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Hi all,
I am under my 1947 Desoto Suburban...long story.
I noticed that my steering isolators are coming apart yet again. This happens every 24 months or so.
Some years back I made a set out of bronze and out of delrin. Both "Cold Flowed" under pressure in a year or two.
The problem with the big cars is the steering in in the 20 to 1 ration neighborhood. When parallel parking a 4000-5000 pound car all the time those isolators get crushed real good.
I have gone through two or three sets from Steele and a NOS set from Frank Mitchel. I have a phone call scheduled with Steele Rubber later today and I am looking into using Urethane rod stock and machining some myself.
The isolators need to take a lot of pressure and then spring back. All the while not degrading over time.
Anyone else having this problem or is it a combination of the 3000 miles a year I put on the car coupled with a LOT of parallel parking here in San Francisco?
I always know when the things are going south as the steering starts to feel a little sloppy on the highway.
James
James, I do not know what you are referring to as "steering isolators". Do you have a verbal description or photo?
1946 to 1948-1/2 steering bushings.
When Don starts using his power steering on the Suburban, I bet within a year these bushing will turn to mush. Steele Rubber is making a special set for me on Monday that has a higher durometer value and is of a more oil resistant material.
We shall see how that works. Can't be worse. Anyone wanting one should call them very early Monday before they pour it!
James
Been there, done that. I gave up on resilient bushings. A few years ago I wound up cobbling together some replacement bushings with PVC pipe fittings within copper or brass couplings.
Now I'll have to add a bushing inspection to my checklist. I'll have to go back and see what I did, and how well it has stood up.
I tried to post a photo, but it was taking too long to load.
Don,
I think you will find that your set up will "cold flow". I machined delrin and bronze bushings. Guess what? After 2 years they cold flowed and I was back to rubber.
The only thing that is not elastic that would take the load would be some forged and hardened steel which is what the rest of it is made of. What we need is something that will survive the oil and can take the pressure and spring back.
Lets hope that the new compound from Steele will work. If not, I will then order urethane stock and machine some from that. If that does not work, then I will machine steel inserts and take them to a local hardening shop that has been around SF Bay for 75 years. Their ovens are the same ones in use since WWII. They have hardened parts for me in the past.
It is instructive that MOPAR dropped that design with the new chassis models in 1949.
James