A-arm bushings, which type?

[DKing]

Rare Parts ( rareparts.com ) lists these parts. The Cadillac board really likes the quality of their parts and I plan on using them for the Studebaker and Cadillac

David

[img=left]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_SuHaRG4eFas/SevU9Pcl-jI/AAAAAAAACJs/cRB5QokGtEs/s288/DSC01155.JPG[/img=left]
David King

1964 Studebaker Commander
1958 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham (615)
1966 Pontiac GTO convertible

SDC Member#: A011937K

[okc63avanti]

quote:Originally posted by DKing

Rare Parts ( rareparts.com ) lists these parts. The Cadillac board really likes the quality of their parts and I plan on using them for the Studebaker and Cadillac

David

[img=left]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_SuHaRG4eFas/SevU9Pcl-jI/AAAAAAAACJs/cRB5QokGtEs/s288/DSC01155.JPG[/img=left]
David King

1964 Studebaker Commander
1958 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham (615)
1966 Pontiac GTO convertible

SDC Member#: A011937K

David, I was able to look of the upper and lower control arm busing on the website you mentioned. Can you elaborate on these and why the Cadillac guys like these. Are they a different rubber or polyureathane?

John


63R-2386 under restoration & modification

[DKing]

The folks who have used them say the parts are as good or better that OEM. These are new US made parts out of modern materials and carry a lifetime warranty to the original buyer.

I would bet the rubber is replaced w/urethane. To me, no big deal as they have the part I need and the hardness/softness of the compound will be close to natural rubber. My Brougham is a very weird, rare car that does not use many standard Cadillac parts; so anyone that makes parts for this one is normally the only game in town due to it extremely low production volume.

They offer a toll free phone number so I would recommend them to answer specific questions. Rare Parts tends to be a little pricey, but the make most of everything they sell and volumes are kind of small so that to me is expected.

In their web page they state if the do not have your part, they will make it, so that is pretty cool in my book.

I hope this helps.

David

[img=left]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_SuHaRG4eFas/SevU9Pcl-jI/AAAAAAAACJs/cRB5QokGtEs/s288/DSC01155.JPG[/img=left]
David King

1964 Studebaker Commander
1958 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham (615)
1966 Pontiac GTO convertible

SDC Member#: A011937K

[okc63avanti]

David,

I called Rare Parts Inc. today and asked them about the Upper and Lower control arm bushings they sale for the Avanti. The sales counter looked up the parts nos. for the bushings and said they were in stock but when I asked him for details on type of rubber, material used to make them the data wasn't on file. He transfered my call to the Engineering Dept. and I spoke with a fellow named Ted. After looking on the computer and finding no detail elaborating on the materials the bushings are made of, he put me on hold to pull a physical file folder. He came back on the line and told me the bushings were rubber and were OEM replacement parts made by a company called "Clevite". Clevite is a old name and well know manufactuer of bearings, rings, bushings etc. He said these should be made using their current materials and that they were not NOS stock. I didn't ask how long their current stock had been in inventory. I'm not sure I am willing to pay about double for OEM bushings from Rare Parts Inc. if Studebaker International and other vendors are getting their bushings from Clevite as well, maybe someone who knows one of vendors really well can ask where they get their supply from.

I still think I'll try the rubber bushings based on Jon & Michael Myer's recommendation versus the Delrin. If they only last a few years then I'll make a change to something else at that time. It would sure be nice if we could get someone to make these out of a modern elastomer or polyurethane.



John


63R-2386 under restoration & modification

[Bo Markham]

I ask my supplier and he confirms they are Clevite. I've not had anyone complain about them and I've been selling them since I ran out of NOS stock some years ago. I used to get after market from MOOG and then NAPA, too. I'm pretty sure NAPA still has them listed.