Delrin is a relatively soft slick plastic material. I made my own
bushing for my Alpine almost 25 years ago. I never really had a chance to
test them out very much as the motor let go shortly after that suspension
rebuild.
It's funny too that even though the suspensions between the Tiger and the
Alpine are identical other than spring rate, that only the Tigers seem to
break the pins. The truth to the breakage I think can be directly related
to modern technology, and the very poor steering geometry the Tiger has when
making turns. Something the Alpine did not suffer from. Certianly the
harder, less forgiving plastic bushings put more of a shock load into the
car through the pins than the stock rubber ones do. No question about it.
Delrin less so than Polyurathane one which are even harder, but more
popular. Now take that shock load, with the unforgiving bushing, and now
add the Tigers scrubbing forces of bad geometry, through modern
technologically superior tires that are far stickiers than those Bias ply
tires the car was designed with, and you have a combination that is beyond
the cabailities of the fulcrum pins physical design can handle, regardless
of material. it is inherant in the design of the pin itself.. It can't be
made thick enough, or large enough and still fit the suspensions... As I
remember reading not so long ago....Haven't most tigers snapped pins while
backing out of their driveway and turning the wheel there by inducing some
slow speed, yet HUGE loads on those pins..??
I recently saw a gentalman here in Edmonds Washington, who built a v-8
Alpine..Was never meant to be a tiger. Still used a modern 5.0, and of
course had to change the steering... he desinged a rack and brackets that
fit under the engine, and retained the Alpines steering geometry, or at
least dam close to it. I saw it lock to lock, and there was no scrubbing..
THIS is what is needed to make them safe.. Just my opinion...
Rich..
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