Strut rod failure due to polyurethane bushings

I just rebuilt the front suspension on my 66 coupe. I rebuilt the
control arms, upgraded to #620 coils and installed Pro Motorsports
Negative Wedge and Vario Eccentric kits. I plan to finish the rest of
the suspension with the Street Heat kit from Mustangs Plus. Anyways
when I spoke to a rep about the alignments specs I should use, he asked
if I had installed polyurethane strut rod bushings. I said that I had,
and he told me I need to switch my polyurethane strut rod bushings back
to the rubber ones. The reason being that the polyurethane bushings
will not allow the strut rod to pivot in the mounting hole on the frame
like the rubber ones do. This will eventualy snap the strut rod.

Has anyone else heard of this happening?

Also should I install polyurethane bushings in the spring perch? Or
should I go with the rollerized kind? I couldn't find a suppler with
just the polyurethane bushings in stock, so I reused the current rubber
perches because they looked to be pretty good.

Evan
66 coupe w/ 91 5.0, t-5, 9" rear

Generally, Mustangs Plus knows what they're talking about... that
said... anyone can be in error. So. Did the bushings come with a
particular kit (i.e. Vario-centric or negative wedge)? If so, I would
take a shot and contact pro-motorsports direct and ask them.

Pro-Motorsports Engineering
9479 S. Sandy Parkway
Sandy, Utah 84070
Phone: (801)563-1111
Fax: (801)563-1110
www.pro-motorsports.com

By the way, have you purchased the Bump Steer kit yet? According to
the instructions, if you are running radials, you may not need the kit
as the radial tires seem to be much more tolerant of bump steer and
may make it unnoticeable.


On 2 Jun 2005 21:40:04 -0700, "Evan" > wrote:

> I just rebuilt the front suspension on my 66 coupe. I rebuilt the
>control arms, upgraded to #620 coils and installed Pro Motorsports
>Negative Wedge and Vario Eccentric kits. I plan to finish the rest of
>the suspension with the Street Heat kit from Mustangs Plus. Anyways
>when I spoke to a rep about the alignments specs I should use, he asked
>if I had installed polyurethane strut rod bushings. I said that I had,
>and he told me I need to switch my polyurethane strut rod bushings back
>to the rubber ones. The reason being that the polyurethane bushings
>will not allow the strut rod to pivot in the mounting hole on the frame
>like the rubber ones do. This will eventualy snap the strut rod.
>
>Has anyone else heard of this happening?
>
>Also should I install polyurethane bushings in the spring perch? Or
>should I go with the rollerized kind? I couldn't find a suppler with
>just the polyurethane bushings in stock, so I reused the current rubber
>perches because they looked to be pretty good.
>
>Evan
>66 coupe w/ 91 5.0, t-5, 9" rear

Hey! Spikey Likes IT!
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior
Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8"
w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16

No the bushings did not come with any kit, I purchased them seperately.
No I have not purchased the Bump Steer kit. Pro Motorsports is about 10
minutes from my house and I have been there a few times.

well, scratch that idea.... : ) What did P-M have to say?

By the way, can ya get me a discount? LOL : ) Just need the
Vario-centric kit....

On 3 Jun 2005 10:31:00 -0700, "Evan" > wrote:

>No the bushings did not come with any kit, I purchased them seperately.
>No I have not purchased the Bump Steer kit. Pro Motorsports is about 10
>minutes from my house and I have been there a few times.

Hey! Spikey Likes IT!
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior
Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8"
w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16

Evan wrote:
> I just rebuilt the front suspension on my 66 coupe. I rebuilt the
> control arms, upgraded to #620 coils and installed Pro Motorsports
> Negative Wedge and Vario Eccentric kits. I plan to finish the rest of
> the suspension with the Street Heat kit from Mustangs Plus. Anyways
> when I spoke to a rep about the alignments specs I should use, he asked
> if I had installed polyurethane strut rod bushings. I said that I had,
> and he told me I need to switch my polyurethane strut rod bushings back
> to the rubber ones. The reason being that the polyurethane bushings
> will not allow the strut rod to pivot in the mounting hole on the frame
> like the rubber ones do. This will eventualy snap the strut rod.
>
> Has anyone else heard of this happening?
>
> Also should I install polyurethane bushings in the spring perch? Or
> should I go with the rollerized kind? I couldn't find a suppler with
> just the polyurethane bushings in stock, so I reused the current rubber
> perches because they looked to be pretty good.
>
> Evan
> 66 coupe w/ 91 5.0, t-5, 9" rear
>
I've had poly bushings on mine for a few years without any problems. I also
applied a little Mobile 1 synthetic wheel bearing grease during install, too.

--
..boB
1997 HD FXDWG - Turbocharged!
2001 Dodge Dakota QC 5.9/4x4/3.92
1966 Mustang Coupe - Daily Driver
1966 FFR Cobra - Ongoing project

I also applied grease when I insatalled the bushings, any where the
bushing touched metal I greased.

I can talk to them and see if there is a discount for in store pickup.
I ordered all my stuff from Mustang Depot. There price on the
VARIO-CENTRIC kit is a couple bucks cheaper then Pro Motorsports
interent price.

Just kidding about the discount... : )

My stuff was bought through Mustangs Plus, but where possible, I buy
outside the state and avoid the 7.75% tax. I have to pay S&H anyway,
and with some outfits, the further the distance the less i have to
pay.

On 4 Jun 2005 12:16:26 -0700, "Evan" > wrote:

>I also applied grease when I insatalled the bushings, any where the
>bushing touched metal I greased.
>
>I can talk to them and see if there is a discount for in store pickup.
>I ordered all my stuff from Mustang Depot. There price on the
>VARIO-CENTRIC kit is a couple bucks cheaper then Pro Motorsports
>interent price.

Hey! Spikey Likes IT!
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior
Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8"
w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16