Which part wouldn't you put on a DD? The UCA or the axle-side spherical?
Norm
yes
Which part wouldn't you put on a DD? The UCA or the axle-side spherical?
Norm
Come on CSamsh....you can't answer that honestly. Didn't you have them installed together?
yes I did...so I don't know which is the loud part, hence the vague answer...and failed attempt at humor?
My bad. I get the same thing. I think emoticons might be in our futures...
Couple questionsThe "problem" with bearing on both ends is, you don't have a good way to control the control arm position, to keep the bearing "indexed". When you have bearings that are out of travel, bottoming out, they can be obnoxious.
Personally, I am a fan of a fixed style bushing on one end, and a bearing on the other. Rubber, Delrin, Poly, etc, as it will keep the bearing from making so much racket, AND it helps control contamination.
Lack of proper bearing indexing, is without a doubt the #1 reason for complaints about excessive NVH with bearings.
Couple questions
1) What if you added some sort of spacers to keep the arm itself from rotating far enough to rattle against itself at maximum angular misalignment?
Either something soft that fills up the space(s) completely or something firmer with an intentional gap that still keeps the spherical from running to the limit of its angular travel. Filling up the space on only one side of the ball might be enough.
2) How durable are the Energy Suspension diff-side 3-piece poly bushings?
I see what's going on there, and it looks like an evolutionary step from Maximum Motorsports' 3-piece poly bushing design from the Fox/SN95 days. I suspect that due to the reduced length of the firm stuff this part is really more of a corner-carver kind of solution.
Norm
Seems like a "seals it" bearing for the diff in conjunction with a poly UCA would be a good setup.
Norm, great questions. I hope Neema does not mind.
To answer:
1: I recommend this ALL the time. My recommendation is typically a little different than adding spacers, etc, though.
For a Rod-End like I pictured above, the "Seals It" rod-end boots have proven to be very successful in eliminating the clicking and odd noises from bottoming out the bearing. I recommend these pieces on a daily basis:
http://www.sealsit.com/rodendboots.asp
I only started recommending them after I thoroughly tested them in house. They are a booger to install on our parts with our SS Spacers you see pictured above, but they fit TIGHT and work well. When the rod-end bottoms out, it is cushioned quite well. The material Seals It uses is very impressive. I also like these because it can help soften the noise, if any....AND they help tremendously with contamination.
I have to chuckle a little. That looks like the style that an outfit called Suntech Design came up with some years ago. I'd recommended the Suncoasts to a 4th gen Camaro owner into track days who'd gone to rod-ended LCAs, and he said the same thing about the install job being a bit of a PITA. Seals-it had a different arrangement at the time.For a Rod-End like I pictured above, the "Seals It" rod-end boots have proven to be very successful in eliminating the clicking and odd noises from bottoming out the bearing. I recommend these pieces on a daily basis:
http://www.sealsit.com/rodendboots.asp