Coming Soon!- New Sphercial Bushing available from UMI Performance
Hello Everyone,
UMI Performance is now offering a low friction, bind free spherical bushing with 28 degrees of total unrestricted movement. We refer to this bushing as a Roto-Joint which is short for Rotational joint. The Roto-Joint features a 4140 chrome moly ball which is hard chrome plated to prevent wear, the machined ball rides in a delrin race which is grease-able and adjustable. The Roto-Joint works like a spherical rod end with out the noise, harshness and wear. The delrin race absorbs shock and road noise for a quiet and smooth operation on any street or track driven car. The adjustment is designed to tighten the bearing as the race wears, this is not capable with a rod end. As the delrin wears you can tighten the joint using a spanner wrench and apply pressure, the Roto-Joint is also 100% rebuildable although you should never have too. This Roto-Joint uses a unique locking system that eliminates the use of c-clips and allen screws.
Below is just an example of the new bushing. The bushing will be offered in many combination's on almost all our items including adjustable and non-adjustable items. It will also be offered with polyurethane bushings on one end (as shown) or Roto-Joint's on all four corners. The set below fits the 64-72 A-Body, I will some F-Body pictures posted shortly.
With in the next week more pictures, pricing and products will be released. I will post as I have the information.
If you have any questions please ask. Thank you!
Ryan
Also please remember this new busing design is built by UMI Performance, it is not out sourced like many of our competitors do. Everything shown below is designed, machined and assembled right here in our Pennsylvania facility
Way to go UMI-pretty nice craftsmanship. Does the compenent they are going to used in require any machine work or is the about a direct replacement for a certain size bushing? Can they be used in the tubular LCA also or just the boxed? Or is this a total new LCA all together? Oh sorry- reread post and see the offerings.
__________________ 2000 NBM Trans AM-F.A.S.T-MOSER-VENGEANCE-TEXTRALIA-SLP-TSP.
Thanks for the interest everyone and I will be glad to answer any questions. I posted a few answers below-
- This bushing will not work in any UMI control arms or panhard bar already purchased. You would need to purchase new control arms to have these new bushings. However these will be offered in a rod end style and can replace any 3/4" rod ends, left or right hand threads. A full list of items being offered with this will be posted shortly.
- Unfortunately these will not work in any stock items
If perhaps any future plans arise, I think it would be helpful to those like mitchntx, MLS, and others as well as myself who could use a serviceable front "caster" spherical bearing in the stock lower control arm.
Just my .02 cents.
__________________ 1999 Z28 with several mods (Sold)
1985 E30 BMW 323i retrofitted w/ 2.8L M50 (Sold)
2003 Subaru WRX (Sold)
Ultima GTR EV prototype (under construction)
That's a very nice design. I like the rebuild-ability part of it and the "shielding" around the joint which may help to keep alot of the debris out of it. Great design. All the strength without the binding!
One question, what is the function of the two holes in the side of the control arm?
Retail price on a rod end replacement will be $44.99 each and that includes everything. They will be available in right or left hand thread and feature 2" of thread. The first one's to be released will be for rear control arms and panhard bars.. the A-Arms will be coming but it might be a few weeks. We can hook you up though
Quote:
Originally Posted by Major_Lee_Slow
One question, what is the function of the two holes in the side of the control arm?
Those control arms pictured fit a 64-72 A-Body (Chevelle, GTO ect). Many GM vehicles from the 60's, 70's and 80's had the rear sway bar bolt into the control arms using those holes. That is why they are supplied with holes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ItsNotStock
Visually these look awesome, but forgiving my ignorance how do these differ from J&M's "spherical bushings"? Thanks
These are similar to the J&M bushings with a few differences. The J&M bushing uses a polyurethane race while we use delrin, delrin will deflect less but a very minimal difference. Our ends will be adjustable, this means as the delrin wears (which takes a lot of miles) you can tighten them by turning the threaded end in, this tightens the delrin race against the ball making it like brand new. Also our machined ball that rides in the delrin is hard chrome plated to prevent wear, it doesn't look like the J&M one is. Our set-up will also be priced a little less. Just so everyone knows I am by no means running down or criticizing J&M's product... I am simply supplying the customer the differences I can see.
If you have anymore questions please ask. Thank you!
Ryan
That's a very nice design. I like the rebuild-ability part of it and the "shielding" around the joint which may help to keep alot of the debris out of it. Great design. All the strength without the binding!
One question, what is the function of the two holes in the side of the control arm?
also ( not saying UMI take the cheap route) but some compaies put the holes in f-body ones. cuase they are the same control arm that is out of the 80's g-body.
buddy of mine has a g-body and we replaced his control arms. they are the same thing that came on my car stock.
How will a lower control arm setup with spherical joints compare to a poly unit in ride and road noise? I would imagine they are tamer than a full rod end setup. I really like the idea of the articulation but my car is a street car.
I would really like to run a lower control arm like this but don't want the harsh ride of the rod end LCA's. I'm curious if the ride is simular to a poly LCA or in between the poly and rod as far as noise and ride.
I would really like to run a lower control arm like this but don't want the harsh ride of the rod end LCA's. I'm curious if the ride is simular to a poly LCA or in between the poly and rod as far as noise and ride.
I would expect it to sit right about in the middle. While being nicer riding then a rod end it can not be as soft as a poly bushing. Just look at the thinkness of material. Spohn has had something alot like these out for sometime now. I did plan to get them but I think I will go with the UMI's, along with all the other suspension pieces. Hurry up and get them done would'ya.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by JD_AMG
Seriously dog, real men don't even drive with front tires, save some weight everything is in a perfectly flat, strait line in this world.
Stock times 13.48 @104.54 with a 2.07 60'
98 Formula A4, 2.73, LS6 Intake, Lpp LT's, Custom H-Pipe Side Exit TD's, Slp Lid/bellow, Ported TB, Tune, ASP UD, Solid M/M's no new times...yet.
Coming Soon!- New Sphercial Bushing available from UMI Performance 
