Avoid Poly Bushings
#1
Avoid Poly Bushings
I put poly bushings on my sway bar. not the link bushings but the bar bushings. All was great until this recent rain in San Fran. Now they make the most ANNOYING squeak. It is not subtle at all. I submerged them in the enclosed grease. I could not have done anything else more than I have to prevent them from sqeaking.
No way am I going to pull things apart and regrease them several times a year. turning the stereo up does not help things.
Im going back to the old rubber bushings. Im actually putting the old cracked ones back on since I expect to get another couple years out of them and I dont want to wait til new rubber ones come in. The noise is that annoying to me. Cant go another 100 yards dealing with it. Maybe it has something to do with me being a musician...
The current poly bushings are going in the trash.
Its not worth it. Trust me on this.
No way am I going to pull things apart and regrease them several times a year. turning the stereo up does not help things.
Im going back to the old rubber bushings. Im actually putting the old cracked ones back on since I expect to get another couple years out of them and I dont want to wait til new rubber ones come in. The noise is that annoying to me. Cant go another 100 yards dealing with it. Maybe it has something to do with me being a musician...
The current poly bushings are going in the trash.
Its not worth it. Trust me on this.
#2
#3
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
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I had the same problem with polys on my old XJ6. Yet others, like Grant, report no problems. <shrug>
Maybe Grant has a point about contamination...but I have a vague recollection of my bar being shiny metal in the area where the bushings are. <shrug>
I've noticed that some suppliers offer a u-bracket with a greasing zerk installed, suggesting the problem isn't entirely unheard of. I used one of the needle-point attachments on my grease gun to squirt a bit of grease in there every few months
Cheers
DD
Maybe Grant has a point about contamination...but I have a vague recollection of my bar being shiny metal in the area where the bushings are. <shrug>
I've noticed that some suppliers offer a u-bracket with a greasing zerk installed, suggesting the problem isn't entirely unheard of. I used one of the needle-point attachments on my grease gun to squirt a bit of grease in there every few months
Cheers
DD
#4
I tried to grease it with a needle to no avail. It is a real PITA to get in there with it. Its not a straight forward job. On mine you have to remove the lower radiator hose to get to them. Its a very tight fit. My hands are all scraped up from putting the old ones back in there. So even having to go under there with a grease gun every so often, IMO, is not worth it.
Mine had grooves on the inside where the grease could sit. When I pulled them out they were still well greased in all but a very small section along the outer part. It doesnt take much for these things to squeak. now that the old ones are back in, I find the difference in handling to be subtle. I think a lot of it is placebo.
nice to know I dont have to worry about it again...
From this point on, the only place I would use poly bushing are on parts that do not have any movement.
A lot has to do with weather. I think if you lived in La or a hotter climate, you would not have an issue. Seems as soon as it gets to 50 or below these things start to squeal. This at least seems to be my experience.
Mine had grooves on the inside where the grease could sit. When I pulled them out they were still well greased in all but a very small section along the outer part. It doesnt take much for these things to squeak. now that the old ones are back in, I find the difference in handling to be subtle. I think a lot of it is placebo.
nice to know I dont have to worry about it again...
From this point on, the only place I would use poly bushing are on parts that do not have any movement.
A lot has to do with weather. I think if you lived in La or a hotter climate, you would not have an issue. Seems as soon as it gets to 50 or below these things start to squeal. This at least seems to be my experience.
#5
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Perth Ontario Canada
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I made the stupid mistake of using poly bushings on an old Corvette, like many other owners did thinking they were somehow 'better'. Bad idea from the squeaking point of view and also for defeating the basic reason that a captured (versus free-floating) bushing is used by the OEMs in the first place.
Never again.
Never again.
#6
Polly bushes can squeak thats why they come with grease. Before installing PU bushes you really need to decide what the car is to be used for. If it is a daily driver and you value comfort PU bushes are probably not what you want. If you want a car for ultimate handling then they will be on your shopping list.
I have had PU bushes in Upper wishbone, rack and front bar and am very happy with the transformation in front end response. The sway bar bushes do squeak sometimes. I am thinking that installing a shim between the bar and bush might fix this, my theory is that it will hold the bar much tighter and prevent the bar twisting in the bush.
cheers
Warren
I have had PU bushes in Upper wishbone, rack and front bar and am very happy with the transformation in front end response. The sway bar bushes do squeak sometimes. I am thinking that installing a shim between the bar and bush might fix this, my theory is that it will hold the bar much tighter and prevent the bar twisting in the bush.
cheers
Warren
#7
pu bushings
Warren,
I'm at the point where I can start replacing the bushings on my front end (and eventually the rest of the car too).
Is there anywhere you would not use them on a car to be driven regularly on the track? V12s offers this kit. Any thoughts? (other than, SH**, that's a lot of money for bushings).
JAGUAR XJS XJR-S V12 Complete Polyurethane Suspension Bushings Set XJS XJ12 XJ6 | eBay
I'm at the point where I can start replacing the bushings on my front end (and eventually the rest of the car too).
Is there anywhere you would not use them on a car to be driven regularly on the track? V12s offers this kit. Any thoughts? (other than, SH**, that's a lot of money for bushings).
JAGUAR XJS XJR-S V12 Complete Polyurethane Suspension Bushings Set XJS XJ12 XJ6 | eBay
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#9
Warren,
I'm at the point where I can start replacing the bushings on my front end (and eventually the rest of the car too).
Is there anywhere you would not use them on a car to be driven regularly on the track? V12s offers this kit. Any thoughts? (other than, SH**, that's a lot of money for bushings).
I'm at the point where I can start replacing the bushings on my front end (and eventually the rest of the car too).
Is there anywhere you would not use them on a car to be driven regularly on the track? V12s offers this kit. Any thoughts? (other than, SH**, that's a lot of money for bushings).
I used SuperPro bushes in the front end as these are what the XJS racers use in the UK, I have PU in the rack and upper wishbone, lower wishbone is rubber. My car is going to be mostly a road use with some track days
Find SuperPro Parts for My Vehicle
Doing it again and with advice from a guy who builds race cars I would do the following. He said the PU bushes in the WB chew out very quickly.
GAZ height adjustable front and rear. I have used Bilsein without height adjustment I do not want to flare the outer guards and I am a bit concerned that the rears tyres will rub if it is lowered 17x10 rears with 275/40-17
Front end
PU bushes in the rack. A MUST HAVE for me any way.
Rubber in the upper and lower WB Although for a track only car PU probably ok.
Solid mount the subframe ie weld plates on the rubber mounts.
Rear end
Solid mount the subframe, weld pipe across the mounts.
Weld triangular gussets in the LCA's to reduce flex.
Rotate large radius arm bush 90° so the holes are to the sides. Or better still remove radius arms.
Lower diff cage brace - mine is going to go forward from the inner fulcrum shafts to the floor pan under the back seat.
#11
Has anyone actually done this? I'd like to hear the results. If you think about it, the engine is isolated by rubber mounts, and all of the suspension that attaches to the subframe is on rubber mounts... So why do you need rubber mounts to attach the subframe to the chassis? Think about it - everything attached to the subframe (engine, control arms, sway bar) all have their own rubber mounts?
Anybody have real world experience here? How does the ride feel?
Anybody have real world experience here? How does the ride feel?
#12
Has anyone actually done this? I'd like to hear the results. If you think about it, the engine is isolated by rubber mounts, and all of the suspension that attaches to the subframe is on rubber mounts... So why do you need rubber mounts to attach the subframe to the chassis? Think about it - everything attached to the subframe (engine, control arms, sway bar) all have their own rubber mounts?
Anybody have real world experience here? How does the ride feel?
Anybody have real world experience here? How does the ride feel?
I'd be interested in knowing this as well. My car is FINALLY about to be out of the shop. After getting paint and the interior re-installed I'm going to drive it for a while. After that, though, the suspension will be my first upgrade project.
Seth
#13
Has anyone actually done this? I'd like to hear the results. If you think about it, the engine is isolated by rubber mounts, and all of the suspension that attaches to the subframe is on rubber mounts... So why do you need rubber mounts to attach the subframe to the chassis? Think about it - everything attached to the subframe (engine, control arms, sway bar) all have their own rubber mounts?
Anybody have real world experience here? How does the ride feel?
Anybody have real world experience here? How does the ride feel?
My question is, why would you remove the front subframe rubber mountings? What would it be intended to achieve?
#14
Come on - there have to be some racers out there that have tried this!
#15
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Damon /Houston, Texas
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#16
Read what these guys do to prep a race car, anything you do to tighten up the car will have an effect on NVH. It comes down to what is acceptable for YOU.
Jaguar XJS Racing Hire Car build Stage 2.3
Jaguar XJS Racing Hire Car build Stage 2.3
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Chuck Schexnayder
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