Teflon Bushings

[duke36]

Upon replacing the drag link, we found mashed teflon bushings inside. The adjustment of the springs appeared to be according to specs but not sure if this is due to normal wear ?

[2manycars]

Make sure your balls are round. If they are worn oval, and have shart edges, they will destroy the teflon when turning sharply. I also grease the balls and teflon.

[Bob Bidonde]

Teflon flows under pressure, so it is not a good material to use in highly loaded ball joints like those in the Model A's steering and suspension.

[redmodelt]

^Right on Bob, that is the information I have been told and others have experienced and is why Tom and I don't use them. Nothing wrong with good round balls and the original steel ones.

[duke36]

Thanks for the input; the ball ends are round with no wear lips, and our suspicion is that the retaining plugs somehow chewed them up over time and with progressive spring compression.

[Synchro909]

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Originally Posted by Bob Bidonde

Teflon flows under pressure, so it is not a good material to use in highly loaded ball joints like those in the Model A's steering and suspension.

And the load on the ball joints is increased dramatically when people treat their Model A like a modern car with power steering. They try to turn the steering while stationary.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

And the load on the ball joints is increased dramatically when people treat their Model A like a modern car with power steering. They try to turn the steering while stationary.

X2
Even modern cars shouldn't be turned without the car moving. All the steering parts feel the torque, even if the driver can't due to power steering. Plus, you are scuffing the tires.

[Smooth_One]

What if there is an answer to this is the proper pre load on the drag link screw?
I kinda just guessed on mine.

[modela mike]

I attended a technical seminar last year put on by Les Andrews and he does not recommend the use of the teflon bushings

[duke36]

Ball plug tightening is supposedly 25% of spring length with normal bushings; i.e., if spring is 1" long, compress approx. 1/4" by measuring plug threads, etc.