Polyurethane vs rubber bushings

[vettenick]

Hello people!
I'm redoing my suspension and stuck as to whether or not use polyurethane bushings. Has anyone switched?
I really don't want to stiffen the car up. What's the story?
Is there any brand that's better?

Thanks!

 

[69autoXr]

If you don't want to stiffen the car, don't use poly bushings.

Chris

 

[Paranoid]

I used Energy Suspension's black poly bushings on my front end rebuild. Just make sure you use the grease supplied. Not a harsh ride at all. I recently added a rear factory 9/16, BB sway bar and that really tightened things up. Still not harsh, just a more solid feeling ride. :gap

 

[attret00]

I just did my suspension with rubber bushings from Eckler's. The ride is tight, true, and not squeeky.

 

[Tom73]

If you are racing the car, use Poly. For street use stay with rubber.

tom...

 

[Robin7TFour]

what about using poly for the sway bar mounts? then use rubber for the upper/lower arms

just a thought

robin

 

[JohnZ]

I use poly ONLY for the stabilizer bar end link bolt bushings to make the bar more efficient, and leave the bar-to-frame bushings rubber to isolate the harshness from the frame.

 

[Robin7TFour]

thank you john. i am going with what you say. i respect your knowledge and opinions ,greatly.
what is your thoughts on poly bushings for the diff mount?


ROBIN :BOW

 

[JohnZ]

A poly diff mount setup will just transmit more driveline noise and vibration into the frame crossmember, and all of the poly diff mount kits I've seen have the wrong thickness bushings and no steel centering insert - the front of the diff ends up too high, changing the operating angle of the rear U-joint, and puts it VERY close to hitting the floor pan. I'd stick with the correct OEM bushings.

 

[BiggBrakefuelie]

If you are racing the car, use Poly. For street use stay with rubber.

tom...

Agreed! I checked with a local Corvette shop and they told me that the improvement would be marginal for street use and that he had alot of customers complaining about the squeaking.

 

[Robin7TFour]

ok... then rubber it is. i guess i'll never get my car to the limits of driving that would warrant poly.


... a man got to know his limitations.....



robin

 

[XS650]

ok... then rubber it is. i guess i'll never get my car to the limits of driving that would warrant poly.

... a man got to know his limitations.....
robin

Robin, I've also been looking into polygraphite bushings. I have observed that most of the people who like them have used them or are using them. Many of the people who don't like them have heard from someone else that the polygraphite bushing have problems, but haven't used them

Do a search for "polygraphite" in the forum search, and notice the high number of C3 people who like polygraphite and say they aren't particulaly noisy or harsh.

Like Packard's moto used to be: "Ask the man who owns one".

Dick

 

[Robin7TFour]

DICK ,thank you for that opinion. you have given me some insight i haven't considered. yes, i will do a search. this sight always opens my eyes more


robin

p.s. how's that japanese vibrator doing?

 

[Don&Kelly]

I just completely re-did all of the rubber on my suspension with rubber bushings.

I talked to a very good Corvette Restoration Shop about which to use and he really pushed the rubber and said not nice things about his shops experience with the "Poly" ... by the way he had no skin in this game ...
I followed his advise & I'm glad I did.

Hope this helps ..

 

[vettenick]

Great feedback! I guess the message has been delivered.

Thanks again!
Nick

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Like Packard's moto used to be: "Ask the man who owns one".

OK, I'll answer. They suck. They bite. They blow. Sometimes they do all three simultaneously. I regret installing these POS on my car.

Hey, you asked.

 

[vettenick]

WOW!
I appreciate your honesty.

Nick

 

[JohnZ]

I have about 150 members in my NCRS Chapter, with about 200 Corvettes between them; the few who have used poly are sorry they did, and most did the job all over again using OEM rubber to get rid of the harshness and incessant squeaking. Poly is great for a race/autocross car, lousy for the street.

 

[WhalePirot]

I have had Heim joints and poly bushings on my street-driven car for over a decade and I like the lack of suspension movement. Other (rubbered) Vettes feel very loose to me. I have come to appreciate the stability of the car, wehn cornering, despite any road irregularities.

I hear little, if any squeaking, but I lube the sways every 5000 miles with the special red grease. The suspension 'feels' better after each lube.

 

[gooney0]

I had polygraphite bushings on a 72 Monte Carlo. Very hard ride. I wish I had gone with rubber.


Like everyone else said, if you're not racing I'd go with rubber.

-Gööney0