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Poly bushings vs rubber

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Old Sep 18, 2014
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Poly bushings vs rubber

The dealership said my front bushings were worn so i figured i can replace them with Energy suspensions polyurethane bushings which the shop quoted me at 350 for having them inserted into the LCA, this price includes alignment. It will only be a 40 dollar difference if i was to return these LCA poly bushings and buy new Lower control arms that come with rubber bushings already installed.

I understand that it will make my handling on the car a little more responsive, but that it will also make a squeaky noise in the cold. I will be using this car as my daily driver and don't really plan on increasing the horse power of this vehicle much.

Side note- I put some new loud speakers in my car and plan on sound deadening the vehicle to increase the sound quality. So the rubber may be a better idea and where I live it gets pretty cold and the winters are long.

So my main question is will the poly bushings be worth the extra 40 dollars? How big of a difference is it compared to new rubber bushings? I'm a spirited driver and do enjoy accelerating fast and taking corners hard.
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Old Sep 18, 2014
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Re: Poly bushings vs rubber

I've heard that they make a pretty big difference, especially if you replace all the bushings. I don't have first-hand experience though.
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Old Nov 16, 2014
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Re: Poly bushings vs rubber

any news?? how many miles you got? jw if i need to replace mine too.

i just asked a shop recently about this for front control arm poly bushings and he says yes they will squeak and not recommend it. think he said poly bushings are most helpful at high speeds. BUT he recommends poly bushings 4 front OEM sway bar!.. with no squeaking i guess. i just replaced my engine motor mounts aftermarket OE with a type of rubber bushings and i noticed a positive diff. so im sure replacement rubber front control arm bushings should still help, i think its more an issue of do you want to pay 40 more to drive with squeaking on dailydriver. for me id avoid the squeaking and get rubber...theres many suspension tweaks to do on our cars besides poly bushings
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Old Nov 16, 2014
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Re: Poly bushings vs rubber

they also make these now http://www.moogproblemsolver.com/548...asy-to-install
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Old Nov 17, 2014
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Re: Poly bushings vs rubber

^woah nice, i guess according to the pics on their website this is the right one to purchase for the civic: http://www.fme-cat.com/overlays/part...A%20CIVIC&vin= and gets as cheap as in the $20's sold individually.
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Old Nov 18, 2014
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Re: Poly bushings vs rubber

Do you need an alignment after replacing the lower control arm?
I think I'd just go with rubber because the squeaking would annoy me.
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Old Dec 15, 2014
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Re: Poly bushings vs rubber

If you leave the strut to spindle bolts alone, theoretically everything should stay in the same place. The bushings mentioned above would definitely be my choice. I have poly and after I drilled the arms etc to get grease into them and put some wear on them they don't squeak. The design of the "pancake" bushing means the rubber ones wear out quickly. This is the reason I have poly bushings. With all that said the big bushing on the front is the only one to fool with. Unless there is a problem with the rear one leave it alone. It is a major PITA and the pivoting forces aren't the "wrong" direction to it. (This isn't the only vehicle that has "pancake" bushings and they all wear them prematurely.)
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Old Dec 28, 2014
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Re: Poly bushings vs rubber

Originally Posted by johndeerebones
I have poly and after I drilled the arms etc to get grease into them and put some wear on them they don't squeak.
Can you elaborate on what you did there? Where did you put a hole in the arm, etc? I have some energy suspension ones I need to put in but then I read that they would need some grease applied over the years and was wondering how to do that.
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Old Dec 29, 2014
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Re: Poly bushings vs rubber

Look for zerk fittings
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Old Dec 30, 2014
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Re: Poly bushings vs rubber

Originally Posted by sdaidoji
Look for zerk fittings
oh gotcha, seems easy enough to put one in. is just one good enough for that big of a bushing or did you put one on each side?
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Old Dec 31, 2014
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Re: Poly bushings vs rubber

i would guess the answer would be start with one, if it squeaks, install another?
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