The Technical Archives

This page was last updated on $Date: 1999/01/07 01:49:46 $.

Front Suspension Bushings

Queries

Richard Wegner

I am getting ready to put the front suspension back on the Healey, and noticed in the latest issue of CHATTER that Hemphill's Healey Haven advertises a nylon/molybdenum disulphide bushing as a replacement for the original rubber and steel bushing. I was wondering if any of you have had any experience with the nylon bushings. Would it make the front suspension stiffer?

John Turney

I have a question about these type of bushings as compared to the rubber/steel ones. With rubber/steel bushings and all rubber bushings as found on the anti-roll bar, the a-arm or anti-roll bar causes the rubber to flex to allow for the rotating motion. Thus, as long as the rubber is good, there is no lubrication nor wear. With the aluminum or brass bushings sometimes used in racing. there is rotation as in a bearing and lubrication is required. My question is: do the nylon/molybdenum disulphide bushings flex like rubber or rotate like bearings? I suspect that the molybdenum disulphide provides lubrication and that the metal parts will eventually wear. Does anyone have an answer?

Response

By Roger Garnett
Roger-Garnett@cornell.edu
"The South Lansing Centre For Wayward Sports Cars"
http://www.wayward.team.net/

Yes, that's the purpose. It improves steering, by getting rid of the movement of the rubber. It will also give you a stiffer ride. A comprimise is to contiuue to use some rubber, like where up & down movements occur, and use the plastics elsewhere.

I'm not as familiar with the big healey layout, but on an MGB, you'd use nylatron or whatever for all but the A-arm bushings, where you'd use MGB V8 rubber/steel.

-Plain nylon is not good - it deforms, and doesn't lubricate. You'll rarely find it used anymore.

-there are several composites around, with improved structure, some with built in lubricants, etc, like the nylon/moly. (the moly is a lubricant) When using solid bushings, they must be lubricated.

Plastic does flex/deform *some* but nowhere as much as rubber (Which is why you use it to begin with), nylatron, delryn, carsan, etc. Delryn is an improved composite, and nylatron may be a brand name for nylon/moly.

You can also get/make bushings for leaf spring eyes, and even the mounting pads. Moss Motors, and others also carry some composite bushings.

Please send comments, additions, and errors for the SOL Healey web pages to Bob Haskell.

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