ASK WHITELINE JIM
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS answered by our suspension
expert ‘WHITELINE JIM’
Do
you have a WHITELINE PLUS catalogue?
Click here to download the latest
WHITELINE PLUS - CHASSIS CONTROL catalogue
Where can I buy
WHITELINE PLUS?
For the list of WHITELINE PLUS stockists,
click here
How
can I become a WHITELINE PLUS stockist?
For stockist enquiries, please contact
sales@whiteline.com.au
What are the benefits of fitting WHITELINE PLUS
polyurethane bushes throughout my vehicle?
- Enhance suspension geometry retention
- Provide crisp responsive handling
- Optimise braking capacities
- Reduce suspension serviceability
- Improve tyre performance & tyre wear
- Rectify or optimise wheel alignment settings
- Enhance vehicle cornering stability
- Resistant to ultraviolet, ozone, acid, grease &
water
How do you know when your suspension bushings are
worn out?
- Poor wheel alignment
- Poor steering response
- Tyre wear
- Shuttering under brakes
What is the core difference between WHITELINE
PLUS polyurethane bushings and
rubber suspension bushings? WHITELINE
PLUS
Mechanical fit
Unrestricted rotational movement - free pivoting
bush
Shell bushes - centre sleeve not bonded
Rubber
Compression fit
Restricted rotational movement
Shell bushes - centre sleeve bonded
|
WHITELINE PLUS |
ADVANTAGE |
BENEFIT |
| Progressive |
No compromise |
The ride of rubber at low speed,
chassis control of poly at high speeds |
| Compliance |
Chassis Control |
Positive steering feel and increased
braking capacities
|
| Black |
Neutral Appearance |
Less offensive than primary colours
ie, red, yellow
|
| Translucency |
Modern Appeal |
Differentiation to rubber and other
black poly alternatives |
| Durability |
Longer lasting than rubber |
Reliability, longer servicing life |
What type of grease do you supply with your
WHITELINE PLUS bushing kits?
Grease has been supplied in the kits where
required and must be used to optimise bush
performance and durability. The supplied grease
has been formulated from a reinforced No. 2
lithium complex base and selected additives with
molybdenum disulphide for mechanical stability,
extreme pressure qualities for extended life and
a high melting or drop point of 2300 C minimum.
The grease should only be applied to the bores
and outer flanges of all bushes and components -
it is not recommended to grease the outside
surfaces of bushes and components.
I am fitting the bushings myself and was
wondering if there were any important procedures
that I should be aware of?
To gain optimum performance from WHITELINE PLUS
components take the following precautions when
installing:
- Ensure all suspension parts are free
from rust, scale, paint and previous rubber
deposits.
- Shackle and mounting pins, control arm
and spring eyes and shoulders must show no
major signs of pitting or damage - any
damaged components must be replaced or
repaired to vehicle manufacturer's
tolerances.
- Grease has been supplied in the kits
where required and must be used to optimise
bush performance and durability. The grease
has been formulated from a reinforced No. 2
lithium complex base and selected additives
with molybdenum disulphide for mechanical
stability, extreme pressure qualities for
extended life and a high melting or drop
point of 2300 C minimum. The grease should
only be applied to the bores and outer
flanges of all bushes and components - it is
not recommended to grease the outside
surfaces of bushes and components.
- Tighten mounting bolts with the vehicle
at normal ride height, to minimise risk of
premature bush failure.
What if my vehicle/bushes are not in the
catalogue?
Located in this web site is a regularly
updated & maintained Online Catalogue that
can be checked to see if there is a current
listing for your vehicle. If not our
dedicated technical support team can be
contact 5 days a week on the Technical
Hotline -1300 88 2355 to assist with your
requirements.
Can special bushes be made to order?
Located in this web site is a Bush Type and
Size Register which segments the entire
bushing range into different types, based on
shape, and then sorts on size from smallest
to largest. This is a a great tool for those
having difficulty finding any aftermarket
bushings for their vehicle. To view the
register, click here.
If you would prefer we review your request
please contact our dedicated technical
support team 5 days a week on the Technical
Hotline -1300 88 2355 or
sales@whiteline.com.au If we can
not find anything, we will only be too happy
to discuss about manufacturing to suit your
requirements (minimum qty’s do apply)
CAMBER
 Viewed
from in front of the vehicle, camber describes tilt of
the tyre from vertical. A tyre has negative camber when
its top inclines toward the vehicle. Positive camber
occurs when its top tilts away from the vehicle. Camber
is measured in degrees, and varies by car model and
year. A wheel's camber angle should be adjusted to
maximize a tyre's contact with the road's surface under
given loaded cornering conditions. Because a tyre's
camber changes slightly as its suspension moves during
travel, the static angle at which the camber is set will
depend on driving habits. If a driving style entails
hard cornering, outside tyres (heavily loaded) will need
to have a statically set negative camber. If driving is
on highways where tyres are mainly subjected to lightly
loaded cornering conditions, the static camber setting
should be zero or slightly positive. Camber plays a
large role in determining both the overall handling feel
of a vehicle and how a tyre wears across its treadface.
A tyre wears most at the point(s) where the majority of
the vehicle's load rests. A properly set camber
maximizes a tyre's contact patch, leading to even wear.
Excessive negative or positive camber has an adverse
effect on treadlife by causing premature outer or inner
shoulder wear. Q: Should I try adjusting caster or
camber first to improve handling?
A: Caster, and here's why:
1. Camber doesn't improve turn-in, positive
caster does.
2. Camber is not good for tyre wear.
3. Camber doesn't improve directional stability.
4. Camber adversely effects braking and
acceleration.
CASTER
 To
determine caster, first draw an imaginary line through
the upper and lower ball joints. The angle made by this
line (the steering axis) with another imaginary line
drawn perpendicular to the ground (the centerline) is
the caster. If the angle between the steering axis and
centerline is toward the front of the car, caster is
negative. If toward the rear of the car, caster is
positive. Measured in degrees, caster plays a large role
in determining both steering feel and high-speed
stability. The goal of proper caster alignment is to
achieve optimal balance between low-speed steering
effort and high-speed stability.
An increasingly positive caster enhances high-speed
stability, but increases low-speed steering effort. An
increasingly negative caster decreases low-speed
steering effort and high-speed stability. For cars with
power steering, an increase in low-speed steering effort
increases the rate of wear in the power steering system.
With most suspension designs, there is a trade-off
between caster and camber angles at the extreme limits.
Q: Is there such a thing as too much caster?
A: No, and here's why:
1. Maximize tyre contact patch during roll.
2. Improve turn-in response.
3. Increase directional stability.
4. Maximize tyre contact patch during braking and
acceleration.
5. Improved steering feel and self-center increases
dynamic negative camber (on turn).
TOE
 If
you were able to view the front tyres of a vehicle from
above the car, you would expect them to look exactly
parallel to each other. In fact, they rarely are. The
difference in distance between the front edge of the
tyres and the rear edge is called toe. Toe describes how
close to parallel the two tyres are, and whether they
are toed-in (closer at the front of the tyre) or
toed-out (closer at the rear of the tyre). The goal of
toe is to provide proper tyre wear through various
driving conditions. The amount of toe your suspension is
set to varies by the drive layout of your vehicle,
driving preference, and car's handling characteristics.
On a rear-wheel-driven car, acceleration forces on
the tyre tend t o push the front tyres back slightly in
the wheel well. Static toe-in will result in a zero-toe
situation at speed. For a front-wheel-driven vehicle,
the front wheels will pull themselves forward in the
wheel wells under acceleration. This happens because as
the (driven) front wheels claw for traction, they pull
themselves forward, dragging the rest of the car along.
For this situation, static toe-out will result in a
zero-toe condition at speed. Assuming that the rest of
the suspension is correctly aligned and maintained, and
the tyres properly inflated, toe-in will result in
additional understeer for the car. In a corner the
inside front tyre will turn at less of an angle than the
outside tyre. Additionally, excessive toe-in will result
in premature tyre wear through feathering, and increased
fuel consumption. Conversely, toe-out will result in
additional oversteer for the vehicle. This occurs as the
inside front tyre turns at a greater angle than the
outside tyre. Thus, in a corner, the inside tyre is
trying to turn even more than the heavily-loaded outside
tyre. Excessive toe-out will also result in premature
tyre wear due to feathering, and increased fuel
consumption. |
