zwede

I tried a couple of lower A-arm bushings (can't recall the vendors) and they fell apart within a year. Got bushings from NAPA and they've been fine for close to 10 years now.

garym52

I've been down this road before....and it really sucks!

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...s-of-pics.html

I hadn't considered the body mount bushings....dang, gonna have to look now!

69L46vert

Wow, Shocking that they fell apart like that. I just installed rubber everywhere except I wound up with poly for trailing arms and diff mount. Hope they will be ok. The poly I bought was ES. I did get a set of rubber body mounts from Zip but not installed yet. I always thought poly would far outlast rubber but apparently not true.

kortensi

I have all the replacement parts in.



I also got the 10" bolts to replace the 8" to lower the rear end a bit.

I figure while I'm at it, i might as well do it.

crsangel1

Im going through the same issue. When I let off the gas the rear end would wobble. i noticed the polyurethane trailing arm bushing I installed disintegrated allowing the arm to shift. Not a good feeling. I probably will have to redo the whole rear end.

Tim 1973

That sucks, when I purchased my body mounts over a year ago for my frame off restro, I got poly. I'm thinking about replacing them with rubber before I put the body on for the final mounting. I would hate to have to replace them after my 73 is all back together.

Mike Ward

Poly is a dumb idea for body mounts even if they last forever. Why would you want increase the amount of shock and vibration transmitted from the frame?

Tim 1973

When I purchased mine I did not know any better, I was just looking for new mounts. I was not paying any attention if it was rubber or poly. I'm sure it was one of the first thing I purchased before removing the body. Not making any excuses just figured when you buy from one of the big supplier they would sell the correct parts for the vehicle. I now do a lot more research on my purchases then when I first started...

Griff2002

I wonder if there is anything you can do to the poly bushings to make them last longer? Silicone spray or some other lubricant?

Tim 1973

I do not think you can do anything that would help... Going to chalk it up as lessons learned.. Anyone want my set Ill let it go for almost nothing....

68/70Vette

Repro elastomer parts: rubber, poly, can be extremely poor quality. For a repro parts manufacturer in China or Tiawan, the difference between a quality part and an inferior part may be only pennies. But the repro China or Tiawanese will nevertheless make these few penny cheaper parts.

I bought front suspension parts for one of the "highly thought of" Florida Corvette vendors of front suspension parts. My car, the 68, was about five years in prep before it got on the road. The rubber bushings for the ball joints were disintegrating before the car ever got on the road!!!! A garaged car...not driven......and the new rubber on the ball joints was just crumbling. The original rubber on the original Delco ball joints (40 years old) was in great shape although I had cut the rubber with the pickle removal tool.

JrRifleCoach

Just curious after reading this thread.
Polyurethane is normally a very non-compliant material.
I'm meaning it does not 'bulge" when compressed like a shock absorber tower rubber does between the mounting washers.
Does this material your using exhibit bulging when squeezed in a vice?

F4Gary

I need to replace the bushings in my strut rods and was thinking of using poly bushings. I'm now rethinking this.

jimvette999

Same here. I replaced them again with Poly on my offset trailing arms, I'm a slow learner. First set of Ploy ones lasted 9 years. Original rubber lasted 30 years. I had my reasons for staying with Poly. Who knows if the rubber ones of today are any good....
Jim

JrRifleCoach

Has anyone sent samples to Energy?

qwank

this is one of the worst places to use poly. use rubber or go with heim joints.

Corvette400hp

I went with him joints also. I assumed my poly bushings on strut ruds went bad because I jacked up the car and bound the bushings. I will out the supplier of my bushings Ecklers corvette. That was my hard earned money. I replaced my ends with hiem joints that where made in the usa. Shame on you.

JrRifleCoach

Ok lots of fugly bushing pics. So can someone post some part numbers or kit mfgrs?
Ive been talking to a few vendors and have their attention.
Now they're watching this thread to gather more information.

0Willcox Corvette

We will not install poly bushings in our shop! Yes we sell it because some customers like it and want it.

IMHO: Replacing a rubber part that was designed to have give to it, with something solid just never made sense. (unless you were racing the car).

Willcox

RBrid

Interesting thread. I'm trying to buy single 2" offset trailing arms with rubber bushings but they all seem to come with poly ones.