Del alum bushings - how freely should they move?

[TheBandit]

I just picked up a pair of used Global West uppers with the delrin-aluminum bushings. I am not able to turn the shaft with my hand when trying to twist the shaft. If I mount the shaft in a vise, the arm's weight isn't enough to make them move, but if I grab the end of the arm I can move them without much force. They seem to move a little more freely than the old polyurethane bushings on my stock arms, but I'm not sure if they should move more freely (like a ball bearing) than what they do. Any input?

I also noticed sometimes the delrin spins in the aluminum but sometimes they spin together around the shaft. Which interface is the slip supposed to occur at?

What should I lubricate these with?

Thanks for any help,

[dontlifttoshift]

I had a set of 4th gen upper control arms with GW delalum bushings in my hand the other day. After a full season of autocross on a competive ESP car they were exactly as you just described. Both in effort to rotate and the fact that some would spin in the shell and others around the inner sleeve. I don't know how they should feel but these felt tighter than I would have expected.

Good, quality chassis grease is all I have ever used on bushings like this. I don't know if there is any magic stuff to put on them.

[exwestracer]

Clint, the bushing should rotate on the inner sleeve. The sleeve should be (just) slightly longer than the bushing material to ensure that the end washers are clamping on the sleeve.

[LS6 Tommy]

They sound about normal to me. I would add that synthetic grease should be used as petroleum greases & many natural oils can have a very negative effect on some types of Delrin. It may swell or even break down...

Tommy

[TheBandit]

Thanks for the help guys! I didn't think I had much to worry about, but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything. I'll ask Global West if they have a recommended lube.

[jpgolf14]

Thanks for the help guys! I didn't think I had much to worry about, but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything. I'll ask Global West if they have a recommended lube.

Actually one of the major advantages of Delrin is that it is self lubricating. No additional lube is required. In fact any extra lube is just going to act as a dirt magnet which will shorten the life of the joint.

[Rick Dorion]

I had a set bought new from GW that behaved exactly as you describe.

[Skip Fix]

My set of front A arm bushing from GWQ some moved easily some were fairly tight to even push the Delrin part out before they were even installed.