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Rogue Engineering
Performance FCABs
After much R&D and testing, Rogue
Engineering is proud to introduce its Performance Front Control Arm Bushings (FCAB).
A unique combination of CNC'd 6061-T6 aluminum and high performance urethane, we
can now offer a bushing that is performance oriented enough for the track junkie
yet without significant increases in NVH when used on the street.
You Bad Bushing! You Bad, Bad
Bushing!
Factory bushings are more than adequate
for street driving. However, when the miles start to pile up, the bushings
are meant to be replaced. Common side effects of worn factory FCABs
include, but are not limited to the following:
- Steering wheel shutter when brakes are
applied
- Wheel (and steering wheel) shimmy
- Mysterious and irregular tire wear
- "Overboosted" steering feel (very
light steering)
Replacing factory bushings, with new
factory bushings will return the factory feel. However, we offer something
that gives you MORE.
RE Performance FCABs
With the numerous delrin/urethane/hybrid
replacement bushings in the market, we vowed to make something that was not only
effective, but simple. No clips, no washers, no multiple sleeves, no
"race parts in street cars".
Some of the feature benefits of our Performance
FCABs include:
- Serviceable/rebuildable (replacement of
bushing insert)
- Urethane insert prevents unwanted control
arm deflection while allowing NVH isolation
- Eliminates steering shimmy and wander, especially
with the addition of big brake upgrades
- Unchanged steering geometry
- Direct "connected" feeing with
front end of vehicle
- Easy to install (professional installation
recommended)
STREET bushing insert (BLACK) and TRACK
bushing insert (BLUE)
Rogue Engineering Performance FCAB
installed on E46 M3
During our testing, we found that our
Performance FCABs deflected much less than new OEM bushings.
In our development, we were able
to limit the amount of bushing deflection while also controlling the amount of
NVH being transmitted through the bushing itself by the durometer of the
urethane insert. We discovered that increasing the durometer stiffness (to
nearly the harness of plastic or Delrin), we were able to limit the movement of
the bushing so that it didn't move at all. However, we got too much NVH to
be used in a street driven car. When we reduced the durometer too much, we
had a very comfortable bushing, with stock-like performance. Of course,
with our goals, we were looking for performance one could live with
everyday.
E30/E36 Versions
The E30/E36 version is available in "centered" and
"offset" versions. The offset versions were used on 1995 E36
M3s, and offered slightly more caster in the suspension geometry. Using
offset version bushings in vehicles not designed for them require an alignment.
Feedback from one of our early
installs:
From the initial sight
of the bushings to the steering response input after the install I was
thoroughly impressed. These bushings were installed on my 2003 E46 M3
with roughly 70k miles. [Note, one bushing was actually cracked.]
I was expecting the install to take longer then it actually did, which
was all of 20 minutes, but to my surprise the guys at Rogue couldn't
have made the design any simpler. Immediately I noticed a
"tighter" steering response. The car feels much more
responsive with the slightest effort from the steering wheel. I have
since put 1500 miles on the bushings and have taken the car to a 2 day
HPDE event at VIR and I'm happy to report zero extra NVH. All in all I'm
very happy with the upgrade.
-Peter Chang (aka JeST on M3F) |
Installation Notes
Access to the underside of the
vehicle is required and professional installation is recommended.
The RE Performance FCABs reuse the
factory "lollipops", as the aluminum sleeve of the FCAB is pressed
into place (hydraulic press is required for removal of stock bushing and
installation of RE FCABs).
Non-E46 M3s had both 66mm and 60mm ID housings.
Most standard E46 vehicles produced before 2/01 used 60mm ID housings.
Rogue Engineering FCAB Installation for E46 M3
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