Hi everyone,
I need to replace suspension bushings and am getting mixed reactions when I talk to people about the idea of replacing the existing rubber bushings with polyurethane ones.
What are your experiences with polyurethane bushings and do you recommend using them or avoiding them?
Regards,
Craig.
In message , Craig's C900 Site writes
Polyeurathane bushes are expensive and do not last as long as standard rubber - I am having mine replaced on the 900 right now.
Peter
Made that mistake once. Don't do poly bushings.
dave
I have them in several locations in my Volvo, I've been happy with them. They transmit a bit more road noise but they're definitly firmer. I did have a problem with the swaybar bushings squeaking but some graphite lube fixed that. Saabs seem to handle quite well right out of the box though so I'm not sure how poly bushings would affect that.
Avoid - unless you use your car for week-end track work.
From personal experience they can wear out very fast, especially if subjected to both twisting and shearing forces. On a long journey they contribute to driver fatigue due to the increase in noise and vibration.
Manufacturers spend a lot of R&D effort on optimizing NVH using finite element modeling, replacing rubber with polyurethane will alter this model in ways you may not imagine.
Phuoc
I didn't realize they wouldn't last as long, the people who make poly bushings always seem to claim they last longer! Does it depend on the type of bushing?
I have replaced some tatty looking rubber bushes with poly. ones, but have never had to replace a poly one yet, so I can't comment on their longevity. The feel of the cars I have done is great, but I suppose it would have felt better with new rubber ones. I get mine from
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