Polyurethane Rear Trailing Arm Bushing & Rear Wheel Alignment Issue

[felixR]

Hello!

Has anyone had rear alignment issues from using a polyurethane rear trailing arm bushing?

I'll give a bit of background here, after a track day in July (i went off once (half on dirt, half on track and also spun out once).. the car was pulling to the left on the way home. I wanted to get a wheel alignment the next day but didn't have time.
A week later I dropped the car off at my mechanic to have many of my suspension bushings replaced with Energy Suspension Polyurethane goodness and of course this included the rear trailing arm bushing. The car was still pulling to the left.
I managed to book a wheel alignment and the rear is a bit stuffed! The rear passenger side, it's moved all the way to the left but there is still .x mm of toe in, and on the rear driver side, it's all the way to the left but there is still .xmm of toe out! (That's why the car is pulling to the left)
As also noted by Josh from Pro Concept, the polyurethane bushing does not act as a pivot because the bolt just goes through the bushing and it's not held in place as compared to the stock and Mugen bushing.
Also one time when I was driving, I went over a tiny pothole and there was a loud crash sound in the rear left area.

Any ideas anyone?

I just want my car to go straight again lol

[tinkerbell]

you have bent your chassis...

or your rear trailign arm it self,

or the upper control arm,

pics woudlnt even help here,

you need to look at it in person,

what did Josh say when he inspected it? did he say he could see nothing that was bent?

[fatboyz39]

I agree with Tinkerbell. I would say your rear toe adjuster are bent.

[tinkerbell]

[tinkerbell]

As also noted by Josh from Pro Concept, the polyurethane bushing does not act as a pivot because the bolt just goes through the bushing and it's not held in place as compared to the stock and Mugen bushing.

not sure i follow?

[fatboyz39]

Yeah when i read that it doesnt make all alot of sense.

What are your alignment reading now Felix?

[felixR]

what did Josh say when he inspected it? did he say he could see nothing that was bent?

he didn't say anything about things being bent or not.. he did say that the polyurethane bushing for the rear trailing arm is not good for what i am going to try explain below.

not sure i follow?

Yeah when i read that it doesnt make all alot of sense.

Hmm ok with the polyurethane bushing.. it's pretty much solid compared to a mugen one as seen here. The bolt for the polyurethane bushing is not securely held in place from side to side movement on it's own.
So let's say the toe arm was moved all the way to the left or right, the bushing would slide along the bolt in the bushing, whereas the bolt in the stock/mugen one would not slide (well not that much if it does move?) because it is held in with the rubber and therefore is like a pivot to the rear wheel.. so a small move from the toe arms has bigger impact on the wheel being aligned.

does that make more sense?

[felixR]

What are your alignment reading now Felix?

i'll check at home..

[tinkerbell]

he didn't say anything about things being bent or not.. he did say that the polyurethane bushing for the rear trailing arm is not good for what i am going to try explain below.


Hmm ok with the polyurethane bushing.. it's pretty much solid compared to a mugen one as seen here. The bolt for the polyurethane bushing is not securely held in place from side to side movement on it's own.
So let's say the toe arm was moved all the way to the left or right, the bushing would slide along the bolt in the bushing, whereas the bolt in the stock/mugen one would not slide (well not that much if it does move?) because it is held in with the rubber and therefore is like a pivot to the rear wheel.. so a small move from the toe arms has bigger impact on the wheel being aligned.

does that make more sense?

yes, but what has that got to do with your problem???

it pulled left before, then pulled left after?

FYI - i have been running the ES RTA bushes since 2004...

we did have to adjust the two 12x1.25 flange bolts after install to get it to align properly, but once this was done, it is fine...


methinketh you need to find the bit that is bent before you go further...

[felixR]

yes, but what has that got to do with your problem???

it pulled left before, then pulled left after?

FYI - i have been running the ES RTA bushes since 2004...

we did have to adjust the two 12x1.25 flange bolts after install to get it to align properly, but once this was done, it is fine...


methinketh you need to find the bit that is bent before you go further...

exactly what i was thinking! (your first line)

yep yep thanks for the tip dave

[dcintegrar]

some of your suspension arms might have been bent.

As tink said you need to replace the bent suspension arms first.
it would almost be impossible for the human eye to spot any slightly bent parts.

The best way to go about this is to think about which Spin out could have caused it and estimate the angle of impact.

e.g. if you went sideways on ripple strip, you probably only have to replace the lower control arms and trailing arm (if rear).

I had the same issue as well, I went sidesways on a ripplestrip in 2006-07, the left sides neg cambers are only 50% of the right side. I'm still saving money to replace my lower control arms and trailing arms.

Just to give you a bit of an idea, a lower control arm will cost about $500 from honda. Trialing arm another $500. So it's quite a pain. Ask the traders here to see if you can get it cheaper.

Goodluck!

[tinkerbell]

good point, but instead of buyign parts at random,

change parts from a good known car... to see which parts get rid of the problem...

[felixR]

What are your alignment reading now Felix?

this is for the rear of course.. the front is fine. you can see how stuffed the rear toe is!

camber
left: -2°10'
right: -2°11'
toe
left: 0.5mm
right: -0.7mm

thanks for the tips and wishes! i'm giong to need it

[tinkerbell]

so your toe is ruined on BOTH sides!?!?!?

[felixR]

so your toe is ruined on BOTH sides!?!?!?

yep both sides!! >_< >_<