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Tension / Control rod help


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Yeah, that'd be the reason. Those look like polyurethane bushings. Whoda thunk it?

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=87758

 

Thank you for the help. I've edited my initial post. I've glanced through the linked thread and there doesn't seem to be an easy fix for ZX's except that the thread is a few years old. I'll go through the thread in more detail and do some searching now that I know key words but any help in this thread would still be appreciated.

 

Oh, I should mention that my car is lowered 1".

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aren't you looking for bushings ?

Actually I was looking for the rod & I just ordered one from Z Specialties. I decided to go with a set of rubber bushings as well. I'll leave the polyurethane for the rest of the bushings.

 

Now I'll try to find time to go to a junk yard and get a rod for the other side.

 

Thanks everyone.

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You might consider running the G Machine TC kit in the front and the rubber bushing in the rear. Having a less squishy pivot in front really does improve the feel under braking. The kit for the early Z fits the ZX, just mount it on the front of the TC bucket so that it looks kinda backwards from the way it gets installed on the early Z.

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If you are going to use the Poly-Rubber combination, you want the poly bushing on the front and the rubber bushing on the back, regardless of which direction the T/C rod is facing, i.e. rearward as on the S-30 or forward as on the S-130, Z-31, Z-32, PL-510, etc. (front being the furthest forward, towards the front of the car, rear being furthest back or towards the rear of the car). On the early S-30 cars, the T/C rod is in compression for 99% of its life as the wheel is being pushed against it, especially under hard braking. On the S-130, (aka 280-ZX), the T/C rod is in tension so it is always being “pulled” on, especially under hard braking. So placing the poly bushing on the forward side in either instance, the poly bushing is doing its job of limiting wheel movement, limiting caster change etc, yet the rubber bushing on the opposite side is allowing the T/C rod to pivot and articulate while keeping the T/C rod attached the car and not overstressing the T/C rod to failure. The rubber side of the T/C rod will only really be working while braking in reverse. Not really a situation that needs to keep suspension movements to race car standards, rubber is more than adequate in that situation. This Poly-Rubber arrangement is not ideal, but MUCH better from a performance stand point AND safer than the Poly-Poly arrangement. Hiem joints/Spherical rod ends are a far superior suspension pivot on many levels that only adds a little more harshness. For the weekend warrior that just drives at 7 tenths, the Poly-Rubber T/C bushing combo is more than adequate. For the hard core enthusiast and racer, Spherical bearings.

 

Hope that helps,

Paul

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There's lots more discussion here: http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=87758

 

I did what Carrman suggested, but only to the rear bushing:

I drilled six 5/16" holes around the perimeter of the center mounting hole. These should allow the T/C rod to pivot more easily and still offer the advantage of the stiffer bushing when braking and/or cornering.

 

I think its a good compromise for a street car. I have no data to back that up other than my Energy Suspension bushings haven't rotted like the rubber ones do and I haven't broken a T/C rod... yet :-)

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