Quote:
Originally Posted by jbrown13
I'm sure a lot of you all would know better than this, but for those that don't let me share my differential bushing experience with you.
I had a shop install differential bushings (along with other mods) in my 2011 SS, and basically left him make the call on which version to install, since he knew I was a drag racer and he is a BMR dealer. He chose to install the "Street" version bushings (68 durometer) on my car while doing a 3.91 gear change. After about thirty (30) 1/4 mile passes and about ten (10) WOT data logs for my tuner, along with about 500 miles of street driving, I noticed the bushings were disintegrating. After removal, all three bushings showed severe wear/abrasion at the 12 o'clock location, almost to the point of the metal sleeve touching the differential mountings lugs. I think that it might have eventually caused the cast aluminum differential mounting lugs to break. I had them replaced with the BMR 95 durometer "Pro" version bushings, and hopefully they will hold up to the rigors of my drag racing hobby. After seeing the 68 durometer bushings after they were removed, I'm wondering if I should have moved up to the Delrin bushings at this time. Time will tell.
I'm sharing this experience for one reason only, that is to hopefully keep someone else from making the same mistake.
Jeff
|
The "street" differential bushings were developed for high performance street use and since they are a little on the softer side they don't like the abuse of drag racing all that much. The "pro" differential bushings should have been what they provided with initially and now that you have them you should be taken care of, they are by far our most popular bushings and are what I recommend 99% of the time because they are stronger and offer more movement control but they transfer very little noise. The "race" delrin differential bushings tend to transmit quite a bit of gear noise so I don't generally recommend them to unless the person is going to be racing the car a bunch and is willing to deal with some added noise.