DIY cradle bushing idea (don't laugh) (Page 1/2)
Kitten Tooth DEC 26, 03:04 AM
Okay here's the idea.. It might be a terrible one. I wanted to know if I could, in any way, utilize Hockey Pucks in the mounting of an engine cradle. I've noticed that some of the options, aside from the POLY kits that are offered, are aluminum. So It's not rocket science on the material. I figure hockey pucks are rubber... sort of. They are resilient. Circular in shape. Stackable. I could chuck them up in a lathe one at a time and add a recess in one, add a step on another, and interlock them by putting them together. If not, what are some other affordable options to this that you guys have heard of? I'm currently collecting parts and info on a Megasquirt 3800 swap with a "Hotwired" 4T60E and the smallest pulley a can jam onto the input shaft of that M90 blower. If the women don't think you're handsome, you better hope they at least think you're handy.

Thanks guys.
Patrick DEC 26, 03:51 AM

quote
Originally posted by Kitten Tooth:

I wanted to know if I could, in any way, utilize Hockey Pucks in the mounting of an engine cradle.



Well, if nothing else... you'll have all the Canadians here rooting for the idea.

I actually used cut up hockey pucks (yes, I'm Canadian) to block some holes in my HVAC blower box after I removed all the A/C components... but that's a considerably different use than as a cradle bushing.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 12-26-2019).]

AsaBergman DEC 26, 05:54 AM
I will note that on the Nissan 240SX we replaced the bushing portion of the stock motor mounts with hockey pucks and they hold up fine.
pmbrunelle DEC 26, 10:20 AM
Let us know how turning rubber in a lathe goes; I am curious.

There may also be differences between Canadian-made and Chinese-made hockey pucks.

At a previous employer, we used hockey pucks as an electrical insulator. This worked with the initial made-in-Canada pucks.

Our stuff stopped working right when we changed to Chinese pucks, ostensibly to cut costs.

Turned out the Chinese pucks were weakly electrically conductive.
OldGuyinaGT DEC 26, 01:52 PM
I am very familiar with hockey pucks in their original application; also, I have known people to use them as body bushings on other cars. I will say that your average hockey puck is rubber but is pretty hard even at room temperatures, and does not compress or deflect very easily. I haven't used any pucks to mount anything but I think they'll perform similarly to polyurethane because they're about that hard (rough approximation). Not sure how they'll hold up over time when modified or exposed to higher temperature cycling, road-related crap, etc. I know they're hard rubber, but I don't know much about their exact composition.

Interesting that some level of conductivity was found in Chinese-made hockey pucks - must be some contaminant in them. In my experience the most commonly encountered pucks had "Made in Slovakia" molded into the edge, but they were always cheaper and less consistent than ones made in Canada. Hard to tell a difference when playing, but easy when looking at them.
Blacktree DEC 26, 02:20 PM
If you have a bunch of hockey pucks laying around, then I say go for it! But if you're going to be buying new hockey pucks, just to turn them into bushings, I don't see the efficacy in that.
Dennis LaGrua DEC 26, 04:40 PM
With a bit of machining a pair of hockey pucks might work as a rear cradle bushing. At a price of $1-$2 each they aren't expensive but the work to make them fit is probably not worth the trouble.

------------------
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Kitten Tooth DEC 26, 06:59 PM
I have an South Bend lathe at my disposal. My dad is a hobby machinist and is always utilizing hockey pucks as feet for homemade work benches and such. I figured if I applied them to the fiero, it'd really show what they can be used for. I honestly don't like the idea of any rubber-like bushing in these areas on the cradle. The engine/trans is already going to have absorbers between them and the cradle. I don't see why the cradle needs any between it and the body. Just sounds like more points for shakiness/shiftiness.
Patrick DEC 26, 07:41 PM

quote
Originally posted by Kitten Tooth:

I have an South Bend lathe at my disposal... I honestly don't like the idea of any rubber-like bushing in these areas on the cradle. I don't see why the cradle needs any between it and the body. Just sounds like more points for shakiness/shiftiness.



You've got a lathe... make 'em out of aluminum. Seriously.
cvxjet DEC 26, 09:36 PM
Years ago (around 2000) I had a friend turn some (out of steel) on a lathe (For the front) and then another friend welded them in...Just used blocks of aluminum at the rear. I have now switched to an 88 subframe (And suspension).....

I like that the subframe is reinforcing the chassis, rather than floating back there.