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Feeling bushed

September 5, 2025 by bugeyeguy

Radius arm bushings may be the most common worn-out part we see on Bugeyes that come in for service. No matter the car, no matter the driving conditions, no matter how well-maintained a Bugeye is, radius arm bushings are a high-wear part and an important component of your rear suspension. They help to hold the rear end steady and keep it from rocking back and forth when torque is applied. If you haven’t inspected your radius arm bushings in a while, you absolutely should, and chances are you’ll find worn bushings when you do.

The photos taken above were from a Bugeye that recently came to us for a suspension service. Lucky they did, because this radius arm was in rough shape! The center sleeve of the bushing had been pulled all the way into the body of the radius arm. Luckily we caught it and were able to install new radius arms, and it was good as new.

The photos shown here were taken of the radius arm on the other side of the car. As with the first arm, this one had severely worn bushings; in this case, the bushing tried to change itself!

*When we replace radius arms, we use brand new arms with bushings pre-installed. Click the photo above to order some for your Bugeye, or click here if you want to try changing the bushings yourself!*

Swapping out bushings in an original radius arm is very difficult. The arms are made out of thin metal, and the bushings are often frozen inside their mountings, making extraction of the old bushing very challenging. A lot of the time, you can bend the arm with the pressure needed to remove the bushing. That’s why we always swap out the entire arm for a brand new one, which comes pre-assembled with new bushings. If you need a set, click the photo above to order one, or click here for our full catalog!

Irregular regulator

August 29, 2025 by bugeyeguy

Sometimes when we experience a part failure in the field while test driving, its symptoms lead us in a different direction and it takes some time to figure out what’s going on. Such was the case with the failure shown below, which occurred on a recent test drive.

*That’s not supposed to happen… This kind of failure will stop your Bugeye dead in its tracks.*

This voltage regulator was removed from a Bugeye that exhibited a no-power condition in a parking lot on a recent test drive. Usually when a no-start condition is present, It can be traced to some more easily-traceable causes, like a loose battery connection, a blown fuse, or a loose ignition switch terminal (more on that problem here).

*The inner workings of a factory-style points-type voltage regulator. A simple design used for over 30 years in all kinds of classic automobiles*, *but one that offers no fused protection in the case of a system overload.*

The main power feed on the voltage regulator burning a hole in itself is not something we see often, and what’s more, it is in a hidden location that isn’t easily accessible to check without removing the regulator from its erch on the inner fender well. We were able to get the car home but does allow us to showcase one of our favorite Bugeye upgrades we employ any time we get the chance.

*Most people wouldn’t even be able to tell that this generator is actually an alternator inside! Modern charging performance in a classic case. Click the photo to learn more!*

Our generator/alternator is a great upgrade in and of itself; it has the superior charging performance of a modern alternator, with the vintage appearance of a stock generator. Only the trained eye would know this isn’t a stock part once installed! However, the real star of the show is our dummy voltage regulator, employed in conjunction with the generator/alternator and sold as part of the conversion kit.

Our generator/alternator is internally-regulated; this means the old, external voltage regulator is no longer needed. Our dummy voltage regulator takes the original, points-type regulator and eliminates all of the wires and connections underneath the cap, instead replacing it with a fuse, which specifically protects the charging system.

*An example of a blown PAL fuse, the type used in our dummy voltage regulators. (Our dummy regulators use a 50 amp fuse instead of the 120 amp one shown.)*

This is a big deal, as the original Bugeye charging systems had no dedicated fuse to protect it. This is how failures like the one we experienced at the beginning of this post occur; when too much current or voltage flows through a circuit, it tends to find the weakest link and cooks it. In the case of our failure, it found the thin metal strip that serves as the main power feed to the entire car, rendering it inoperable. A fuse would have saved the strip from burning up, and is much easier and cheaper to change than an entire voltage regulator.

Click the photos above to learn more about our generator/alternator and dummy voltage regulator, and why you should put one in your Bugeye today! Should you want to keep your original charging system intact, or want to upgrade to an alternator and are not worried about maintaining the stock look of the generator/alternator, click the photos below for some of our other charging system offerings, or click here for our full catalog!

*Conventional voltage regulator, pre-adjusted (Bugeye-1962)*

*Bugeye/Spridget alternator conversion kit (through 1971)*

Fulcrum doldrums

May 2, 2025 by bugeyeguy

A tight and fresh front suspension is key to a comfortable (and safe) driving experience. Over the years, suspension components age out, wear out, or just plain fail, and this can cause headaches for anyone faced with this reality.

A Bugeye’s front suspension is a simple system, yet one in which the utmost care must be taken to ensure proper operation. The front suspension on this Bugeye has had all new components installed and is ready to rock and roll!

Unlike a more modern car, which would employ ball joints in its front suspension, Bugeyes and Spridgets alike (and many other British cars from the era) use what is known as a “King pin” front suspension system. Whereas a ball joint pivots in whatever direction is necessary for proper suspension function, a King pin is a rigid link between the upper control arm (or in the case of a Sprite or midget, the shock absorber) and the lower control arm, and utilizes a screw, known as a fulcrum pin, to obtain its travel.

*An expoloded diagram of a Bugeye’s front suspension.*

Of course, as with any metal-on-metal component, these fulcrum pins wear against the control arm’s threads over time, creating wear, and, ultimately, slop. In the photo below, you can see what we can only describe as the most worn-out fulcrum pin perhaps in the history of British automobiles, pulled from a Bugeye in this week for a suspension refresh.

*Wow, this fulcrum pin is very worn! You can see how worn the threads are compared to the mostly intact inner-most threads on the left side.*

A worn fulcrum pin such as this is not only unpleasant in terms of driving experience ( a tight front end is good!), but also poses a safety concern. Pictured below are a few examples of other severely worn suspension components, all of which warrant a hard look at a complete suspension overhaul.

*Badly cracked lower control arm around the fulcrum pin.*

*Incredibly worn and pitted king pin. This condition was caused by excessive wear and a lack of proper lubrication.*

The best course of action you can take with your front suspension is to take the opportunity to install all-new front suspension components. New complete drum brake king pin assemblies are not available new, and as such need to be rebuilt; we have all of the components available in our major rebuild kit, which you can order by clicking the photo below or by clicking here. the only downside to this is you will need to ream the bushings for the king pin once they are installed, which requires special equipment.

*Our front suspension major rebuild kit includes everything you see here. You will need to ream the bushings for the king pin once installed. Purchase your kit today by clicking on the photo.*

Though a full king pin refurbish is a wonderful way to reset the clock on your Bugeye’s front suspension, a much easier and better way to proceed is by taking the opportunity to convert to front disc brakes. Our front disc brake conversion kit comes with a brand new, pre-fitted front disc brake king pin assembly (meaning no bushing reaming needed), as well as all of the braking components necessary to convert to the superior front disc brakes. Later Sprites and Midgets will already have front disc brakes, and as such, this kit will serve as a rebuild kit for your brakes and front king pins. This, coupled with two new control arms (sold separately), new lever shocks (also sold separately), and some smaller items like new rubber bushings, and and your front end is better than it was when it was fresh off the factory floor! Click the photo below to learn more!

*Our front disc brake conversion kit allows you to replace your Bugeye’s old, worn front drum brake suspension with a brand new, much-improved disc brake suspension! Click the photo to learn more!*

Additional parts that you will want to consider changing while you are rebuilding your front suspension are pictured below; among them is another great front end upgrade, our tube shock conversion kit, which eliminates the oft-leaky front lever shocks and replaces it with a much more durable, much easier-to-service tube shock setup! You can learn more about the front tube shock conversion by clicking here for a handy article regarding them. Click the photos below to learn more about the other front end components available in our parts catalog, or click here for our complete line of front suspension components!

*Control arm bushing kit, all Bugeyes/Spridgets*

*Control arm bolt kit, all Bugeyes/Spridgets (2 kits required per car)*

*Shock absorber bushings, set of four, all Bugeyes/Spridgets*

*Front tube shock conversion kit, all Bugeyes/Spridgets*

*Front lower control arm with fulcrum pin, all Bugeyes/Spridgets (sold individually)*

*Front sway bar kit, all Bugeyes/Spridgets*

*Rebuilt front lever shocks, several grades available (premium lever shocks shown)*

Feeling Bushed

April 18, 2025 by bugeyeguy

Gotta have a tight front end. Otherwise, bumps resonate, steering wheels shake and Sprite don’t track true. Control arms are foundational. They have to have good bushings. They have to be tight. The car below isn’t. Not yet anyway.

We’ll fix it!

If you see perished rubber or feel play in your front end, time for new bushings! We offer a complete line of front end components for your Bugeye or Spridget; click the photos below to learn more about some of our suspension components, or click here for our full catalog!

*Control arm bushing set (all Bugeyes/Spridgets) (1 kit required per car)*

*Lower control arm bolt kit (All Bugeyes/Spridgets) (2 kits required per car)*

*Front shock absorber bushing set (all Bugeyes/Spridgets) (1 kit required per car)*

Bearing it

April 18, 2025 by bugeyeguy

The ball bearings that came from the factory on all Spridgets are merely a set of caged ball bearings, and they wear and pit. And when go too long without maintenance, they can get really, really loose. See the video below:

We’ve suggested it in the past, but it bears repeating that tapered wheel bearings are a really important upgrade for every Spridget for safety, adjustability and durability. Click on the photo below to order a set for your Bugeye or Spridget today!

Click the picture to order an important Spridget upgrade!

Gummy Mounts

April 18, 2025 by bugeyeguy

Transmission mounts have a hard life. They are constantly bathed in oil from the leaking engines nearby. They crack. They get gummy. They perish.

*The circled area is the side mount failing due to age, heat, and oil contamination. To the left of it is an area normally occupied by a center mount; it is missing entirely.*

There are three on the back of every Spridget with a four-speed transmission. Above is a photo of a car that just arrived here with gummed-up side mounts; the center mount missing completely. You need all three, and you need them in good working order.

You need all three to keep your car rattle-free. And you can’t get to them unless you remove the transmission… so make sure you change yours next time the engine is out! Even if they are just starting to crack, best to put in fresh ones and restart the clock!

Click the photos below to order a new set of transmission (and engine) mounts, or click here for our complete catalog!