Polyurethane front LCA/UCA bushings
 

Hi guys,

I recently had all front bushing replaced with polyurethane (Energy). Wanted to share the results. It all started with frozen/corroded camber bolts, so since we were destroying that bushing, decided to do all of them at the same time. This was about a month of daily and 1 track day ago.

Overall observations:

• Occasional popping from the front suspension when entering a driveway or reversing into a parking spot.
• Noticeably more front end stability in daily driving. I didn't really think it was unstable before, but since the change the front and the steering have a lot less noise in the movement. You feel more of the road through the seat of the car than the steering.
• Noticeable change in cornering balance toward oversteer. The rear is 'leading' the car more when on the throttle.
• Rear is little more squirrely under hard braking.
• Slight increase in noise in the cabin. You hear/feel more through the seat, but it's not annoying. Kind of soothing actually, like white noise. My car is already loud from the poly engine mounts.
• Hardest part of the job by far was ripping out the frozen camber bolts. They were REALLY bad, we think water gets inside the sleeve and can't get out, so the whole thing rustwelds together. The bushings themselves are cake.

So overall pretty happy, recommend for a track car. Tempted to do the rears next year, some frozen bolts there too :/

I did it before and oh by it was such a bitch to remove those bolts.

just remember to put some bearing grease on the bolt before u reinstall.

Any pics? I've been looking into this for a while but been too lazy to do it. Did you buy new sleeves? Bc when I did my control arms the bolts were seized to the sleeves and I had to torch them out. On energy suspensions web site it says to re use stock sleeves.

what I did was I made some new sleeve with titanium, its not that expensive in China and oh shit those things will probably last the life of the car.

Yeah, I ended up buying a new set of bushings just for the sleeves. I didn't say this was a cost effective project ;)

Pics as someone asked:
Attachment 219001

This is what the bolts looked like when removed..
Attachment 219002

:fAcEpAlM:

Almost everyone knows you hate those bushings. Almost. Lol

what do you suggest team? I'm one of the ones that doesn't know that you hate them and why? Maybe you have a thread somewhere on it?

cuz it's a bitch to remove

I tried many things to get those sleeves out, soaked them in various chemicals etc. I eventually ended up torching them out then soaking them in some flammable product and setting mine on fire in a bucket. I let it burn until the flames died out and boom I had my sleeves.

I know when team switched his to delrin they used an air chisel. But fire is cooler.

Hindsight 20/20 it was a complete waste of time and money. But if you are bored and need something to do its a good project.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...a3ffd70cdc.jpg


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...a747e8f9e6.jpg