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Poly bushings reliability


mickmutante
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I think my driver front A-arm bushings are damaged, son I have to change them. So I am planning to change as many bushings I can i my R50 2000 Pathy, front and rear for polyurethane bushings...

I looked for local manufacturers and found a good one, for really good price (Australian an US were out of my budget beacause dolar TRM vs local peso).

I talked to my suspension mechanic about the change and he sugeste me to buy original Nissans bushings, not poly. He told me that non Nissan rubber bushing will cause squeezing sound and will not last to much... And poly bushings were too hard to the truck and will cause damage on the upper and lower control arms... He suggested that it was better to change the a-arm instead of putting a poly or generic bushing...

 

Is that true? I mean, I have read lots of comments about poly bushings, that they are stiffer on the suspension, but to cause damage on contro arms or a-arm?

Thanks for your comments...

 

 

Edited by mickmutante
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This is the first I've heard of poly bushings actually breaking something. Some guys swap out rear suspension bushings for rod ends (with basically no give) and don't break stuff. I can however see why a mechanic might not want to screw around with aftermarket stuff or pressing a bushing in and out when he could just unbolt the old part, bolt in the new part, and not worry that you'll come back in a week with an issue. Might even save you money to do it the easy way, depending on what he charges per hour.

 

I've read about a few squeaking issues, but it seems the fix is to lube the hell out of them. I used sticky synthetic marine stuff when I put Moog strut rod bushings on my WD21 and they're still nice and quiet.

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I also don't see why poly would break anything. But they will give you a harsher ride and this is a truck, not a sports car. So it seems clear to me that rubber bushings are the best way to go.

It is cheaper to buy new control arms. I think they are only about 20% more money than the bushings and after you consider the labor charge to install new bushings in to your old arms, it will be a lot more expensive that way.

 

So most of us choose new control arms rather than replacing bushings....except for those people that want to go poly.

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I have had mine in for about 3 years no squeaking and nothing has broken yet. Lubed them up pretty good before bolting them up. My last set of rubber lasted 1 year (lower rears) that 's why I went poly. I get 2-3 years out the uppers so they are still rubber.

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Thanks for your advise!

 

I thought it was going to be easier to find the bushings here (Bogotá)... I only found bushings for Toyotas and Mitshubishis... Pathfinder R50 poly bushings are like a very rare hard to find pokemon... Hahahahah

I think maybe i cand find some Nissan Patrol bushings... But i do not know cross reference or campatibility with R50...

Which seller has good price and quality in the US for poly bushings? I need to send them to NY... I will be there next week visiting my sister...

 

Thanks!

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I use the PSB ones for my trailing arms. Well priced, got them off eBay.

The purple ones that AC sells are from SuperPro, a reputable AUS brand. I run those up front, as well. I couldn't find a better price for them than AC, so that's where I got them.

 

Have had both sets installed for about 2 years now. No complaints.

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Poly will give a harsher ride, but it will handle slightly better. You do need to make sure they are well lubed or they will squeak. If you just want the easiest option, new control arms are the way to go.

Edited by adamzan
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  • 4 months later...

I use the PSB ones for my trailing arms. Well priced, got them off eBay.

The purple ones that AC sells are from SuperPro, a reputable AUS brand. I run those up front, as well. I couldn't find a better price for them than AC, so that's where I got them.

 

Have had both sets installed for about 2 years now. No complaints.

 

Which is the web site of AC?

I tried to buy from 4x4parts but I was impossible... Long story...

I really need poly front and rear bushings...

 

Thanks.

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Yep, AC = Automotive Customizers = 4x4parts.com. Though, that's always been their name and website for as long as I can remember (late 90's). Everything before that is a blur.

 

I'm presuming there's some difficulty getting things to Colombia. Thought I'd look into it, thinking maybe I could help. Looks a bit more difficult than other things I've shipped internationally.

 

But, if you must have poly, you may need to look to Australia or a distributor for Whiteline or SuperPro. I'm not seeing the front bushing for the LCA, only the rear LCA and trailing arms. SuperPro has all three styles:

 

SPF4671K - LCA front

SPF2037K - LCA rear

SPF0399K - Trailing arms

 

Is it difficult to even get OE replacements?

 

 

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Yep, AC = Automotive Customizers = 4x4parts.com. Though, that's always been their name and website for as long as I can remember (late 90's). Everything before that is a blur.

 

I'm presuming there's some difficulty getting things to Colombia. Thought I'd look into it, thinking maybe I could help. Looks a bit more difficult than other things I've shipped internationally.

 

But, if you must have poly, you may need to look to Australia or a distributor for Whiteline or SuperPro. I'm not seeing the front bushing for the LCA, only the rear LCA and trailing arms. SuperPro has all three styles:

 

SPF4671K - LCA front

SPF2037K - LCA rear

SPF0399K - Trailing arms

 

Is it difficult to even get OE replacements?

 

 

 

I tried to send the set of poly bushings to a cargo in NY, I had been buying stuff and send it there so they send me the stuff to Colombia, really good price and fast shipping... But at 4x4parts they do not send to a different address from the billing address... I tried to change it fron paypal... Not possible...

 

I was looking for distributors of those companies but it is difficult to have them shipped here...

 

About OE replacements here... we have a lot... It is easy to find them but they are really expensive... But I want to change to poly... For now, I thing I would buy the part I need, until I find how to buy the full set of poly...

 

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polyurethane can actually break stuff. imagine the welds are old with metal fatigue over the years of wear will be the weakest point of the arms. ive had this problem before on my 240sx where all my suspension parts were replaced with polybushings. one of my traction rod actually broke off from the welds itself. poly bushings will flex at minimum unlike the standard rubber that flex.

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Полиуретановые втулки это великая вещь. В условиях очень жесткой эксплуатации, конкуренция продолжается в течение 2-х лет.

https://www.drive2.ru/l/9144136/

Edited by Bobbyyy
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Delta50, Bobbyyy (I use google translator)... I thing al my metal parts are in good shape and rust free... i know the performance of the truck with poly is going to be little harder/solid, and durability of poly is much much longer than rubber...

Should I continue with my rubber/standar bushings... Or jump to poly?

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Personally, if you can get poly without breaking your back importing them, go for it. I don't think they produce a harsher ride...firmer, yes; harsher, no. A much better alternative to rubber.

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