Blast Racing: Best of Both Worlds

There are so many different manufacturers of control arms available today. Aside from the questionable made in China parts, I think these parts offer a great advantage in both adjustability and handling on a RACECAR.

The problem doesn’t surface until several months after the installation—some don't even notice it at all. It all depends on how often you drive the car, but in my experience, 6-8 months is the lifespan expected out of the rod end—this is true regardless of origin or material. I’ve tried just about everything from metal on metal to metal on teflon, Chinese to Aurora, and everything in between. The more you pay, the better they last, but only by a month or two.

What happens, no matter what the bearing/liner is made out of, it's a simple fact of wear and tear. It's metal on metal contact. It has to wear out sometime. But what about the Teflon lined rod ends? They are probably great in theory, but fact is, the lining is not as strong as steel, and they wear out eventually.

I'll try to post some pics of various rod ends I've cut open.

Here’s my solution to get the best of both worlds. A firm, but not jarring, ride with the adjustability of the aftermarket pieces. I guess the downside would be cost. They are a pain to make.

I used the bushing sleeve from a S14 (I think... the wall was thicker than the S13, anyway.) Then I cut the rod end and ground it down to fit flush with the sleeve, and welded it together.