Poly Bushing problem, need answers
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: sometown new york
Poly Bushing problem, need answers
About 30,000 miles ago I swapped the factory bushings to Vette Brakes Poly (front upper & lower control arms and rear lower control arms, I left the upper rear rubber). I've run few tracks in that time, maybe a dozen. Now my suspension and steering feel sloppy. I've traced to worn bushings and/or metal pieces parts in contact with the bushings. No, I haven't pulled everything apart to measure. I have need to add shims on the front upper arms between the bushings and the frame mounts. It's hard to tell if the control arm is worn, but the bushings definitely are. After paying $250 for a set of bushings, I am dissappointed that the are already in need of replacement. Yes, they were well lubed at installation. Are the Vette Brakes bushings the end-all-be-all or are there other brands that last longer? Is this just something I'm going to have to live with if I want to use poly? Do I need to replace all the control arms when I replace the bushings?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 50,808
Likes: 10
From: Buy USA products! Check the label! Employ Americans
30,000 is a fair amount of miles on poly. Remember the stock bushing are bonded to the sleeve so they last longer. You don't need to replace the control arms.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 5,294
Likes: 2
From: Suffolk, Long Island NY
Originally Posted by FRCTony
I can't see how poly could wear out faster than rubber.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 50,808
Likes: 10
From: Buy USA products! Check the label! Employ Americans
Originally Posted by FRCTony
I can't see how poly could wear out faster than rubber.
Not my experience with other cars.
Maybe it has something to do with the embedded graphite.
Maybe they just weren't made right...
Not my experience with other cars.
Maybe it has something to do with the embedded graphite.
Maybe they just weren't made right...
The stock bushings are attached/bonded to a metal sleeve hence the rubber doesn't get friction from the A-arm bolt as poly does with no sleeve. Poly is harder and handles way more presise especially at high speed.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: sometown new york
Alright, poly wears out faster. I can accept that. The handling trade-off is worth it to me. However, I am not too happy about the fact that Vette Brakes didn't tell me anything about poly wearing out faster than rubber. I just wish they would have told me up front.
Anyway, does anyone have any expreience with Energy Suspension products. In the pictures, ES does not show any bolts or sleeves. Do the ES poly parts work with stocks hardware or do they come like the Vette Brakes bushings with all the hardware included? The ES kit is 1/3 the price of the Vette Brakes kit.
Anyway, does anyone have any expreience with Energy Suspension products. In the pictures, ES does not show any bolts or sleeves. Do the ES poly parts work with stocks hardware or do they come like the Vette Brakes bushings with all the hardware included? The ES kit is 1/3 the price of the Vette Brakes kit.
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
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 50,808
Likes: 10
From: Buy USA products! Check the label! Employ Americans
Originally Posted by connellyh
Alright, poly wears out faster. I can accept that. The handling trade-off is worth it to me. However, I am not too happy about the fact that Vette Brakes didn't tell me anything about poly wearing out faster than rubber. I just wish they would have told me up front.
Anyway, does anyone have any expreience with Energy Suspension products. In the pictures, ES does not show any bolts or sleeves. Do the ES poly parts work with stocks hardware or do they come like the Vette Brakes bushings with all the hardware included? The ES kit is 1/3 the price of the Vette Brakes kit.
Anyway, does anyone have any expreience with Energy Suspension products. In the pictures, ES does not show any bolts or sleeves. Do the ES poly parts work with stocks hardware or do they come like the Vette Brakes bushings with all the hardware included? The ES kit is 1/3 the price of the Vette Brakes kit.
ES is worst they suppy no hardware and you have to reuse all the hardware. If yoy drive hard the stock stuff will get sloopy fast also. VBP is the best. Unless you want to put bearings in there from LGM like his race car. Then there is no cushing what so ever.