Rubber Degreed Radius/Strut Arm Bushing

[azlamm68bronco]

Has anyone bought these angles degreed bushings? If so how is the ride and what do you think about them? A good buy? I am restoring my '68 Bronco and right now it's at paint body and I'm going to get the frame back from them to do some work on like cleaning up and rapaint, and installing new parts, lift kit and bushings that will be easier to install while the frame is off. One more question I am going to replace most off the bushings and saw these rubber ones and I have heard that urethane bushings is sometimes not the best bushings to use compared to regular rubber. If this is correct I was going to get all new body mount bushings, pretty much every bushings will be replaced.
This is my first Bronco rebuild, always been a dream to do and have asked a couple questions on here and want to thank everyone who has given me awesome feedback.

[Efibroncoman]

Re: Rubber Degreed Radius/Strut Arm Bushing

Polyurethane bushings offer similar shock absorbtion to rubber bushings but they last longer and can take more abuse. They will help the ride but not hurt it. I would suggest switching over to poly bushings on everything. Just make sure that your transmission mount and engine mounts are made of the same material.

[Parky]

Re: Rubber Degreed Radius/Strut Arm Bushing

Agree- Poly urethane are best . Are you going to change height or lift rig?'
it will affect caster. Once you are settled on that then have your alignment checked. they can tell you where your caster needs to be. Then you will be able to know what degree bushings to buy

[DirtDonk]

Re: Rubber Degreed Radius/Strut Arm Bushing

Can't say for everyone here, but I've changed bushings to poly on both a Bronco and a full-size truck and never felt the slightest difference in road noise, vibration or harshness in either.
And that includes body mount bushings.

Never heard of rubber degreed bushings (C-bushings) but doesn't mean they're not out there. Just that I've never paid attention I guess.
At the very limits of twist, the rubber has an advantage in "recoverability" over poly. For instance, some of the areas that extreme users go back to rubber are the rear leaf springs and the frame ends of the radius arms. But most other areas benefit from poly, especially for a less-than-extreme rig.

Since your rig is already apart, you can't check your caster first. Since it's a '68 though, just going straight to 7° C-bushings would be my recommendation. About the only reason not to is if you stick to a 2.5" lift or less, and have manual steering still. If you have (or will have) power steering, just go to the 7's and run with it no matter what lift you decide on.
With anything 3.5 or more though, the 7's are a given.

Paul

[ntsqd]

Re: Rubber Degreed Radius/Strut Arm Bushing

I was talking to a guy in the pits at a desert race many years ago and the topic of urethane bushings came up. He told of a Stock Full (size) Ford 2wd that they raced. Someone on the team got them started on urethane radius arm bushings and they couldn't find any that would last one race. Went back to OE rubber and they could get several races out of them.

Since then I've been wary of urethane. In some applications it is good, in others it is bad. In no case have I found it to be the universal answer to all bushing questions.

A friend of mine who owns a 4x4 shop once told me that when urethane squeaks, it's done and needs to be replaced. This it true regardless of if its gone 40 feet or 40 years. He uses the Energy Suspension or Baker Precision silicone grease on all urethane installs. Nothing else is as good or lasts as long.

[welndmn]

Re: Rubber Degreed Radius/Strut Arm Bushing

You're talking about these, right?
http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product...ut_Arm_Bushing

I'm a huge fan. I love poly bushings on everything but the ends of the radius arm, those just see too much movement for poly.

[DirtDonk]

Re: Rubber Degreed Radius/Strut Arm Bushing

... He told of a Stock Full (size) Ford 2wd that they raced. Someone on the team got them started on urethane radius arm bushings and they couldn't find any that would last one race. Went back to OE rubber and they could get several races out of them.

Yeah, those 2wd bushings get a beat-down put on them during racing that's for sure. Perfect example of where rubber is better. Nowadays they would probably just use one of the long-travel joints instead (maybe?) Although, for a street rig with short wheel travel and not likely to see any of the limits of that travel very often, they might be just fine.

Since then I've been wary of urethane. In some applications it is good, in others it is bad. In no case have I found it to be the universal answer to all bushing questions.

Well put, but I wouldn't be overly leery of it either. It's proven itself in many applications over many years. You're right to compare, but don't discount some potential modern changes in chemistry, durometer or design (maybe again?) that might have occurred over the years as well. Or different brands having different characteristics too. I don't know that this is the case, but it seems possible.
C-bushings, body mounts and even leaf spring bushings have proven themselves worthy over the years. And using rubber c-bushings just isn't an option for someone running hard, unless they want to weld side guards on their radius arms to keep the shoulder-less rubber bushings from spitting out.

Paul