Suspension Notice for S/SS by NHRA

[Frank Bialas]

Originally Posted by Tom Nolan

Broken strut rod photo!

Years back I had terrible bump-steer issues, so bad that I would change 3 idler arms a season until I started eliminating rubber. I know first hand what it's like to change lanes when applying the brakes on top end. the strut design is OK for the local streets and highways but not the harsh abuse/travel the front suspension takes in one of these high flying stockers or super stockers. I have bent steel struts, I've also broken an inner tie rod end due to the severe bump-steer and worst of all trying to do an alignment or maintain your settings becomes a joke especially the caster and toe. I swore I would never install rubber again, but learned real quick that the harder urethane or synthetic bushings life span was unpredictable and or shorter. Currently my upper and lower control arms have solid bushings and I was going to have Mike Roth from MR2 bush my Idler arm, it just seems that the more rubber eliminated the better it feels.When one of these bushings pops the wheel does rub the inner fender, when this happens @ 130 mph plus it suddenly becomes an amusement park ride, except you hope it's over real soon, and hopefully you don't make contact with anything or anyone in the other lane.