Urethane control arm bushings good/bad
 

I am looking at some winter projects and want some feed back on urethane control arm bushings for the Contemporary XKE front end.

Urethane bushings very good
 

I replaced all the rubber bushings on my jag front suspension. The rubbers were bad anyway and had mostly slipped to one end. With the new urethane the suspension is now much better, more precision in the steering now and best when breaking hard. I can only recommend the urethane parts to anyone.

I have bought and made urethane bushings always with noticeable improvement. Generally the darker the color the higher the durometer or hardness. Black harder, brown softer, red even softer etc. The black or red has worked well for me as there isn't a huge difference in hardness for suspension and steering applications.

I haven't installed urethane on anything in maybe 15 years.
I can agree with all the advantages cited here, but one fly appeared in the ointment for me.

They squeaked.

Irritating as hell.

I don't know why the last ones I installed on an old Chevy truck front end squeaked so bad but it got alot of attention - all unwanted.

Anybody else ever run into that?

NeoConMan,
my bushings were dark blue and came with a special grease to be used on the inside and to facilitate installation. If you install them dry you might get squeaks.

That's likely the cause.
I installed them dry.

Dammit.

Good point they come as kits with a little tube of special grease as mentioned. Fixes the squeakety.

So mine have been on my car for about six years now and the grease/silicone (whatever) has all worn off and mine are starting to squeek again. What is the replacement lubricant and where can you but it?

Clois

Clois,

I am not sure about NAPA, but we have a Franklins Auto Parts store here and I got some of the grease in a small tube from them a few years ago when my bushings started to squeak.

Ron

Silicone grease?

Polyurethane Bushing Lubricant? Such as this?

http://www.performanceunlimited.com/...als/img105.jpg

Available here: http://www.performanceunlimited.com/.../polyeaze.html

I've been using them for years, and for handling and feel for the road, there's nothing better. They were designed for race applications, so if you are the type to tear your car down every year and re- grease and re- build everything they are great, if it's an everyday driver I would not recommend them, when they dry out they are the most annoying thing going, I did find that silicone spray will quiet them, but it's only a temporary fix.

Thanks Ron, Rick, and Patrick.

I called O'Reilly's and they have it here. And I just happen to have my whole rearend out of the car to change out gear ratio's.

Clois

Well then by all means grease 'er up! :p

So I am hearing that the only down side is they can squeek. I don't think that will be a problem for me because my car is very loud and I am losing my hearing anyway! LOL:LOL:**)

The problem with the squeaking is that the bushes are also starting to wear. If you have to replace or relube them after 5 to 6 years that is not too bad.

Some bushing are greasable with a gun
 

cobrarkc Rick I have the white bushing in the rearend of the car and the blacks in the front. All have grease fittings. The car gets all track time. The rubber bushing will make the car ride better and quiet. Rubber bushings need no maintainance until they are worn out or the rubber starts to fall apart. They are not TRUE rubber anymore like the old days. If you shop around, you can find poly bushings that have grease slots in them. All you have to do is drill and tap the hole for a fitting. The grease gun will do the rest. My rearend bushings have 11 years on them and are still tight to the shafts. The fronts are 5 years old and no defection at all. They are a harder bushing material. ERA DOESN'T recommend running poly bushing in there rearend assemblies. The roller bearings if properly maintained will last 75K miles without problems. For the road, IMO I would still go with the poly bushings. If your COBRA is that important to you and you wash, wax, and show it off all the time, you are going to also do the little extra maintainance for it. It takes 10 minutes for 18 grease fittings on my car. I have 3 different grease guns. 1 is for wheel bearings with high temp red grease. 1 is for silicone grease for just the poly bushings. The last is a water proof moly grease for pivot points like tie rod ends. Poly bushing will make you car handle and respond better. Down side is you will feel every wave, divit, impression in the road. For a street car that goes racing 1 time a year, I wouldn't go the extra measure.JMO Rick L