control arm bushings
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Originally Posted by jeaux
Should I use any lube on rubber while installing them?
is not needed. A silicone grease might protect the rubber. I wouldn't
use regular grease on rubber - it can deteriorate it by absorbing the oil.
On poly bushings - yeah. They rotate in the shells and need lots of lube.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,380
Likes: 6,390
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
The rubber bushings are encased in a steel shell, so the rubber itself cannot be lubricated - it would serve no purpose since the rubber does not rotate; it twists. However, they press in nicer if you put a little lube around the outside of the steel shell before you press the shells into the arms.Poly bushings slide into the outer shell and rotate within it, so the poly bushings should be lubed before slipping the bushing into the shell.
Make sure you drop the car down on the ground and have the full weight on the front suspension before tightening up all the A-arm bolts. Otherwise you'll end up with pre-loaded bushings that will be twisted pretty tight.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Originally Posted by lars
Make sure you drop the car down on the ground and have the full weight on the front suspension before tightening up all the A-arm bolts. Otherwise you'll end up with pre-loaded bushings that will be twisted pretty tight.
Can't stress this enough. This is what causes bushings to fail prematurely. Excellent advise. 
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 188
Likes: 0
From: Central NJ
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08
I'm currently doing my control arms with poly bushing and was told to use grease so that the bushings don't sqeak. Also was told to use marine grade grease because of water washing it out (not that I going to drive in my car in the rain, but it sounds good to me).
E
E