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Thread: Upper A-arm bushings - poly only available now?

  1. #1
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
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    Upper A-arm bushings - poly only available now?

    On DeLorean.com they do not have the upper A-arm bushings listed. DPI shows only a poly bushing, and D-go only shows Poly bushings. Are regular rubber bushings NLA? I'm hesitant to use poly bushings based on the hard ride and maintenance I'm hearing about. Are the poly A-arm bushings no big deal, or does someone still have the rubber type?
    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by 82DMC12 View Post
    On DeLorean.com they do not have the upper A-arm bushings listed. DPI shows only a poly bushing, and D-go only shows Poly bushings. Are regular rubber bushings NLA? I'm hesitant to use poly bushings based on the hard ride and maintenance I'm hearing about. Are the poly A-arm bushings no big deal, or does someone still have the rubber type?
    D go shows they have 28 available in rubber!


    Dave B.

  3. #3
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WHO1DMC View Post
    D go shows they have 28 available in rubber!


    Dave B.
    Yes you are right, not sure how I missed that. Same question though - is it worth the money to switch to poly, or is it going to result in a much rougher ride that I regret? I don't want to pay more for something because it's "performance" but actually is detrimental to a "comfortable but firm and tight ride" if that makes sense.
    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

  4. #4
    President, DeLorean Industries
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    My VIN:    5646,5080, 5880, 10234, 3639, 2518, 10586, 1538

    Our poly upper bushings are proprietary to our bespoke upper A arms. We do not offer poly or rubber joints for factory stamped arms. This does not negatively impact the ride quality but actually assists with stabilizing the front end steering float issue most cars have.We have also since updated our chassis to prevent the fitment of stock upper arms as well.
    www.deloreanindustries.com Every Detail Matters

  5. #5
    Guy with a DeLorean Mark D's Avatar
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    I don't think DMCH ever sold the upper control arm bushings separately and are only available NOS as part of the upper control arm assy 106940. The design of the upper arms makes replacement of the bushings difficult without some type of homebrew spacer arrangement to prevent crushing the arm during reinstallation. From a customer service standpoint the intention when the car was originally designed was to just swap out the whole arm if the bushings needed replacement.

    When I refurbished my car I wanted to powder coat all of my suspension parts so I had to remove the bushings from the upper arms. For replacement bushings I opted to go with poly from DMC Europe (https://www.delorean.eu/catalog/prod...ducts_id=95046) rather than reinstall the old cracked rubber bushings. There doesn't seem to be a huge difference with the poly bushings overall. The upper A arm design doesn't allow for much compliance anyway, so if you're concerned about NVH and ride quality you'll see a greater change to how the car behaves when swapping shocks, LCA supports/bushings, sway bar bushings, etc.

  6. #6
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
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    OK thanks guys. I think I understand better now. Sounds like poly bushings aren't so bad on the A-arms. I would want to get the arms powder-coated at a minimum, if not outright replacing with SS, so I don't think I want to buy an OEM one with the old rubber already inside it.
    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

  7. #7
    Senior Member Chris 16409's Avatar
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    I just went through all this with my car. I'm going with polly bushes from SuperFlex as supplied by DeLorean Go. The new rubber upper arm bushings are supplied by DeLorean Europe. From owners experiences you'll need to hone out the metal collar to fit the suspension bolt. Yeah DMC won't sell you OE upper arm bushes. You'll need to buy new A-arms with the OE bushings.
    Chris Miles

    For Better or Worse I own a DeLorean!
    1983 Grey Manual, VIN #16409, Fresno, California

  8. #8
    Senior Member r00b's Avatar
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    If I were you, I'd get the DPI's upper arms.

    Quote Originally Posted by Chris 16409 View Post
    I just went through all this with my car. I'm going with polly bushes from SuperFlex as supplied by DeLorean Go. The new rubber upper arm bushings are supplied by DeLorean Europe. From owners experiences you'll need to hone out the metal collar to fit the suspension bolt. Yeah DMC won't sell you OE upper arm bushes. You'll need to buy new A-arms with the OE bushings.

  9. #9
    Senior Member vwdmc16's Avatar
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    I've put poly UCA bushings on a few cars now. It does not make anything harsher.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Drive Stainless's Avatar
    Join Date:  Mar 2016

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    NOS upper control arms are cheap at $155. It is not easy to replace the bushings without deforming the metal; it is very thin.


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