Rogue Engineering Front Control Arm Bushings

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by johanness

Looks a similar design as this one: http://store.bimmerworld.com/mason-e...ace-p1117.aspx

Either way... You try it yet?

^those are the Mason Eng bars.
I didn't know that they were still around.

Funny, I don't recall ever seeing a pic on the E85/86

[F360C]

Originally Posted by johanness

Looks a similar design as this one: http://store.bimmerworld.com/mason-e...ace-p1117.aspx

Either way... You try it yet?

According to Rogue's website their bar is produced by Mason Enginneering.

[Shipkiller]

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

+1
I'll be selling my Strong-strut if it fits.

Why would you get rid of your Strong-Strut?

[johanness]

Well that's anti-climactic. It should fit just fine then. Pull down the menu on that link and select MZ4 and you'll see the pic of one installed on our car.

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by Shipkiller

Why would you get rid of your Strong-Strut?

They are a great looking set of bars.
I'm not a fan of the oversized slotted holes on the tower rings.
The holes measure +10.6mm for a stud that's less than 8mm
The slot (13.5mm) just makes it worse to get a decent clamping force.
With the countersunk holes it makes it difficult to use a larger washer.

I have mine off right now.
The washers are all dished & you can see that the hole locations are starting to dish as well.
To me this means that things must be moving.

If I keep the StrgStrut bars I'll figure out a way to mod them.
If there is a better set of bars (functional) out there, I'll may just sell the StrgStrut bars.

[inTgr8r]

[johanness]

Any word?

[BookerM3]

Any update on the Front Control Arm Bushings???

Thanks
Mike

[F360C]

Hey guys sorry I have not been updating this thread. I have been super busy which hasn't left much time for the forum.

Okay so on with the update....

I have a chance to drop my car off at Rogue last friday and leave it with Ben for the day so he could investigate options for front control arm bushings. Basically after speaking with him becaue of the unique design of our FCAB's all existing options are out the window and they will have to custom make something for the front out or cars. Good news is he is down to do this and we discussed some options. I will post more about the options tomorrow.

Now as far as the strut tower brace goes the Mason bar pictured above is their E46 M3 Bar. Ben placed a call to Mason and they informed him they do not make a specific bar for the Z4M. Now when we tried to test fit the E46 M3 bar on my car it did not fit so some further investigation has to take place.

[beta]

Thanks for keeping us updated. Found a long thread on the m3 forum with nothing but praise for the RE FCABs. I'll definitely be purchasing a set if they can get them sorted out.

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by F360C

Hey guys sorry I have not been updating this thread. I have been super busy which hasn't left much time for the forum.

Okay so on with the update....

I have a chance to drop my car off at Rogue last friday and leave it with Ben for the day so he could investigate options for front control arm bushings. Basically after speaking with him becaue of the unique design of our FCAB's all existing options are out the window and they will have to custom make something for the front out or cars. Good news is he is down to do this and we discussed some options. I will post more about the options tomorrow.
.......

Great news!!!
I'm sure there will be solid demand for these.
I'm definitely in.

[Z4-PM]

I'm definitely interested in the RE front bushings....

[BookerM3]

I'm in 100%

[ZStig]

Originally Posted by johanness

Can't wait to see if it fits!

thats what SHE said

Originally Posted by BookerM3

I'm in 100%

thats what HE said

[Finnegan]

Interested, subscribed.

[BTM]

Huh, never looked into it too far but I always thought we had an offset variation of the E46 FCABs

According to VAC motorsports, we use the 66mm (option #1) from the powerflex E46 catalog...does the RE 66mm not fit?

http://store.vacmotorsports.com/powe...ngs-p2432.aspx

[F360C]

Originally Posted by BTM

Huh, never looked into it too far but I always thought we had an offset variation of the E46 FCABs

According to VAC motorsports, we use the 66mm (option #1) from the powerflex E46 catalog...does the RE 66mm not fit?

http://store.vacmotorsports.com/powe...ngs-p2432.aspx

Size wise ours are 66mm but the issue is that our bushings are offset and nobody makes a 66mm offset bushings.





Sooooooo onto my promised news about the bushings. After Ben had my car he realized that modifying the RE FCAB would not work. So Ben came up with 3 ideas so how to tackle this problem and we would like to get some feedback from the group on his ideas.

Idea 1- He could have a bushing cast in the same nature as the stock bushing but in the hardest rubber possible. Downside being the small market for these bushings might make this option not feasible due to the cost to manufacture.

Idea 2- He could make a design that would sandwich a bushings between halves allowing him to get the offset but the downside being that you would have to drill a small hole in the bushing housing for a set screw. He doesn't like this idea because he doesn't not want the customer to have to modify the stock bushing housing. This would possibly be the least expensive option.

Idea 3- This option is the Rogue way of doing things and I love it. I am not totally clear on the exact design but essentially it would be a bushing in a needle bearing. This is my favorite option and Ben's current prefered option. I like how this option would be completely unique.


Thoughts?


In addition I will be having a Rogue/Mason strut brace installed on my car in the near future!

[BTM]

^^get a group buy going, I'll be first to sign up

[inTgr8r]

would love to learn more about #3

[The HACK]

I'm not an expert on mechanical design, but I AM an expert on marketing and market analysis in the automotive industry...

IF I was Ben, I'd make a solid bearing design and screw the urethane bushings, and market/sell it to E46/E46 M3 racers and E85/E86 drivers alike as a race part/upgrade. I really don't see there being enough customers specifically to the MZ4 crowd to justify the research and tooling required to make a specific part. Now, if this is something that he can make and sell to the E46 guys too? There's probably 50 E46 M3s to every MZ4 sold (if not more). There's at least a viable E46 racer's market. If this is something he can make work (an offset FCAB) and market/sell to the E46 crowd, it'll be far more economical and makes far more business sense than trying to cater to a VERY small market.

If this is not something that I can make work/sell to the E46 guys, then I would just machine solid bushings out of aluminum (or machine out of urethane for NHV reasons) with a bearing and be done with it, rather than trying something too fancy. Because, I can almost guarantee that for THIS small a market, he's going to have to charge a lot more than I'm comfortable paying to make his money back (especially since I can probably replace with stock parts indefinitely, or every 2-5 years as the FCABs wear out, for cheaper).

[BookerM3]

I'd be happy with option 2, preferably with some Polyurethane bushing in
the design. (Aluminum, spherical bearing, Delrin transfer too much NVH)

Option 3 sound too complicated, never seen needle bearing in suspension
components other than true race swaybars.

What ever the design I will give it a try.

[MFGJR]

Originally Posted by F360C

Idea 2- He could make a design that would sandwich a bushings between halves allowing him to get the offset but the downside being that you would have to drill a small hole in the bushing housing for a set screw. He doesn't like this idea because he doesn't not want the customer to have to modify the stock bushing housing. This would possibly be the least expensive option.

I'm OK with this option as well. Regarding customers having to modify the stock housing, couldnt they just deliver the bushings already installed in new carriers? That's how I always buy FCABs, not wanting to mess with taking them to a shop with a press. New carriers add what, $50 or so to the cost of the set?

Thanks for working on this!