifting during the shock of a launch at the drag strip and breaking something. (as explained to me by Kenny at Tom's) Tom's adjustable strut rod assembly uses a modified factory differential attach flange to take advantage of the factory accurate dimensions.

Maybe the smart struts need to go back to school.
 
010752 said:
UpperStrut.jpg
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I took a look at my stock strut bracket and it looks like the cam bolt is only 1/2" diameter. I had heard it was 5/8", so when I made my strut rods I used 5/8" heims and made the hole in the square plates 5/8" to match. But then this picture looks like a stock bracket and 5/8" bolt and from what I recall, the bushings in the stock struts are all the same ID.

Are the slots in the stock strut bracket 5/8" or 1/2"? If they're 1/2" I'll be back to the drawing board.
 
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