Suspension Bushing Recommendations Wanted

[1974carrera]

So, I'm getting ready to rebuild/upgrade the suspension on my '74 Carrera. I'm particularly interested in experiences and recommendations on what to use for front a-arm and rear trailing arm bushings. Urethane bushings seem like they might be the best way to go since I really like crisp handling, but I'm uncertain about durability and noise (rattles, clunks, etc) as they wear. Any input is really appreciated.

[1974carrera]

I should have added that this car is street driven but definitely sees autocross and drivers ed use, so handling is primary and keeping it plush is not the objective. Thanks for any input.

[dickster]

i'm not using 'em yet so can't comment on the use, but i've just ordered bushes for my '86, and following what seems like a fairly general consensus on the board i went for poly front/neatrix rears.

[KTL]

A good solution that most here have used is the poly street bushings for the front A-arms and Neatrix rubber bushings for the rear spring plates.

The front poly need a little massaging to install (read, gotta shave them a bit sometimes to get a nice tight, smooth fit) and may squeak with age. Solution for this is to install grease zerk fittings. Do a search about the front bushings and see what you find. So far, Chuck Moreland is the guy when it comes to installing the front bushings. He really has done his homework on how to do this right. Here's one of his topics on this issue:

Chuck's bushing work

The rear bushings are a little more involved to replace. The old ones take some work to get them off. Bench vise, nice & sharp utility knife, drill with wire wheel attachment, and propane torch are some necessary tools. The new ones are a cinch to put on after the old are fully removed. Use silicone spray, not petroleum grease, on the bushings when reinstalling spring plates.

The inner bushings on the rear control arms (right next to the front of the trans) get old and cracked as well. The popular opinion on this job is replace with factory bushings or install monoball cartridges for the best in free movement of the control arm.

This topic's been covered a good bit in the past, so do a search with some different keywords and see what you can find.

Good luck

[APKhaos]

There is tons of good info on this subject - search will pull most of it, including the definitive Chuck Moreland thread that Kevin highlighted.

I went with street poly all round since this compound is now available for the rear as well as the front. The results were dramatic, which probably says more about how totally shagged the 150,000 mile original rubbers were! I was expecting significantly increased harshness, but found that the new bushings were firm, but certainly not harsh.

[1974carrera]

Thanks a bunch for the input, guys. The previous threads are a great source of information and inspiration. Being somewhat new to the board, I didn't realize I could search the archives (ignorance is not bliss) but I'll be sure to use this tremendous resource so I don't initiate a topic that has been so well covered.

Thanks again.

[Chuck Moreland]

As documented in a number of threads, I've had a bit of experience with poly and neatrix bushings. Done correctly, these can work well.

The "done correctly" qualifer is the catch. The problem is they require considerable custom fitting, and you need a lathe to do it right. You need to do a custom installation of grease fittings to fight friction and squeaks. And it is impossible to put a grease fitting on the inner spring plate bush.

Even with the fittings, squeaks are always a risk with poly. I've been in some poly bushed cars that squeak like all hell, creates the feeling of being in a rattle trap.

So, I decided that someone ought to make a better bushing. One that is not custom fitted, does not squeak, extremely low friction and easily lubricated. I've done exactly that.

I'm testing the control arm prototypes right now and they are working great. These are going to be hella sweet

I'm not quite ready to go public with all the details, but I will discuss with individuals offline. Production shipments will begin in about 3 weeks and I am taking pre-orders now.

These will be orderable through Pelican soon.