[mopowers]

So I've decided that it is cheaper to just buy a whole polyurethane bushing kit now, instead of buying the spring bushings now and worrying about the front end when I get to it. What do you guys think about the Energy Suspension kits. They say the black ones are self lubricating and the red ones aren't Which one should I get????

 

[mopowers]

Anyone?? Does Bill carry poly bushing kits?

 

[ski]

I don't know the answer to either of your questions but I was thinking about trying the energy suspension stuff only because I have seen it for cheaper than either PST or Just Suspension stuff. I looked in Bill's online store the other day and didn't see anything like that but you could email him and find out. Let us know what you end up going with and how it turns out.

 

[DartKnight]

I've used the Energy Suspension kits on 3 cars; the first 2 I used the red ones and the last one I used the black. Bottom line is they ALL made noise, but the red ones make considerably more than the black; these are the ones I am getting ready to put on my Dart.

 

[Guest]

Energy tells me the black ones are impregnated with graphite, while the red ones aren't. So the black ones will squeak much less. I use the black ones on the alterk, and they squeaked just the same. I changed the design a little so they're all greaseable, to shut them up. All's quiet now with the grease, but in the stock stuff with no grease fittings, expect them to squeak. Only rubber ones will stay quiet when dry.

I think those stock kits provide some grease to put on them before installing, but that only lasts so long - to keep them quiet you'd have to take it all apart every year and wipe more grease on them.

 

[demon340v]

Energy tells me the black ones are impregnated with graphite, while the red ones aren't. So the black ones will squeak much less.  I use the black ones on the alterk, and they squeaked just the same. I changed the design a little so they're all greaseable, to shut them up. All's quiet now with the grease, but in the stock stuff with no grease fittings, expect them to squeak. Only rubber ones will stay quiet when dry.

I think those stock kits provide some grease to put on them before installing, but that only lasts so long - to keep them quiet you'd have to take it all apart every year and wipe more grease on them.

Bill what would you suggest going with justa bushing kit? from energy? or just going all out for a PST kit?

 

[Guest]

Honestly, I just don't know. On one hand, poly bushings will provide a little help with all the erratic spindle movement, but they greatly restrict free travel. The rubber bushings allow smoother wheel movement, but also allow more erratic spindle movement - especially with the strut rod bushing. That's the bushing that really makes everything miserable.

Without using any aftermarket hard parts, I'd say use rubber offset upper control arm bushings, a rubber lower control arm bushing, and a poly strut rod bushing. The poly strut bushing will help prevent caster change under braking, which is more important than free wheel travel in a street car.

Then make sure to use a matched set of real Moog balljoints, or at least a US made equivalent - I tried a bunch of china brands, and the BJ's differed greatly - by any standard they were total junk. Some were taller than others, some didn't have as much travel, ect. At least make sure the ones you use are the same, so both sides of the car operate and align the same.

Oddly, the steering linkage parts aren't really a big deal. Some brands might last longer than others, but there wasn't much difference that I could find between good ones and cheapies.