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I don’t think it’s likely radius rod bushings would cause the sound you describe, if those bushings go bad they usually cause a clunk as you accelerate or brake because the suspension will shift back and forth during those instances the most, I haven’t known them to cause rhythmic noises. The noise you describe sounds like a tire issue or possibly something with the exhaust, if you have an aftermarket ‘B’ pipe on the exhaust it’s possible the inner welds came loose causing a vibration/noise as you drive at a steady speed.
If one wanted to replace the radius rod bushings on a 92 Accord EX manual transmission, how hard is that job? I have heard it can be a real pain to get the rod to line back up with the lower control arm afterward. I am replacing my front suspension parts and trying to decide if I can do that on my own. Thanks.
If one wanted to replace the radius rod bushings on a 92 Accord EX manual transmission, how hard is that job? I have heard it can be a real pain to get the rod to line back up with the lower control arm afterward. I am replacing my front suspension parts and trying to decide if I can do that on my own. Thanks.
[quote=”NiCoXis” post=20478]what’s a radius rod bushing?? C:P[/quote]
A radius rod (also called a radius arm or a torque arm) is a suspension link intended to control wheel motion in the longitudinal (fore-aft) direction. The link is connected (with a rubber or solid bushing) on one end to the wheel carrier or axle, on the other to the chassis or unibody of the vehicle. Radius rods are also sometimes used in aircraft with fixed (non retractable) undercarriages.
Radius rods typically are mounted ahead of the wheel. In that position they resist dive under braking forces and wheel hop under acceleration.
Radius rods are customarily made of stamped steel or aluminum for lightness, as they are part of the vehicle’s unsprung weight. Improvements in composite materials technology make possible plastic suspension links, although they are still uncommon.
Other suspension components can be made to act as radius rods under certain conditions. For example, the rear suspension of the original 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado used shock absorbers to connect the rear beam axle to the frame; these shocks controlled longitudinal wheel movement, but their damping action prevented the forces of those movements from being felt by the passengers.
On a vehicle with longitudinal leaf springs, such as a Hotchkiss drive suspension, the springs themselves provide some longitudinal wheel control. One or more torque arms may be added to provide supplementary wheel control, particularly for vehicles with strong torque such as drag racers. On some leaf spring-equipped vehicles, such as 1960s Chrysler Corporation cars, the springs are mounted so that a lesser portion of the spring’s length is forward of the wheels, improving wheel control on acceleration. A side effect of such positioning is that the longer, aft portion of the springs may not be stiff enough to control wheel movement under braking forces, which can lead to pronounced wheel hop in hard stops.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Radius_rod_sway_bar.jpg/220px-Radius_rod_sway_bar.jpg[quote=”NiCoXis” post=20478]what’s a radius rod bushing?? C:P[/quote]
A radius rod (also called a radius arm or a torque arm) is a suspension link intended to control wheel motion in the longitudinal (fore-aft) direction. The link is connected (with a rubber or solid bushing) on one end to the wheel carrier or axle, on the other to the chassis or unibody of the vehicle. Radius rods are also sometimes used in aircraft with fixed (non retractable) undercarriages.
Radius rods typically are mounted ahead of the wheel. In that position they resist dive under braking forces and wheel hop under acceleration.
Radius rods are customarily made of stamped steel or aluminum for lightness, as they are part of the vehicle’s unsprung weight. Improvements in composite materials technology make possible plastic suspension links, although they are still uncommon.
Other suspension components can be made to act as radius rods under certain conditions. For example, the rear suspension of the original 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado used shock absorbers to connect the rear beam axle to the frame; these shocks controlled longitudinal wheel movement, but their damping action prevented the forces of those movements from being felt by the passengers.
On a vehicle with longitudinal leaf springs, such as a Hotchkiss drive suspension, the springs themselves provide some longitudinal wheel control. One or more torque arms may be added to provide supplementary wheel control, particularly for vehicles with strong torque such as drag racers. On some leaf spring-equipped vehicles, such as 1960s Chrysler Corporation cars, the springs are mounted so that a lesser portion of the spring’s length is forward of the wheels, improving wheel control on acceleration. A side effect of such positioning is that the longer, aft portion of the springs may not be stiff enough to control wheel movement under braking forces, which can lead to pronounced wheel hop in hard stops.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Radius_rod_sway_bar.jpg/220px-Radius_rod_sway_bar.jpgI know it’s been a while and nobody has answered, but just in case someone could still use the info, the radius rod bushings on that car are not that hard. I have a 93, so I can tell you how to do it.
– Remove the splash shield (you’ll need it removed to access the front nuts
– Remove the wheels
– Remove the nut(s) at the front first (at the front of the car, where the rod attaches to the crossmember). If you don’t do these first, the rods will spin when you go to take the nuts off.
– Then you can remove the bolts at the lower control arm. A 17mm gear wrench is handy here.
– Once the bolts are removed, slide the radius rod out toward the rear of the car. You might have the turn it sideways to fit between the fork and the stabilizer link. After you have it slid out part way, slide the shim and plate off of the rod so you have clearance to slide the rod the rest of the way out.
– When reinstalling, lube the bushings with silicone paste wherever they contact metal. You should only use silicone, nothing else.
– I’ve found that jacking the suspension up really helps to line up the rod with the control arm when fitting the bolts in.
– Screw in the bolts first, then the nut. It’s also a good idea to jack up the suspension before tightening the nuts at the bushings.
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