Control Arm Spherical bearing Mod

[mrvette]

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

:smash::smash::smash::smash: Gotta LOVE it, best of luck....lettuce know your results.....rather interesting....

 

[redvetracr]

contact John Bulba at American race components...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/americanracecomponents/sets/72157625653921452/

 

[voodoovette]

redvetracr-Thanks for the tip, I will give them a call.:thankyou:

 

[Grampy]

custom solid bushings

Hi,

I run custom built solid bushings on the street. They are not ball rod ends but don't have to be as they ride on straight cross shafts. The upper and lower cross shafts are custom 17-4 PH pieces that look like the stock forgings but that have a bigger diameter for the bushing to ride on. The bushings are press fit in the stock arms are 416 (I think - it's been a while) The bushings have Teflon composite bearings press in. The assembly is also fitted with Teflon thrust bearings. I have 850 #/in front springs so I don't have a smooth ride but I've had it for decades so I don't know any better.

Grampy