Which bushings best to replace first?

[Elombard]

If you have to choose which bushing to replace first with monoballs; I wonder which would be most beneficial?

Bananna Arm Bushing (my Pick)
Strut Top
Front control Arm
Rear Spring Plate

I can really only justify doing one at a time (DIY). luckily I enjoy doing my own alinments or I would get killed on the labor etc.

What do you think?

I will probably go with the Elephant Racing products unless I can find a real deal on used stuff.

[KTL]

I think the order you have there is the way i'd rate them.

The banana arm is ripe for them i'm sure. The strut top is not necessary for a street car IMO. Monoballs on the last two could make things pretty harsh.

[Elombard]

Good point Kevin, I am sure mine are shot. I was thinking of the brass bushings with the grease serks that Chuck sells for the Spring Plate/ inner front control arm.

[jyl]

Seems like unnecessary work to take apart the rear, then the front, then the rear, then the front. I'd do one end, then the other.

[CHILI]

Rear Spring Plate if you can only afford one. I'm sure the stock ones are toast. So far my Netrix feel great, but if I had to do it over again, I would go with Chucks' stuff.

[Craig Roche]

I just did mine and it seems like if you do the banana arm bushings you might as well do the spring plate bushings. You have to take the banana arms all the way out to get at the bushings and once you got it that far apart, well.....

Through much searching this board, I went with OEM banana arm bushings and Elephant Racing poly bronze on the spring plates. I have not put the bananas back in yet, It will be awhile before I get to "feel" the difference.

Have fun, those things are kind of a b****!!!

[Elombard]

Craig, I would of suggested the bannana arms for sure because they are binding by design. My car came with poly spring plate bushings so they arent worn real bad but they do squeak.

I really did not have an order in mind but If I did I guess it would be:

Banana
Rear spring plate
front cross member
upper strut
Rear spring plate

[KTL]

I certainly agree that doing them one at a time is not cost-effective. Do them all and be done with it. One alignment needed.

As far as the rears torsion bar bushings go, i'd rate them

Neatrix
PolyBronze
PolyGraphite/Urethane

Reason being, the Neatrix are a simple install, they're cheap and they work good. Just make sure to clean the spring plate well enough to make the superglue stick. The PolyBronze are the ultimate, but more expensive. The PolyGraphite/Urethane don't fit well all the time and have no provision for greasing if they start to squeak.

I think the monoballs for the rear (especially the teflon-lined ones) are the way to go because they provide the best free movement. And they're not much more expensive than the four OEM replacement rubber bushings.

Like I said, I think the front monoballs are overkill for a street car. These front strut mounts don't seem to wear out nearly as much as any of the other bushings on the car. Mine were fine after 14 yrs. of age. If you do want to replace them, these guys have a neat alternative to OEM rubber (very expensive) and the monoballs:

Tarret Engineering Poly Strut Bushings

Not sure if they are similar to the rear banana arm polys (can cause binding), but I doubt it.

[jyl]

Are the "polybronze" bushings on the Tarret Engineering website the Elephant Racing ones? Or are they knock-offs?

http://www.tarett.com/bronze_susp_bushings.htm

[Chuck Moreland]

They are not knock offs. Polybronze is a patent pending design manufactured by Elephant Racing and available through Pelican and other channels.