Re: [AMC-List] rubber, urethane, noise -- was Prothane = Strut bushings

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

On Thu, 2 Nov 2006, Swygert, Francis G MSgt 436 CES/CECM wrote:

> John, on the 63-66 big cars I notice it when I hit a pot hole! You'd
> feel something like that even with new stock bushings, but there's a
> very pronounced jar with the urethane strut rod bushing. Feels like

We're of course talking about really subjective, hard to measure
things, but while I think the half urethane/half rubber bushings
I run in the 63 Classic are a *bit* harsher, it's not serious,
and I definitely don't feel it in the floorboards (sic).

The worst feature of the urethane is the infamous groaning, but
after a year or two they mostly shut up except at high curbs etc.

In fact, the 63 Classic rides unbelieveably smoothly, for an
inexpensive car. There's no front sway bar so it... sways,
but this ain't no sports car, I don't mind, it suits the car
just fine.

Don't you, Frank, have rack steering? Could be impulse energy
transmission that way, to the chassis.




Now my 70 Hornet, that's a rough cheap ride. It's 100% new as
stock (OK, 20K mi), stock springs +1" height, KYB shocks, stock
"heavy duty" sized tires (195/70-14) at 30psi, all rubber parts
except the famous John Elle spring tower fix w/urethane's.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the car, but it
doesn't have any of the side-sill insulators or the later
iso-mount rear insulators.

I think it's lighter than the 63 Classic by 200 - 300 lbs. (I
weighed the 63 Classic wagon on an actual scale: 3150 lbs. TSMs
etc talk about ICC-agreed-upon ship weight). Don't know what
the Hornet weighs, but I guess about 3000.

Not sure exactly why the Hornet rides so rough. It handles fine
(as it could ever), has stock sway bar. You just feel and hear
rough roads.

The 72, less-good suspension (new springs all around, but I
repair ball joints etc as they wear rather), rides the same;
good handling, no noises, solid, noisy and rough.

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