LCA ----- Bearings vs Polyurethane
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: So. California
Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: Pro-Built Automatic/Vigilante 2800
LCA ----- Bearings vs Polyurethane
I have Polyurethane bushings in my car now, but now I'm wondering if it is worth upgrading to bearings for both front and back control arms.
Do any of you guys have bearings installed in your car? Do you recommend installing them on a daily driven car? How much of a noise difference is there between the two?
I'm looking to get the most out of my 91' camaro. But I don't want something that will make so much noise that it's hard to even listen to the stereo.
Mark
Do any of you guys have bearings installed in your car? Do you recommend installing them on a daily driven car? How much of a noise difference is there between the two?
I'm looking to get the most out of my 91' camaro. But I don't want something that will make so much noise that it's hard to even listen to the stereo.
Mark
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,266
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From: Tallahassee, FL. USA
Car: 92 Camaro RS
Engine: 350 Crate Motor
Transmission: Tremec TKO
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.73
I ran the Herb Adams solid steel a-arm bushings for about 100,000 miles.Greased
regularly they held up well to daily driving,potholes and quite a bit of abuse.
I don't know if they're still available.
Since I replaced them (last time I replaced ball-joints),I've used the Global West Del-A-Lum bushings, and these feel and sound about the same.No picnic to install, however.
These also have zerk fittings on them, and I generally grease them every time I'm under the car (with Redline Synthetic Grease).
I haven't tried any of the spherical steel-bushed a-arms, but I doubt they would be any noisier.Road noise is a little more noticeable with the bushings I've used, but the improvement in how quickly the suspension reacts is so impressive, I doubt I'll ever go back to rubber or polyurethane.
I do, however have polyurethane in the rear lower control arms and panhard bar,also with zerk fittings.I would eventually like to go to the steel spherical bushed arms from Spohn,just can't afford to right now,since I recently bought a crate motor and rebuilt the rearend.
This is my daily driver and it's driven about 25,000 miles a year,and driven hard for much of it.
I've heard the steel bearings don't live long on the rears in a street car,and I suppose like everything else, I'll just replace things as they wear out, but the noise doesn't bother me any. Between the exhaust noise and 1100 watts of stereo,the suspension noises just blend into the background.
If drive it like you stole it(as I frequently do), the steel bushings are the "race suspension" parts to have.If you spend most of your wheel time cruising for chicks, stay with the rubber or polyurethane.
-Rich-
regularly they held up well to daily driving,potholes and quite a bit of abuse.
I don't know if they're still available.
Since I replaced them (last time I replaced ball-joints),I've used the Global West Del-A-Lum bushings, and these feel and sound about the same.No picnic to install, however.
These also have zerk fittings on them, and I generally grease them every time I'm under the car (with Redline Synthetic Grease).
I haven't tried any of the spherical steel-bushed a-arms, but I doubt they would be any noisier.Road noise is a little more noticeable with the bushings I've used, but the improvement in how quickly the suspension reacts is so impressive, I doubt I'll ever go back to rubber or polyurethane.
I do, however have polyurethane in the rear lower control arms and panhard bar,also with zerk fittings.I would eventually like to go to the steel spherical bushed arms from Spohn,just can't afford to right now,since I recently bought a crate motor and rebuilt the rearend.
This is my daily driver and it's driven about 25,000 miles a year,and driven hard for much of it.
I've heard the steel bearings don't live long on the rears in a street car,and I suppose like everything else, I'll just replace things as they wear out, but the noise doesn't bother me any. Between the exhaust noise and 1100 watts of stereo,the suspension noises just blend into the background.
If drive it like you stole it(as I frequently do), the steel bushings are the "race suspension" parts to have.If you spend most of your wheel time cruising for chicks, stay with the rubber or polyurethane.
-Rich-
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