Poly/Poly LCA - Bind?
Thanks for any info.
i took them off when i lowered the car since i started going for handling. i'm going poly/rod now. found a set really cheap so i'll see how they work out.
Thanks for any info.
My other complaints about Poly bushes in LCA's are the fact that they:
1. Need frequently need lubrication, otherwise significant stiction (static friction) is easily introduced. This causes excess friction, which then leads to the some of the "squeaks" and eventual wear, but that's not as big as a problem as the next reason.
2. As they age, they experience a phenomena common to almost ALL poly formulas which engineers refer to as creep (really, it exists in almost all common materials, however I'm constraining this comment for Poly vs. rubber). No matter how much you lubricate, they will creep siginificantly more than their rubber counterparts. This is because Poly is more "plastic" where as rubber is more "elastic."
Now, this is the material itself...even though there are poly/rod options for rear LCA's, I'm still one to say that if a poly bushing should be used in an LCA, then that poly bushing should be a "three piece" design similar to a "poly-ball" or a J-Joint (but those designs are more like spherical bearings and not so much like the "two-piece" poly bushing).
Really, for most outside dedicated "track and/or competition", Moog solid rubber bushings are the solution to the crummy stock "fluted" bushings in the rear LCA's. The poly bushing bind in the rear LCA location alone adds excess spring rate to an area that doesn't need anymore than already is present.
Our rear axles work in the same way you see a front axle on a rock crawling truck or buggy because we both use solid axles. The axles are attached at the outboard ends by the LCA's. If you have LCA arms that don't flex, and you have LCA bushings that don't want to flex (in rotation) then the axle can't moves in roll freely from the car and when you hit a one wheel bump, or drop a tire into a dip or hole, instead of the the axle following it and minimizing the pull on the body, the body gets drug around more.
All poly LCA's work great for going straight.... and you can turn with them too, but you have to realize it's like adding more rear bar when cornering, except the bar is a nice linear motion and allows the axle to move more freely than sticky LCA's.
You generally don't see complaints in the traditional sense. What you might get are complaints about the way the car works in the situations above, but most folks don't really know what the difference is without trying a number of LCA's and seeing for themselves. And since most do these arms trying to kill wheelhop, which they can do very well, when that happens they tend to disregard other smaller details, especially if they are unaware of how it works.
I like the poly/rod myself as I find them to be the best combination. Lower noise from only one axle mounted rod-end (easily replaceable). Stonger than two urethane bushings, and no bind at all to effect ride or roll stiffness by stiction.
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
Trending Topics
I think a completely rod-ended (double adjustable) set of LCA's is way too much for street in terms of noise or potential noise, as those have a rod-end bolted right to the body. The poly/rods bolt the rod-end to the axle so any noise you might get is muted and damped by the bushing on the body.
Honestly you get folks with a mix. Everyone has an opinion. I can't stand a car that sounds like a rattle-can, but I also don't mind maybe a little clunk that the radio easier covers at a very sane volume if it gets me better function for a particular use.
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
) before I researched this issue. I purchased the new poly adj. end that can be screwed off, so maybe I can return these to UMI and get the rod end. They were not installed so maybe I can catch a break.Thanks again for the help, and have a good holiday!
) before I researched this issue. I purchased the new poly adj. end that can be screwed off, so maybe I can return these to UMI and get the rod end. They were not installed so maybe I can catch a break.Thanks again for the help, and have a good holiday!

Just my suggestion.
Your plan won't work. Your arms cannot be converted to any of the screw on type ends (be they what you pictured or a rod-end). The ends of your arms are not interchangeable. Here's what you have by your description:

If you want a poly/rod combo, it's going to mean a new set of LCA's like these: http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=96&ModelID=7
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
I just ordered direct from UMI due to the sale they were having. I should have looked into this a little more, a little sooner. They are still new in the box, so I will call UMI after the holidays and see if they can exchange the poly end. I ordered the Adj. LCA you see below, but they have the new poly end instead of the rod end which is shown. I think I can just remove the poly end and replace it with the rod end. I think that screw in poly end is a new product from UMI. Thanks Sam for the input on this!!
Mike Giddings

Last edited by Giddswat; Dec 25, 2008 at 07:33 PM.
I just ordered direct from UMI due to the sale they were having. I should have looked into this a little more, a little sooner. They are still new in the box, so I will call UMI after the holidays and see if they can exchange the poly end. I ordered the Adj. LCA you see below, but they have the new poly end instead of the rod end which is shown. I think I can just remove the poly end and replace it with the rod end. I think that screw in poly end is a new product from UMI. Thanks Sam for the input on this!!
Mike Giddings












