Bushes

[Squid 55]

Continuing on from sorting out my suspension.

What should I replace nolathane/superpro and what should I replace rubber??

[SPArKy_Dave 8,863]

Caster bar and swaybar link pin bushes, I would replace with Polyurethane.

All others, stick with Rubber bushes.

[bear351c 10,270]

I agree, some will disagree. I regretted doing all my previous ride in Nolathene, it was too harsh. Every week a new screw was found on the floor.!

 

Neoprene rubber lasts 10 years and is more compliant. Will be taking that road ^^^ with the XA,  for sure.

[Nath 1,975]

I agree with these guys. Same experience as bear, all Nolathane and regretting it.

 

Anything that moves left and right, nolathane. Anything that goes up and down, rubber.

[Mr Polson 10,214]

I have Nolathane castor rod bushes, sway bar links, sway bar mounts in the ute, everything else is rubber.

 

Handles firm and tight, little rough but it does have superlow springs in it.

[blu xe 825]

When I did the front end in my xe the only bits where I used nolathane on was the spring saddles and they were the ones that fucked out first. I'd go rubber again. In saying that the blue super pro stuff is meant to be pretty good a bit firmer than rubber but not as stupidly harsh as nolathane.

[wagoon 2,429]

Anything that moves left and right, nolathane. Anything that goes up and down, rubber.

I too agree with the above and I like the way Nath put it but I would change nolathane(red) to superpro(blue) for the reason blue xe said it isn't as harsh

[broken-wheel 659]

nolathane are still shit and useless, superpro have lifetime warranty now

 

here is my take on this, yes it will ride harsh if you replace every bush with superpro but that's because it amplifies an inherent problem, dampers and springs! ever been in a sell sorted race car and drove it around? you'd think you're in an european car! smooth and not harsh, yes it's a bit firm but no crash and bang, this is because they have the springs and dampers rates matched even thou there is hardly any rubber in their suspension! all rose mounts/links

 

if you complain that super pro is harsh its because now your dampers have to work harder and they can't, no monroe damper is any good, they are fucking junk with annoying but stock springs and rubber bushes.

 

On the xf I had super pro all around, 850 or so pounds springs at front, 320 pounds at the rear and matched Koni dampers and the thing was like magic carpet ride, i actually felt bad not going for a spherical bearing on the castor rods, i used metal washers on the front dampers where they bolt to the UCA rather than the supplied rubber grommets, never had issue with NVH, if you're getting the SP4 Koni's then piss the rubber off and don't use nolathane, they still turn to dust after a few rainy days, never had a superpro bush fail on me yet

[blu xe 825]

In my case  the nolathane ones  turned to dust and shat themselves after I parked the ol girl up for 6 months. Luckily it was only spring saddles cause I'd have been pissed after replacing all the front end bushes had they all turned to shit if I'd gone nolathane everywhere. Would have only been 18 months old tops.

[hellenikboy 32]

Hey guys,

I was going to open up a new thread but found this instead. I know its old but didn't want to ask the same question twice. 

So just summarising from what I read out of this thread and to quote Nath-25

Anything that moves left and right, nolathane. Anything that goes up and down, rubber.

Now I am looking at doing all the bushes on my xe 351 rebuild and I am looking at getting the following:

Front
Radius/Strut Rod (Polyurethane)
Sway bar mounts (Polyurethane)
Sway bar link (Polyurethane)
Lower Control arm (Rubber)
Upper control arm (Rubber)

Rear
Upper and lower Trailing arm front and rear (Rubber)
Sway bar mount (Polyurethane)
Sway bar link (Polyurethane)
Watts link pivot and side rods (Polyurethane)
 

Am I on the right track for a comfortable setup. I don't want to install everything polyurethane and have a really uncomfortable ride.

Thanks for everyones help!

[broken-wheel 659]

the comfortable setup has 0% to do with bushes, one of the most comfortable street cars I been in had full rose joint suspension, the comfort comes from the spring/damper combo 

[Campo 869]

I'd go superpro poly in everything haha. Worth putting up with the minor increase in harshness for the far superior handling characteristics. 

[Valvebouncer 2,389]

What are your plans for the car? If it's going to be just a street car I'd be inclined to go all rubber. I dislike polyurethane in the swaybar link pins as they creak and most people do them up too tight. Same goes for radius rod bushes.
Keep in mind these are just my opinions on it and in my opinion if polyurethane bushes were so good the car manufacturers would use them from the start. Ask anyone who has changed the centre diff bush in a ba-fg.

[hellenikboy 32]

Yea fair enough. The car is just a weekend street car. Just want to feel more solid when handling like what Campo says on the road by replacing all the bushes. I already had some of bushes replaced with polyurethane when I had got a roadworthy 4 years ago when I bought it..

So maybe I should just replace everything with rubber then or do a combination? Thats what I am unsure of.

[broken-wheel 659]

4 hours ago, Valvebouncer said:

What are your plans for the car? If it's going to be just a street car I'd be inclined to go all rubber. I dislike polyurethane in the swaybar link pins as they creak and most people do them up too tight. Same goes for radius rod bushes.
Keep in mind these are just my opinions on it and in my opinion if polyurethane bushes were so good the car manufacturers would use them from the start. Ask anyone who has changed the centre diff bush in a ba-fg.

Radius rod bushes I would go spherical bearing! they make a huge improvement in handling an feel. You really have to try a really hard bush in the radius rods, makes no difference to comfort at all

[SPArKy_Dave 8,863]

I must say, I'm a tad disappointed.
I saw the thread title and expected..... err... something else.

Never mind, carry on peoples, as you were.

[Crustydog 46]

has anyone had experience with whiteline polyurethane products. i can get a set cheap from a closing down sale. i imagine they would be the same as the nolathane ones??cheers

[gerg 10,871]

Iv'e heard they're even better. Nolathane got a rep for chewing out quickly and being too harsh. Could have updated their materials since though. Whiteline seem to be more road-oriented anyway. Probably made overseas though.

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[Mr Polson 10,214]

Whiteline is Nolathane and vice versa, same company. Not sure if there bushes are the same.

Nolathane has came a long way since it was first introduced, they now have a lifetime warranty and their bushes are meant to last longer without being as harsh.

Their words not mine.

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[Crustydog 46]

supposedly made in vietnam. and yeah they claim that the material they use today is alot better than the stuff used years ago. I think ill go the rubber control arm bushes and just get a set of whiteline gear for the swaybar. ill keep you guys updated on their performance when its finally on the road.

[ZEDJAY 24]

go rare spares original rubbers. they last longest and ride the best.