bushings

Island_Yota

New Member
Aug 5, 2008
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Vancouver Island
my car needs an alignment, but it needs new bushings first. My question is, should I go with the Energy kit? I really dont want to lose any ride quality, ive used poly bushings on other vehicles before and had some pretty rough riding results, how does the Energy kit ride compared to rubber bushings?

next question is am I still able to get rubber ones and how much are they? does anyone know the specific part numbers for all of them? im leaning towards rubber ones so far unless they are outrageously priced. The car is just a daily driver n/a on stock struts and springs, no need for anything more than rubber.

another question is about the ball bushings, theres a thread someone posted about replacing them with very good results, I have the "clunk" sound on accel and decel, noticeable in first and reverse.. as described in the thread replacing these fixed the problem and got rid of the "slack", il dig up the thread in a bit.. I have a bummed driveshaft support bearing aswell but the noise is from the rear wheel area, its something I dont want to overlook when I replace the rest of the bushings.


edit: here is the thread:

http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64998&highlight=bushings
 

toy fanatic78

addicted to toy's
Oct 17, 2008
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Elkhart,IN
The rubber bushings are crazy-ass expensive from the dealer even with a discount.I have installed energy bushings in all of the mk2's that I've owned,and my DD cressida and didn't have a noticeable difference in ride quality yet improved handling greatly.Steering is crisper and they ride as smooth as fresh rubber bushings IMO,just last a lot longer especially with aggressive driving.The black ones are graphite impregnated also (self lubricating)so they don't squeak.I'm currently restoring my mk3 and just put energy bushings in it,their kit does Not include the ball bushings for the rear.I'm not sure about how they feel in the mk3 either as this is the first one I've replaced bushings in but have been using their bushings for over 10 years and have always been happy with them.Here is a pic of where the ball bushings are located(just ordered mine fri,not in yet)
p1186664_1.jpg

The ball bushings are ~$35 each from toyota.
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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Fort Worth, TX
Stock bushings aren't that expensive actually...

BUT, some aren't available without buying the entire supsension piece. Also, the ball bushings are built more like ball joints that's why they knock around when they wear.

Poly bushings are fine for a street car (ask IJ as he drives his more than anyone I can think of)
 

toy fanatic78

addicted to toy's
Oct 17, 2008
689
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Elkhart,IN
Poodles;1186810 said:
Stock bushings aren't that expensive actually...

BUT, some aren't available without buying the entire supsension piece. Also, the ball bushings are built more like ball joints that's why they knock around when they wear.

Poly bushings are fine for a street car (ask IJ as he drives his more than anyone I can think of)

I consider $400+ expensive for stock replacement rubber bushings,especially when poly are only ~$160 for the whole car
 

Island_Yota

New Member
Aug 5, 2008
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Vancouver Island
toy fanatic78;1186875 said:
I consider $400+ expensive for stock replacement rubber bushings,especially when poly are only ~$160 for the whole car

Thats what I wanted to hear, il be going poly, I tryed my local Toyota dealership and they couldnt figure out what bushings I even needed so il just scrap the idea of rubber bushings. I will need the rear ball bushings though, a part number would be perfect because they never know what im talking about when I call the dealership.
 

adampecush

Regular Supramaniac
May 11, 2006
2,118
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Edmonton
$160 poly bushings is a very recent development....prior to that, it was in the neighborhood of $700.

I'd use poly for all bushings rotating normal to the longitudinal axis of the car, and stock for the others.

As for my car, I replaced everything with stock bushings (prior to the release of the cheap poly)
 

toy fanatic78

addicted to toy's
Oct 17, 2008
689
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Elkhart,IN
adampecush;1187144 said:
$160 poly bushings is a very recent development....prior to that, it was in the neighborhood of $700.

I'd use poly for all bushings rotating normal to the longitudinal axis of the car, and stock for the others.

As for my car, I replaced everything with stock bushings (prior to the release of the cheap poly)

Yeah,I think they just came out w/the energy bushings within the last year or so.The high cost,and wanting poly had deterred me from replacing the bushings for quite some time.
 

toy fanatic78

addicted to toy's
Oct 17, 2008
689
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Elkhart,IN
Island_Yota;1187115 said:
Thats what I wanted to hear, il be going poly, I tryed my local Toyota dealership and they couldnt figure out what bushings I even needed so il just scrap the idea of rubber bushings. I will need the rear ball bushings though, a part number would be perfect because they never know what im talking about when I call the dealership.

part # for ball bushings 42210-14010 (x2)