Rear control arm bushings

[Texas82GP]

Post No. 21 in the following thread is worth reading......
https://www.gbodyforum.com/threads/suspension-upgrade-questions.57853/page-3

 

[Bar50]

My aero coupe has big sway bars, poly bushings on the rear with boxed uppers (yes it can be done) and boxed lowers in the rear, with washers welded to the torque box and upper arms where they tear out. It has a stout roller cam, dart headed 383 and I lean on it, a lot. So far, no hassles. I did add poly body bushings and the GNX bushings while I was doing the swap to poly in the housing and control arms.

All that being said, I have had three grudge Malibu's, all with solid lower rear control arm bushings, and a mixture of upper rear control arms, they all have and do see street duty besides drag races. I could tell, but, it wasn't bone jarring...most of the time the spool was more to deal with.

 

[jiho]

A big sway bar in back helps reduce under steer, but will crush the factory LCA's and tear the cups out (even boxed ones).

What would you call big here? Stock being 7/8", would a Hellwig 1" solid be big? Seems essentially stock to me, but then what do I know. Thanks.

 

[UNGN]

What would you call big here? Stock being 7/8", would a Hellwig 1" solid be big? Seems essentially stock to me, but then what do I know. Thanks.

Big would be an ATR (1 3/8") or a Herb Adams (1 1/2"). I've used both and both will make short work of stock LCA under "normal" driving. The arms get bent out of straight and the bushing cup holes ovalize.

Any stiff bar will eventually distort the arms. Stiffening the arms moves the distortion to the bushings and these can tear them up, which is a big reason for the move to "Pro Touring" style rear bars.

 

[jiho]

Thanks. Another piece of the puzzle. I feel like I'm almost beginning to understand some of the basic issues. 😀