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CVO Social => Other Topics => Topic started by: Twolanerider on December 11, 2009, 02:07:41 PM

Title: StaBo Bushings -- Delrin -- Finally Remembered Where I'd Heard That Before
Post by: Twolanerider on December 11, 2009, 02:07:41 PM
Ever since we had a little group interest in the StaBo bushings several years that material name had been bugging me.  Delrin.  It's what the bushings were reported to be made of.  Advertised as a super hard material good for what ails you.

Knew I'd heard of that being used somewhere before.  For a long time it's been bugging me.  Didn't find a lot of other aerospace, science or other industry uses.  Nothing that triggered what I was trying to remember though. 

Then, finally, it hit me.  It's what the hubs that the wheels slide over on Hot Wheels were made of!  Not sure now if that makes me feel more or less secure avout having it as a vital suspension link on the Road Glide.  But, hey, the bike should be faster than hell on any orange plastic track I found now!
Title: Re: StaBo Bushings -- Delrin -- Finally Remembered Where I'd Heard That Before
Post by: Trapperdog on December 11, 2009, 02:44:48 PM
As always, you are a plethora of information  :)
Title: Re: StaBo Bushings -- Delrin -- Finally Remembered Where I'd Heard That Before
Post by: Fired00d on December 11, 2009, 02:50:28 PM
As always, you are a plethora of information  :)
something. :nixweiss: :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2:

 :pumpkin:
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 :fireman:
Title: Re: StaBo Bushings -- Delrin -- Finally Remembered Where I'd Heard That Before
Post by: Boatman on December 11, 2009, 03:06:14 PM
Ever since we had a little group interest in the StaBo bushings several years that material name had been bugging me.  Delrin.  It's what the bushings were reported to be made of.  Advertised as a super hard material good for what ails you.

Knew I'd heard of that being used somewhere before.  For a long time it's been bugging me.  Didn't find a lot of other aerospace, science or other industry uses.  Nothing that triggered what I was trying to remember though.  

Then, finally, it hit me.  It's what the hubs that the wheels slide over on Hot Wheels were made of!  Not sure now if that makes me feel more or less secure avout having it as a vital suspension link on the Road Glide.  But, hey, the bike should be faster than hell on any orange plastic track I found now!


 Delbert! Dilbert!    :cherry: :cherry: :cherry:
Title: Re: StaBo Bushings -- Delrin -- Finally Remembered Where I'd Heard That Before
Post by: Banana man on December 11, 2009, 04:27:01 PM
Did the Sta Bo bushings help the handling of the Road Glide?
I have wondered about them.

I was researching stabilizers and decided to go with the Glide Pro
system. My bike went from a wallowing mess in the turns to like
being on a rail. The overall handling is much improved!



                                            Mark
Title: Re: StaBo Bushings -- Delrin -- Finally Remembered Where I'd Heard That Before
Post by: geezerglide on December 11, 2009, 06:15:24 PM

 Delbert! Dilbert!    :cherry: :cherry: :cherry:

Delrin or also known as POM (Polyoxymethylene)  is the brand name for an Acetal Resin engineering plastic invented and sold by DuPont. Often used as a metal substitute, it is lightweight, has a low co-efficient  friction and wear resistant plastic capable of operating in temperatures in excess of 200 deg. F.

Delrin besides being used  as 2Lane mentions by Mattel, and by Sta Bo, it is also used to make guitar picks, combination wheels in most high end security safe lock so to make the locks resistant to decoding by x-ray, used to make frame sliders and knee pucks for motorcycle racers. Also used in the manufacture of diving equipment due to its light weight and low porosity to gas under pressure, used to create body piercing jewelry especially tunnels or plugs for use in stretched holes.

We also use Delrin in the manufacture of seats in Ball Valves for high pressure 3000 - 4000 psi applications.

See I learn something new every day.

geezerglide
Title: Re: StaBo Bushings -- Delrin -- Finally Remembered Where I'd Heard That Before
Post by: Twolanerider on December 11, 2009, 09:10:06 PM
Did the Sta Bo bushings help the handling of the Road Glide?
I have wondered about them.

I was researching stabilizers and decided to go with the Glide Pro
system. My bike went from a wallowing mess in the turns to like
being on a rail. The overall handling is much improved!



                                            Mark

Mark, the bushings that were added to the 05 were a straight addition over stock.  So probably a better comparison.  They stiffened/quickened up the response of the rear end to the application of engine torque.  It wasn't a huge deal.  But it was noticeable.  The bike would "stand up" quicker when you hit the throttle going through or out of a turn with the bushings than it did without them.

On the Road Glide it was a whole different deal.  Was replacing a swingarm.  Old one was tweaked just a bit and took the old style weak swingarm out and replaced it with the beefier swingarm from the post-02 bikes.  It's a different Sta-Bo bushing as the bushing is used to accommodate for both the OD to the swingarm and the differences in ID of the pivot shaft between the older and newer swingarm.  So since it's swingarm, bushing and other changes can't really make a real before-and-after for just the bushings.
Title: Re: StaBo Bushings -- Delrin -- Finally Remembered Where I'd Heard That Before
Post by: Twolanerider on December 11, 2009, 09:12:33 PM


I was researching stabilizers and decided to go with the Glide Pro
system. My bike went from a wallowing mess in the turns to like
being on a rail. The overall handling is much improved!



                                            Mark


Oh.....  And speaking to the Glide Pro.  I would too, when the time comes. 

I did the Sta-Bo bushings in the 05 a long time ago.  Purely as an add-on even though the bike was handling was ok.  It still handles well.  When swingarm bearings/bushings are worn and need replacement though it'll be done with the Glide Pro kit.  It's something I've been impressed by.
Title: Re: StaBo Bushings -- Delrin -- Finally Remembered Where I'd Heard That Before
Post by: Wanna ride on December 11, 2009, 09:16:41 PM
I used to be a machinist and we had a good supply of various sizes and shapes of Delrin in the tool crib. I never had to make anything for customers with it, but I sure used it on a lot of personal projects. Way better than other composites, because it's VERY machineable. It doesn't get distorted when you're cutting or drilling it. You can whittle it to desired size and shape pretty quick!
Title: Re: StaBo Bushings -- Delrin -- Finally Remembered Where I'd Heard That Before
Post by: Banana man on December 11, 2009, 09:47:00 PM

Oh.....  And speaking to the Glide Pro.  I would too, when the time comes. 

I did the Sta-Bo bushings in the 05 a long time ago.  Purely as an add-on even though the bike was handling was ok.  It still handles well.  When swingarm bearings/bushings are worn and need replacement though it'll be done with the Glide Pro kit.  It's something I've been impressed by.
This kit comes with a longer swingarm pivot shaft. It comes out about an inch
into the rubber isolators on both sides and the bushings ride on the shaft instead
of being bolted to the end of the shaft. Really tightens up the swingarm without
transmitting any more vibes to the rider.

Bubba and I were COMPLETELY SHOCKED!!! that the swingarm pivot shaft did not
go through the frame. It looks like the rear of the tranny is the only thing holding
the swingarm to the bike. This kind of engineering is UNBELIEVEABLE to me.
Very very poor engineering!!!!!!!




                            Mark
Title: Re: StaBo Bushings -- Delrin -- Finally Remembered Where I'd Heard That Before
Post by: hd-dude on December 11, 2009, 10:18:18 PM
I have sold and installed the Glide-pro in a few bikes and they do help but I no longer sell them as you cannot use the HD alignment tools with thier axle.

Rivera Engineering recently came out with a "stiffy" bushing much like the Sta-bo but made of aluminum.
 I have installed a few of these and the results and feedback from customers has been very positive.

(http://www.riveraprimoinc.com/assets/images/Stiffey-lg.jpg)