Bushings...expensive as hell no longer?

[The Wind Breezes]

After looking around the powerflex site I was totally shocked by the price of bushings. They are really expensive!! So here's a quick plan I came up with that any mechanically-minded individual can use to produce their own sick bushings:

I don't own a lathe, so unless I come across one on Craigslist that fits my budget I'll buy the crappy mini lathe from Harbor Freight and return it in the 90 day window. This is $550, but it's returnable so essentially just worth my time. I shop at harbor freight all the time since there's one right by my office, so no, I don't feel bad about using their generously provided return policy. Some bushings may be larger than what the chuck can hold but that won't be a problem since they all need hollow centers anyway and they can be mounted and turned that way.

Looking around online, polyurethane rod, from www.usplastic.com, is:

$73.23/36" for 1.5" diameter

$109.34/36" for 2" "

$200.57/36" for 3" "

Now, 36" of poly rod makes a LOT OF BUSHINGS!!

So the economics of this seem like a total no brainer especially if I can sell some extras out of the stock I make for myself. Cost of the metal inserts is minimal.

[PrematureApex]

It's absolutely ridiculous what they charge for a hunk of polymer.

While you have to pay for shipping, look at strongflex. Much more reasonable for chunks of poly.

[Ric in RVA]

I have a metal lathe. PM me let's talk.

[The Wind Breezes]

If anyone has dimensions for more or less any bushing, please add them to the thread. First, specify the name and location of the bushing. The relevant dimensions would be, size of fastener going thru the center, diameter of the part that's covered during install, length of the part covered during install (if it has grooves for lube, diameter of the higher part), and diameter and length of any parts that sit exposed when installed. If that sounds confusing I can make a diagram.

With this information anybody who visits the thread can easily turn their own bushings and subvert the disgustingly overpriced, low volume aftermarket.

[dojk]

Is StrongFlex equivalent to Powerflex and Superpro?

[The Wind Breezes]

Looks legit and the price is right, of course you have to buy from Poland and I dunno how much shipping is.

[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by The Wind Breezes

Looks legit and the price is right, of course you have to buy from Poland and I dunno how much shipping is.

I paid roughly $40 or 50 to ship TS and control arm bushings for our X1 and 135. Somewhere around $180.

[The Wind Breezes]

Originally Posted by PrematureApex

I paid roughly $40 or 50 to ship TS and control arm bushings for our X1 and 135. Somewhere around $200 total iirc.

I'm considering their full kit. Anyone used it? How'd you like the bushings you ordered, and how long have they been installed?

[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by The Wind Breezes

I'm considering their full kit. Anyone used it? How'd you like the bushings you ordered, and how long have they been installed?

Just about 2 or 3 weeks. No issues with them. Significant upgrade in steering feel/turn in response, with minimal, of any NVH penalties.

Made a couple posts:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1236485

[iminhell1]

I would say the center bore depends on the steel pin being used.
I would never trust bare plastic to a bolt. It will ware and develop slop, in some cases much faster than you want.


Also, thanks for being that asshole.
I just love it when I go to buy something, open the box and it's fucking used. Now I have to waste more of my valuable time to go back and get a new one. I'm not taking chances on someones used shit. They obviously returned it for a reason that I don't care about. I pay for NEW parts.

[slonik]

i live in russia, and i'm making a lot of different parts on cnc, lathe etc.
in our economical situation (rub to usd/eur currency) it's a lot cheaper, then producing poly bushings in us or europe.
but even after that, i've stop all my tries to produce them.

to make really good stuff needs a lot of money, more than you can imagine

[vtl]

You're crazy if you think you can just buy the lathe and expect it to spout out parts. Requires a LOT of skill, time and tooling to get things done, I own a 7x14" mini lathe myself.

Invested hundreds of dollars worth of tooling and spent a lot of time learning techniques etc using it. Great tool and has helped me a lot when working on cars. Machine has paid for itself. But it is slow to make even simple parts, especially if they have to be accurate.

Whiteline makes most bushings for the car and theyre not that expensive.

e.g subframe bushings:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Whiteline-KD...UAAOSwoudW-B-n

[PrematureApex]

Originally Posted by vtl

You're crazy if you think you can just buy the lathe and expect it to spout out parts. Requires a LOT of skill, time and tooling to get things done, I own a 7x14" mini lathe myself.

Invested hundreds of dollars worth of tooling and spent a lot of time learning techniques etc using it. Great tool and has helped me a lot when working on cars. Machine has paid for itself. But it is slow to make even simple parts, especially if they have to be accurate.

Whiteline makes most bushings for the car and theyre not that expensive.

e.g subframe bushings:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Whiteline-KD...UAAOSwoudW-B-n

While I'm not calling it easy, making something like a one-off subframe or TS bushing on a lathe is hardly very difficult. Might it take a few hours first time around? Sure. Might take a day to make a full subframe setup. I guess it all depends what his time is worth to him.

Cutting poly also isn't going to require a ton of tooling, and isn't tolerance critical.

I used to be an SAE guy living in a machine shop in college. Freshman get all the lathe work. No experience, and they pick it up pretty quickly. Cutting bushings/rod end spacers/etc. within a matter of a couple hours after showing them the ropes and having them learn through trial/error.

But anyway, if he wants to save money, and perhaps even enjoys the DIY/satisfaction of it, I say go for it.

[The Wind Breezes]

Originally Posted by vtl

You're crazy if you think you can just buy the lathe and expect it to spout out parts. Requires a LOT of skill, time and tooling to get things done, I own a 7x14" mini lathe myself.

What can I say, you must be really mechanically disinclined. I expect to have very little trouble turning something as simple as a bushing on a lathe with acceptable tolerances. The parts may not exactly jump out but I expect the actual lathe work to be the easy part. Putting together dimensions beforehand, trial and error fitting if necessary, and taking the car apart to change bushings are the difficult things.

Just popping in since this was updated, otherwise I have no updates for this thread.

[chris82]

Doesn't whiteline make them even cheaper than powerflex? http://www.whiteline.com.au/do_segue...ehicle=2004-ON

$300-400 for all your control arm bushings front and rear. What do you expect to get your cost to after trial/error, and get all the parts perfect for the car?

[The Wind Breezes]

Originally Posted by chris82

Doesn't whiteline make them even cheaper than powerflex? http://www.whiteline.com.au/do_segue...ehicle=2004-ON

$300-400 for all your control arm bushings front and rear. What do you expect to get your cost to after trial/error, and get all the parts perfect for the car?

StrongFlex looks like the way to go for a COMPLETE bushing set, this is more of a side project since it's inevitable I'll eventually add a lathe to my workshop.