I have a laundry list of suspension components awaiting install. But since Kelly hooked me up with some Elastomer bushings for BMR's TCA019 LCA's, i figured i would install these pieces alone isolating the difference and offer my impressions.
Who: 2011 BBP MT GT, stock suspension. OEM Perelli's.
What: 83 Durometer (I believe?) elastomer bushings replacing the provided 95 Durometer polyurethane bushings. Amsoil Polymeric NLGI #2 off-road grease.
When: For the past week.
Where: To and from work, on-ramps and up and down this hill climb at least 4 times:
Why: My build is/will be a mixture parts that I will make compromises to maintain a street-able feel as it is a DD, and parts I won't make compromises for in order to have a decent HPDE machine without major before and after track adjustments. Elastomer does a great job of isolating vibrations, reducing noise all while thwarting deflection compared to rubber bushings. They also require minimal greasing or maintenance.
How: Pressing out the provided 2pc poly bushings, applying a thin coat of Polymeric and installing the elastomer bushings is a breeze. This can be done with a vice or even a C clamp or woodworking squeeze clamps.
A wealth of bushings
Assembled, as said I applied a thin coating of Polymeric all over the bushings. I also loaded up the internal knurling of the bushings with grease before pressings the inserts in based on kelly's recomendation. The knurling holds onto a decent amount of grease.
Install is easy, pre zip-ties:
The bushings weren't the only pre-market pieces I was testing. Despite their looks, these are both impact wrenches. Small powerful tools make jobs like this so much quicker.
My Impressions:
Straight line traction:
My last mustang went from Poly LCA's to all spherical, so these elastomers would run the whole gamut for me when it comes to LCA's. Traction is still not fanominal, as expected with the stock tires, but well improved. It's still in need of a drop and an UCA+mount to completely do away with wheel hop, but there was noticeable "clean-ness" of the traction breakaway when it does occur. It feels like less of a skipping record and more fluid, but not in an overly impressive sense (again, these are LCA's only). 2nd gear rolling into 90+% throttle is more noticeable and better in this fluid sense.
Cornering:
The above hill climb is 1 mile from my house, 2+ miles up with 650ft of elevation and a lot of 2nd gear corners. I go up and down it at least once a week and it's a very seldomly traveled road. I know how much time it takes to get to the top, and how much space my friend's decently set-up HPDE S2000 on autocross tires puts on me going up. The LCA's instill more confidence through and out of an apex. That's the best way I can describe it. They dont make me feel like my tires own the road or anything (especially since they suck), my butt just feels more predictability and my right foot grows more confident. Going up the hill felt more fun, which is a good thing in a jello like stock mustang.
NVH:
So far this has been a review of LCA's in general, nothing ground breaking about that (well I guess the bushings could have just not done their job). I can keep this pretty short and sweet. No noticeable difference from stock. I have GT500 mufflers and pipes welded in place of the resonators, so it could be that, but I tried with the radio off for a few days to hone in on any difference. I got nothing to tell you, which is as positive a review one could hope for I suppose.
I'd be interested in elastomer bushing use in places that historically have a lot more NVH. A differential elastomer bushing to opposite my UTCA033 would be amazing I think
I can update when I have 285/35/19 square on the ground and the rest of the coilovers, watts, sway ect.
Thanks, BMR
Who: 2011 BBP MT GT, stock suspension. OEM Perelli's.
What: 83 Durometer (I believe?) elastomer bushings replacing the provided 95 Durometer polyurethane bushings. Amsoil Polymeric NLGI #2 off-road grease.
When: For the past week.
Where: To and from work, on-ramps and up and down this hill climb at least 4 times:
Why: My build is/will be a mixture parts that I will make compromises to maintain a street-able feel as it is a DD, and parts I won't make compromises for in order to have a decent HPDE machine without major before and after track adjustments. Elastomer does a great job of isolating vibrations, reducing noise all while thwarting deflection compared to rubber bushings. They also require minimal greasing or maintenance.
How: Pressing out the provided 2pc poly bushings, applying a thin coat of Polymeric and installing the elastomer bushings is a breeze. This can be done with a vice or even a C clamp or woodworking squeeze clamps.
A wealth of bushings
Assembled, as said I applied a thin coating of Polymeric all over the bushings. I also loaded up the internal knurling of the bushings with grease before pressings the inserts in based on kelly's recomendation. The knurling holds onto a decent amount of grease.
Install is easy, pre zip-ties:
The bushings weren't the only pre-market pieces I was testing. Despite their looks, these are both impact wrenches. Small powerful tools make jobs like this so much quicker.
My Impressions:
Straight line traction:
My last mustang went from Poly LCA's to all spherical, so these elastomers would run the whole gamut for me when it comes to LCA's. Traction is still not fanominal, as expected with the stock tires, but well improved. It's still in need of a drop and an UCA+mount to completely do away with wheel hop, but there was noticeable "clean-ness" of the traction breakaway when it does occur. It feels like less of a skipping record and more fluid, but not in an overly impressive sense (again, these are LCA's only). 2nd gear rolling into 90+% throttle is more noticeable and better in this fluid sense.
Cornering:
The above hill climb is 1 mile from my house, 2+ miles up with 650ft of elevation and a lot of 2nd gear corners. I go up and down it at least once a week and it's a very seldomly traveled road. I know how much time it takes to get to the top, and how much space my friend's decently set-up HPDE S2000 on autocross tires puts on me going up. The LCA's instill more confidence through and out of an apex. That's the best way I can describe it. They dont make me feel like my tires own the road or anything (especially since they suck), my butt just feels more predictability and my right foot grows more confident. Going up the hill felt more fun, which is a good thing in a jello like stock mustang.
NVH:
So far this has been a review of LCA's in general, nothing ground breaking about that (well I guess the bushings could have just not done their job). I can keep this pretty short and sweet. No noticeable difference from stock. I have GT500 mufflers and pipes welded in place of the resonators, so it could be that, but I tried with the radio off for a few days to hone in on any difference. I got nothing to tell you, which is as positive a review one could hope for I suppose.
I'd be interested in elastomer bushing use in places that historically have a lot more NVH. A differential elastomer bushing to opposite my UTCA033 would be amazing I think
I can update when I have 285/35/19 square on the ground and the rest of the coilovers, watts, sway ect.
Thanks, BMR
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