Rebel Racing RSR Bushing (Front) A-Arm Install Question

slow&rusty · 03:26 AM

Hey Gang - I installed my RSR \ Rebel Racing bushings on my front A-Arms yesterday, all went smooth. In terms of the swinging motion of the A-Arms once everything is tight \ torqued up, if I tie a 5lb weight around the end of the arm (where the ball joint is located) the arm will freely fall from 12-O'clock to 6-O'Clock. I do have the arm shimmed so that it is co-linear front to back. No matter how many adjustments I made with shims between the bushing and the body of the car, I could not get the arm to fall freely under its own weight. Is this about right? The motion with the 5lb weight tied to the ball joint is very smooth / fluid / linear and absolutely no binding.

I am hoping Flieger and others who have installed these RSR bushings can chime in.

Any advise is greatly appreciated.
Many thanks! - Yasin

wax105 · 06-27-2011, 08:16 AM

Yasin,

Are you using the conical washers to shim the front pick-up points or did you just use spacers?
Before you torque everything up, can the a-arms move freely up & down?

Carl

slow&rusty · 06-27-2011, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wax105

Yasin,

Are you using the conical washers to shim the front pick-up points or did you just use spacers?
Before you torque everything up, can the a-arms move freely up & down?

Carl

Hi Carl - "Yes" I am using the conical washers supplied by Rebel Racing \ Clint, and also "yes" everything moves nice and free before torquing down the bolts.

Regards - Yasin

wax105 · 06-27-2011, 08:50 AM

Then I believe you might need a little more... The belly pans are often not perfect and can cause a problem. When finger tight, if everything moves nicely, I would try adding a flat washer or two against the chassis before the conical washer combo.

Can you offer a picture of the setup?

I found it difficult to get proper alignment when I tried to reuse the tow hook caps at the front so I went without. My car is a full time racecar and they are not needed. If you street the car I suggest you ask Clint for his opinion on this!

slow&rusty · 06-27-2011, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wax105

Then I believe you might need a little more... The belly pans are often not perfect and can cause a problem. When finger tight, if everything moves nicely, I would try adding a flat washer or two against the chassis before the conical washer combo.

Can you offer a picture of the setup?

I found it difficult to get proper alignment when I tried to reuse the tow hook caps at the front so I went without. My car is a full time racecar and they are not needed. If you street the car I suggest you ask Clint for his opinion on this!

Hi Carl - I will definitely call Clint and ask him and post a picture tonight when I get home. Many thanks for your response and assisitance.
Yasin

rtorres · rtorres's Garage

Based on your description, I think you are good to go. When I did my install, I had to play with the shims but I finally got it very close to the ideal free play and probably had no more than five pounds or less needed for the arms to drop. Make sure you take out any fore and aft play before you crank down on the front mount. I didn't and had a clunking noise when braking after reversing. Finally figured out the problem, loosened the bolts, tapped the a arm back toward the rear of the car and re-tightened everything. Everything is great now - love those RSR's.
rt

slow&rusty · 06-27-2011, 11:43 AM

Ok guys, so I called Clint and chatted with him for about 20minutes or so...here is the deal.

1. The spherical washers that is provided sandwhich the RSR bushings and need to be mounted on either side of the bushing between the mounting bolt and the underbelly of the car. I only had the bushing shimmed between the underbelly of the car.

2. Tip on the spherical washer. Half moon convex side against the RSR bushing, the concave side against the car (or bolt head).

2. If re-using the stock cover \ tow hook (which I will be), further shimming of the single bolt (not the two side ears) will be required to ensure eveything is still co-linear.

Bob - My arms were very snug or very precise when they went in, so I did not have any lateral movement (fore and aft), but thanks for the heads-up.

My best - Yasin

Flieger · Flieger's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by rtorres

Based on your description, I think you are good to go. When I did my install, I had to play with the shims but I finally got it very close to the ideal free play and probably had no more than five pounds or less needed for the arms to drop. Make sure you take out any fore and aft play before you crank down on the front mount. I didn't and had a clunking noise when braking after reversing. Finally figured out the problem, loosened the bolts, tapped the a arm back toward the rear of the car and re-tightened everything. Everything is great now - love those RSR's.
rt

Interesting. I get a single clunk when reversing out of the garage. It happens only once per drive that I notice. I always thought it was my relatively sloppy (axially left-right) Weltmeister anti-sway bars. Perhaps that is it.

DRACO A5OG · DRACO A5OG's Garage

Are you or did you hear the "CLUNK" in front or did it appear to come from the rear?

I may need to adjust the "for/aft" on my Rebels.

Trying to visualize any you guys have a pic f the play I should be looking for?

Flieger · Flieger's Garage

Clunk comes from the front for me, but I can't tell if it is the anti-sway bar or the A-arm bushings. I am starting to think the A-arm bushings.

slow&rusty · 06-27-2011, 07:33 PM

Did you guys tighten and torque all your bolts AFTER the car was back on the ground, wheels on and rocking it back and forth to ensure that the new suspension has settled with and on the car's weight? That was a great tip Clint provided to me today.

Pic of RSR Bushing install from tonight.

Regards - Yasin

rtorres · rtorres's Garage

My single clunk after reversing out of my driveway was in the front and after I tweaked it as described above, the problem has never resurfaced.

Big Mack · Big Mack's Garage

My recent installation of RSR bushings also required the spherical washers for "low drag" A-arm movement. To align the tow hook/cover, the forward bolt required a 5/8" spacer between the body and the tow hook/cover, with the rest of the hardware stacked in its original order. Very smooth and silent set up - great stuff.

Walko · Walko's Garage

When is clint going to make a rear bushing to match the fronts??

Michael

Walko · Walko's Garage

When is clint going to make a rear bushing to match the fronts??

Michael

slow&rusty · 06-28-2011, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walko

When is clint going to make a rear bushing to match the fronts??

Michael

He is working on it now..stay tuned!

Flieger · Flieger's Garage

He has already designed it and told the machine shop to make the prototype housing but it is just so hard to find a good shop that will treat Clint's parts with priority. He usually does smaller runs and the prototype will be just one set so they are taking FOREVER to get them back to Clint. I think he might just machine them himself at this rate.

Once he gets the prototype, he can do some testing on his car to confirm they perform in a racing environment.

After that, they can go into production provided the machine shop will make them on a timely basis.

UrQuattro · UrQuattro's Garage

Do you think he'll have em ready by around November? I've been putting off ordering the rear poly-bronze for a long time, but I'm not ready or able to install yet. I keep hoping that he will ferrules out.

Michael

Flieger · Flieger's Garage

It might help if he hears from you personally- that might get him in gear to finish the parts.

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UrQuattro · UrQuattro's Garage

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