Right on brother!!
A-arm polyurethane bushings
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Joined: Nov 2006
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A-arm polyurethane bushings
I have lightly squeaking polyurethane bushings on the upper A-arms. How can I get rid of the squeaking without exchanging the bushings? Is it an option to remove the bolts and curved bushing washers from the A-arm shafts while the A-arm is still in the car and oil or grease them somehow?
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 35
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From: Manchester NH
Curved bushing washers? I just did my front end with a VBP kit and they provided a flat washer to replace the curved washer. Also recommended leaving a .010 to .020 gap between the washer and the poly by filing the inner sleeve to provide just the right gap. I know this doesn't help at the stage you're at, the LW idea is probably what you want to do, but I was just curious about using the curved washers with poly bushings.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Curved bushing washers? I just did my front end with a VBP kit and they provided a flat washer to replace the curved washer. Also recommended leaving a .010 to .020 gap between the washer and the poly by filing the inner sleeve to provide just the right gap. I know this doesn't help at the stage you're at, the LW idea is probably what you want to do, but I was just curious about using the curved washers with poly bushings.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,463
Likes: 1,485
From: Little Rock AR
marine grease is what they need in there. Translucent, thick, waterproof and very sticky. 
I have some polygrahite bushings in the front end of my Camaro. They don't squeek yet but I wish I had used the rubber ones now. Call me crazy but I think rubber give better suspension control. Go solid delrin/aluminum or go rubber if you just cruise around IMHO.
-Mark.
I have some polygrahite bushings in the front end of my Camaro. They don't squeek yet but I wish I had used the rubber ones now. Call me crazy but I think rubber give better suspension control. Go solid delrin/aluminum or go rubber if you just cruise around IMHO.
-Mark.
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Joined: Nov 2006
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Yes, there are flat washers with the poly bushings. I used a restoration book to find the correct words to make you understand what I mean. I was in the chapter for rubber bushings. May be the best approach is to install rubber bushings, these I have already.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,428
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From: Japan
One of the reasons I put poly bushings in mine was that they could be easily installed in my garage without a press, thus sparing me the risk of Bubba potentially destroying my control arms. I haven't noticed any appreciable increase in ride harshness with poly bushings installed (these old Vettes tend to ride like trucks anyway), and unless you've got a NCRS car, who really cares that much about how they look?
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
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From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
That squeeking is the poly begining to bind, and it really must be kept lubricated to avoid this. The best way is to install them with synthetic grease in the first place, which lasts significantly longer than anything else I've found, and/or to install zerks to make subsequent greasing a breeze.
Rubber bushings are too compliant, and allow all kinds of unwanted geometry changes under load.
Rubber bushings are too compliant, and allow all kinds of unwanted geometry changes under load.