rusnak

If the weather holds up, I'll be installing the Elephant rubber bushings on my front A-arms this weekend. If I make good progress, then I'll change out my rear spring plates too.

Anyone have any tips or advice? Done this before?

Thanks.

TT Oversteer

I think there was a video of this installation posted by Chuck Moreland over on the Pelican 911 tech forum. You might try a search over there.

rusnak

oh cool, thanks! I was just taking measurements. I think I'm going to use the hydraulic press rather than the clamp thing that he mentions.

I forgot that I have family coming this weekend for grandma's memorial service, so I'm going to have to put if off until next weekend.

Ed Hughes

You'll be one of the first installing these-they're pretty new to the market.

Brads911sc

Hey Ed. Do you have stock bushings on yours? if so, how do they hold up on the track?

oh.. and I finally joined.

Thanks for the advice..

Ed Hughes

No, I've got Elephant polybronze and monoballs all around, probably 5 years now-still the single most noticeable improvement I've ever done to my car.

....and WELCOME!

TT Oversteer

Ed, I'm leaning toward going the polybronze route. It seems the best of both worlds. I haven't considered monoballs because I just assumed they would be too harsh for the street. What are your observations?

rusnak

Elephant PB are definitely the way to go if you do DE or Autocross.

Me, I don't do that. If I go, I usually volunteer to be a courseworker or wrench, or coffee pourer because my car doesn't fit any of the classes and I like it the way it is now.

Do a search of the Pelican website for a discusson on PB. Personally, I feel they were way too harsh on both the PB bushing and on Chuck. He took it in stride though. The part that people struggle with is that you have to glue the bronze part on to the a arm, and then they don't want to pay for an alignment, so they don't take it apart regularly for cleaning and new grease. It is not a maintenance free setup.

Ed Hughes

Going from a 20 year old suspension when I refreshed it, it all felt great when done. I did the monoballs at the same time I did the bushings, so I can't separate each one's effect. But, I will say that it all tightened up well, so that it felt like a new car. I'd say that it feels firm-I wouldn't describe it as harsh. The monoballs probably had the least effect, at least on the street. But, when under exertion on the track, they probably do the most good.

I've also got 22/29 T-bars, and I don't think they're too stiff for the street. Although, I do know when I'm on a crummy road. When I get my new wheels and tires on, I'm going to get my spindles raised, and revalve the shocks for my ride height.

Ed Hughes

I've not seen any negative discussion on the PolyB bushings? That must've been an anomaly. Chuck has had good marks for engineering and innovation for many years. There is a large contingent of happy users of this product. People that say they are too harsh for the street are assuming, not speaking from experience, IMO.

For the record, when I put my front bushings on the year before my rears, no mention was made by Chuck to use a dab of JB Weld. They are supposed to fit tight with proper shimming. I think when I got my rears, it was a suggestion or option. I don't think I'd get too worked up over it.

Next, any bushing replacement will require alignment.

Lastly, there is no disassembly to clean/lube.....I hit the zircs with my grease gun every 6 months.

I went back and looked at my work log-I put the fronts on in late '03, the rears early '05. So, I've got a bit of experience with these goodies.

I'll use my analogy I used to use in describing the results. When I used to go over train tracks near my old house, I didn't think much of it-I slowed down and got the best angle of attack. With the new bushings on in front, it took the tracks and felt like a completely new car-much smoother. I didn't think I had a problem prior to feeling how it felt after re-bushing. I suppose any new bushing would've been an improvement. But, my point is that there was no harshness.

rusnak

that's probably the best description I've seen on the improvement in ride quality.

I used to live out in the country and I took the train tracks flat out. I have coils in the front, and they compress nicely. So I go at full speed, and then stomp on the brakes about 10' in front of the tracks. I let go and hit the gas. It jumps the front of the car over the tracks. I also brake hard, then let off just before turning into driveways. This raises the car quite a bit before the right front tire hits the concrete ramp.

Jay H

This spring, I'll be inserting these rubber bushings from Elephant mentioned in the first post. I'll try to report back on the improvement or change in ride quality on a completely stock 911. I can't justify the expense for new OEM A arms or spring plates when a $500 option that might work well from a good vendor is available.

Elephant Chuck

You may be confusing PolyBronze with some other product (polygraphite maybe?).

Polybronze never needs removal for greasing. The product has built in grease fittings.

Here is a picture that shows the fittings:



There is a video showing rubber bushing installation. You can find it here:

http://elephantracing.com/suspension...erbushings.htm

Jay H, you'll be happy to know our rubber bushing kit is less than half the $500 you want to spend

rusnak

Hi Chuck,

I dunno maybe. I feel that the Poly Bronze product discussions have been covered extensively in Pelican. So much so that maybe there has been too much info put out there and it is hard to cull out all of the extraneous stuff.

In any case, I also feel that rubber bushings are the only logical choice for me. I had been looking for a company to rebuild my a-arms and I came across your rubber A arm bushings! I was VERY HAPPY to find them because I am familiar with your fantastic "Chuck Nut" for the oil thermostat. I really needed that product because I happened to be working the wrench on a buddy's 911 when we were both removing the oil lines.......

Anyway I digress. Any last minute tips before the A arms go under the knife? I have my notes, torch, hand soap, hydraulic press, angle finder all ready to go to work.

Elephant Chuck

For some reason the picture didn't show. Here it is: