sealed spherical RTAB.... from a camry?!?

[YoitsTmac]

So excited to hear driver feedback.

[YoitsTmac]

any updates?

[ZHPizza]

So excited to hear driver feedback.

Ok it's going to be really difficult for me to describe and I muddied the results by introducing two variables at once. I replaced the outer control arm rubber bushing (lower) and bearing (upper) with new bearings at the same time as the rtab, so what was originally one spherical bearing and two rubber bushings is now three spherical bearings.

My current thoughts after driving it a couple times: some bumps (think dips in the road, expansion joints in a bridge) are smoother because the suspension is able to move up and down without the restriction of a rubber bushing, while others (think the front edge of a bridge section) hit LOUD through the rear frame. It's maybe 30-40% of the impacts I encounter that are the loud variety, and the sound clangs through the frame like a truck with overload springs. BUT I don't feel the clang any more than normal. Hell, the impact harshness may even be reduced over the OE rubber bushings. I've already noticed that I'm hitting railroad tracks with more speed, so that makes me think that it's handling bumps better.

As of right now, I hate the noise and am considering going back to the OE rubber, BUT I am going to wait until I get my new tires mounted. The current tires are stretched enough that the sidewall has little to no flex, so impacts are much harder than need be. I'm hoping that the wider, taller tires with sidewall flex will absorb some of the impact instead of sending the noise right into the frame.

Tldr the suspension moves like I always wanted it to but 30% of the bumps I encounter are obnoxiously loud with my stiff tires. Also not sure how much of that is due to the bushing>bearing swap in the lower outer position too.

Honestly, anything that you experience with these should be just like any of the other spherical rtab options (Turner, Bimmerworld, etc), so user reviews for those would apply.

[san]

Ok it's going to be really difficult for me to describe and I muddied the results by introducing two variables at once. I replaced the outer control arm rubber bushing (lower) and bearing (upper) with new bearings at the same time as the rtab, so what was originally one spherical bearing and two rubber bushings is now three spherical bearings.

My current thoughts after driving it a couple times: some bumps (think dips in the road, expansion joints in a bridge) are smoother because the suspension is able to move up and down without the restriction of a rubber bushing, while others (think the front edge of a bridge section) hit LOUD through the rear frame. It's maybe 30-40% of the impacts I encounter that are the loud variety, and the sound clangs through the frame like a truck with overload springs. BUT I don't feel the clang any more than normal. Hell, the impact harshness may even be reduced over the OE rubber bushings. I've already noticed that I'm hitting railroad tracks with more speed, so that makes me think that it's handling bumps better.

As of right now, I hate the noise and am considering going back to the OE rubber, BUT I am going to wait until I get my new tires mounted. The current tires are stretched enough that the sidewall has little to no flex, so impacts are much harder than need be. I'm hoping that the wider, taller tires with sidewall flex will absorb some of the impact instead of sending the noise right into the frame.

Tldr the suspension moves like I always wanted it to but 30% of the bumps I encounter are obnoxiously loud with my stiff tires. Also not sure how much of that is due to the bushing>bearing swap in the lower outer position too.

Honestly, anything that you experience with these should be just like any of the other spherical rtab options (Turner, Bimmerworld, etc), so user reviews for those would apply.

Which tool did you use to replace the rear upper and lower control arm bushings?


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[ZHPizza]

Which tool did you use to replace the rear upper and lower control arm bushings?


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I was able to do it with Spenser's Schwaben kit: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben.../024979sch01a/

[san]

I was able to do it with Spenser's Schwaben kit: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben.../024979sch01a/

Thanks! I have a similar tool that I got from HF, wonder if that can do the job just as well.

Now that I think about it, I gave it to a friend over an year ago and haven’t taken it back. Hope he still has it.


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[ZHPizza]

Here's a better summary of the difference these make, written by a guy on m3f:

The good:
Absolutely no wandering from the rear under acceleration (not including total loss of traction)
Throttle inputs have a much more direct effect on what you feel against your butt
The "bad":
You also feel stuff that causes fore and aft movement of the rear wheels (reflectors, pot holes, etc.) with your butt

Full thread here: http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=584111

[holyc0w]

Here's a better summary of the difference these make, written by a guy on m3f:

Full thread here: http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=584111

If the noise was softer or gone would you plan on keeping them?

[ZHPizza]

If the noise was softer or gone would you plan on keeping them?

Yes 2000%. The noise is the only issue I have with them right now. I'm hoping to put about 400 miles on the car this weekend so I can get a better feel, then I'll install the spherical ball joints that I have for the FCABs, then put on the new tires.

These tires have transmitted a lot of nvh since I put them on but right now I like it since they amplify everything as I make changes in the suspension. Some people on m3f didn't notice any increase in nvh with the ball joint rtabs so it may not be noticeable with the right tires.

[san]

Some people on m3f didn't notice any increase in nvh with the ball joint rtabs so it may not be noticeable with the right tires.

It could be because M3s have the rear upper and lower ball joints on the control arms from the factory instead of bushings like you had previously. So maybe the added harshness is from them and not the ball joint rtabs...


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