Racers Edge Control Arms

[944m3]

Do Racer’s Edge control arms introduce NVH? Or do they feel like stock.

[jeyjey]

The front inner factory bushings are swapped for spherical joints, so yes, they're going to introduce NVH.

(The outer joint is also spherical, but that won't be much different to the factory ball joint. And the cushioning of the rear inner is in the caster block, not the control arm.)

[944m3]

I know these things are subjective and difficult to quantify, but from 1 through 10 with 10 being a lot of NVH and 1 being barely noticeable at all, where would it fall.

The rubber is shot in my bushings. Have a new set but removing the old ones are not budging. Making a mess just bending over the edges if that makes sense. So considering just buying new ones and be done with it. But I hate NVH.

[jeyjey]

.... But I hate NVH.

I think you want to stick with stock then.

Take a propane torch and get the bushing rubber good and hot. (Burning is fine too.) Then the centre metal sleeve should push out with a big screwdriver or something. Now you can insert a hacksaw blade through the hole and carefully cut the outside metal race of the bushing. You don't have to cut all the way through -- once you get close it will release enough pressure that you can pound it out.

[944m3]

That’s what I was thinking, sticking to stock.

The center rubber piece basically fell out on its own. It’s the outer metal part that is killing me lol I even have the tool from Elephant.

[jeyjey]

Yeah, I've heard mixed reviews on the tool. I got my bushings from Elephant, but I passed on the tool.

But since you have the tool, try just cutting 1/2 way or 2/3 of the way through the outer wall with a hacksaw and then see if the tool will push them out.

[944m3]

I’ll try the hacksaw. I tried using a dremel but not easy. I think the tool in theory should work well but those things almost seem to be welded to the control arm.

[Latitude48]

Back in 2021 I purchased the Racer's Edge front A-arm spherical joint bushing set (front plus caster). I was concerned about NVH and Karl replied, "My bushings for the front control arm would be fine on the street,.. the largest culprit of transmitting harshness to the chassis are camber plates (which you have already used on the street for 95000 miles) and the solid mounts in the back. So front bushing would have large upside and small downside in my opinion."

I am planning to install these bushings when I swap out the suspension for the Motion Control Suspension I also purchased at that time. To be honest I'm not sure which car they will go on, the S2 or the 951. I'm kinda leaning towards keeping the '89 951 mostly stock-ish as it "may" retain more value that way? However, the S2 already has a modified Koni setup with M030 type double adjustable at the front and Koni 3012 shocks at the rear, so I my leave that lone and update the 951. Karl said the ride quality will be drastically improved with the MCS setup.

[944m3]

That sucked. Another right of passage.