I'm not sure if my corded drill will accept a 1/2 drill bit shank. I know it'll take a 3/8" bit. I purchased a 7/8" bit with 1/2" shank as instructed and it fits fine in my battery drill. I have 4 batteries so I'll do what I can, but the 2 bushings I did do already didn't seem to need much reaming at all.

I'll figure something out for the rest of it.

 

Also when the batteries die it gets the bit stuck in the bushing, and can tear it up when you pull out. If you can get your hands on a 1/2" corded drill you will hate life so much less.

 

Removing old rubber bushings?

IMG_20140531_162629_zpsd37c8928.jpg?t=1403246973

I can have a whole miata debushed inside an hour. Cut the flanges off the rubbers and use an impact to suck them into a pipe fitting.

Or, ya know, crush them in a press

Looking at it now, ought to be able to reassemble them this way too...

 

Yep, i bet you could get them in that way.

 

At the risk of sounding retarded:

It appears that the kit already comes with bronze bushings. Is there a binding issue related to the alloy they use?

 

What kit? Most of them come with a mild steel sleeve inside the poly bushing.

 

The Energy Suspension kit on 949 that was linked earlier.

Energy Suspension Bushings Miata

I did some quick searching and wasn't able to see the bushing material listed anywhere. Looks bronze-ish to me, but if they are indeed mild steel then bronze replacements would make sense.

 

You don't actually want a full bronze bushing. That wouldn't work at all, it would crush under torquing. What we do is make a smaller steel sleeve with a thin bronze bushing around it.

 

Theyre just chromate plated. Im betting they are 1008 or similar after pulling them out of aarons car.

Besides the sleeve crushing issue. Poly to bronze coefficient of friction is no better than poly to steel. It doesnt work that way.

 

Since drilled holes in Delrin seem to gradually approach nominal size with more effort, "reaming" the bores with a drill press turned out really well. Each drilling pass made the hole a tiny bit bigger, and I eventually got the fit I wanted where the sleeve had a little less resistance to rotation (when dry) than a tight spherical or ball joint.

 

Digging thse zerk caps. Linky?

 

McMaster-Carr

EDIT: I guess you can't link directly to the product, but the caps are at the bottom of the page. The 1" strap ones fit fine even on the extended zerks.

Pretty much building a McMaster-Car over here.

 

Sweet, I will be getting zerk caps when I do that. McMaster has everything.

Btw, I build adjustable end links using the 3/8-24 hardware and rod ends they have a McMaster. Two years going strong on a solid 1" front bar set full stiff. Cost around $50 to get enough parts to make 4 of them.

 

They dont really have enough articulation though. I did the same thing with the PTFE lined ones years ago when 949 ones seemed like they would be out of stock forever and you can see where the spacers have crashed into the plastic on mine.

 

I did the same thing as X_25, made my own spacers, they have just enough articulation, and i mean just enough, like a degree shy of bind. 4 track seasons, 5k street miles, 0 issues, almost no wear.

I also have some updated info and install tips with a video staring me I have yet to upload, ill try to soon.

 

I've put about 50 miles on the delrin so far and I love it. Ed and I are going to do some back to back tests, delrin vs poly. But the NVH hasn't gotten any worse at all

 

in case if anyone decides to diy rear polys.
I've made them myself for a 90A poly, only the inside diameter of a bushing was made to -0,2mm for little bit push fit for a insert.
Everything so far so good

 

Installed my bronze retro. It's amazing much grip activated

 

I made my own end links years ago. this was after after using crummy racing beat urathane ones then destroying some from Whiteline and Moss. I used the aluminum rod ends from Mcmaster in the 7/16" size. brass tubing from the hardware store got the Id right for the stock 10mm bolts. I used the rod end tapered washers for 10mm rod ends from pegasusautoracing.com for spacers. these things have been bulletproof compared to anything else I've tried. No slop after 8+ years. They are also lighter.

 

I am just using some washers either side of them for mine. No signs of binding or anything from them. 2 years and more than 200 autocross runs and they are holding up fine.