I would like to get new strut rod bushings to replace the polyurethane ones that I have right now. I have been hearing nothing but bad things about having poly bushings for this application.

I hear that rubber is the best, but I don't like how it doesn't last. I am looking at these right now. I'm wondering if they are Silica. They say that look and feel like rubber, but have the properties of poly so they will last. Which ones are you guys using?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/65-66...Q5fAccessories

 

what's your issue with poly bushings?

 

Here's my issue with poly bushings. Strut bushings are supposed to flex, but urethane limits flex (that's why it was used in bushings). This lack of flex, however, causes the struts to flex, which they were not meant to do. Catastrophic failure of the strut, potentially resulting in death, can result. And it depends how you define "last" with rubber. My rubber bushings are over 20 years old, still in perfect condition.

 

wow. thats pretty extreme if that the poly bushing caused the strut rod to break. on top of that, if you have to use rubber bushings to bandaid 40 plus years of metal fatigue and corrosion thats just as scary.

dont take this the wrong way 2+2GT - you have more experience in this area than i do. I'm just having a hard time believing that the reduced (but not zero) flex in a poly bushing can cause that damage in isolation.

 

The poly bushing topic has been discussed quite a bit on many forums. One thing that poly bushings do well is prevent deflection during braking which is desirable but not during suspension travel which can cause the break pictured above. Rubber bushings deflect well during suspension travel which is good but also during braking which is undesirable.

An idea I though I had read a while back which makes sense to me anyway involves using a poly bushing furthest from the lower control arm to prevent deflection under braking and a rubber bushing inside to allow deflection during suspension travel.

 

If they have the properties of poly then they will perform like poly and therefore can cause the same damage as poly.

 

Seriously, what's all this about rubber not "lasting"? If you put rubber bushings in there now, in all probability they will still be in perfect condition in the year 2035. Are you really going through all this for that far off date? How do you know private ownership of gasoline-powered cars will even be legal by then? Heck, the person who will be president when those bushings go bad is probably wondering who they can go to the prom with this year.

 

I agree, a good rubber bushings should last a good while.

My issue is the toe-in condition caused under braking due to the bushing deflection.

 

I went with an adjustable strut rod that has a heim joint to eliminate flex and steering changes during turns, bumps or braking.
Not original equipment... just better.
Info and pics: http://chris66dad.tripod.com/id28.html

 

The PO of my car put rubber strut rod bushings in at some point before I got to it. I got the car in 2001. They still look almost new, and I used the car as a daily driver up until last Christmas. Who says they don't last?