bearing material

[coleking]

The time has come to replace the 43 year old bearings on my Formula Ford. The worn ones were just a steel sleeve that fitted over a 3/8" bolt.

What would you use to replace? Steel, brass, sintered bronze, nylon?

[johnhafkenschiel]

Cole: What is the make and model of your car? Or is it a home built?
The formula cars I have owned all have had spherical bearings where ball joints would be on a road car and the formula cars had rod end bearings on the steering tie rods and suspension links (like radius rods).
The only metal sleeves I have seen are spacers (like at the upper and lower ends of the coilover shock absorbers to allow the spherical bearings their correct range of motion.
A 43 year old FFord was manufactured in 1980 so it should have bearings as described above.
Please post a pic if you can. Or a specific description of where the problem is.

[Dave Harmison]

Yes, post a picture. My 1976 Royale RP-21 has nylon top-hats over steel or brass sleeves that a 3/8 rod goes through. The rod has threads on the end to sort of take up slop.

[pooch776]

I think you are referring to "wishbone bushings". Many early formula fords used these including Lotus, Merlyn and Royale. Here is a photo of one as used on a Lotus 51/61.



You may want to try the Royale specialist Alan Cornock (alan.cornock@btinternet.com) in the UK.

If you can't find them, they can be made using a lathe and some Acetal copolymer purchased from McMaster Carr.

Good Luck, Joe

[Jerry Kehoe]

Back in the day my Lotus 51 with a Renault gearbox, wet sump had the sleeve bearings, non adjustable spring lands on the shocks and the reason I would guess is that FF had a maximum price of $3500 complete when the class was first started. Gee, for the old days!

[Dave Harmison]

Googling “nylon top hat bush” first suggestion was McMaster part my Royale uses. Best of luck.

[johnhafkenschiel]

Back in the day my Lotus 51 with a Renault gearbox, wet sump had the sleeve bearings, non adjustable spring lands on the shocks and the reason I would guess is that FF had a maximum price of $3500 complete when the class was first started. Gee, for the old days!

As Jerry says, the original FF rules in England not only had a price cap (1000 pounds Sterling), but also required max 5 1/2" x 13 wheels and 165 x 13 street tires. That was with a stock engine and stock VW gearbox. A race prepped engine and Hewland would bring the price up to (1750).

I wonder if this design has issues when one considers the forces involved with modern treaded tires or slicks.

[Roland V. Johnson]

That was a Renault gearbox, I think with a modified input shaft.

[Jerry Kehoe]

Yup the Renault gearbox was a left hand shift setup on the Lotus 51 and first gear was so low that it could only be used in the paddock. I think you could actually buy a close ratio set for this gearbox but that was in the day when you have no experience and think because the race tires still had tread on them that they were good!