Polyurethane Front Thrust Arm Bushings

[Henn28]

Figured I’d download the learning curve with tension strut bushings that I’ve been climbing the past year.

I had been chasing a front end clunk at low speeds for a while, which eventually turned out to be the tension strut ball joints, at the steering knuckle. Part of my “throw parts at it until I found the problem” solution was to swap out the Turner mono-balls with Polyflex tension strut bushings. Per above, I was very happy for the first few months. However, I recently started getting the creaking/groaning noise from the front end (that that mentioned in a different thread) when pulling away from a stop. This noise continued after I fixed the clunking with new tension strut ball joints.

I can say definitively now that this noise was from the poly bushings. Specifically, the metal sleeve thst passes through the center and allows the bush to rotate and flex around it when the suspension and steering flex. The metal sleeve came with a grease, which I used liberally, but I guess it doesn’t last long.

Last week I put the car in the air and dropped the tension struts at the subframe to re-grease these metal sleeves. The noise is gone. Who knows how long it will stay gone. All I had on hand was white lithium grease.

If it comes back I think I’ll throw the towel in on poly bushings and swap my monoballs back in. I did find the ball joint boot on the left side lower control arm already shredded, so I ordered a set of monoball arms to try.

Part of the problem is thst the roads around me are truly awful, and I suspect the fact that I’ve lifted the car a bit and the wheels and tires I’m running don’t help by putting more force on the suspension bits. The car also takes more of a beating in the winter during hunting season with some very mild off road and unimproved farm road driving.

At any rate…love the tight, quiet and comfortable ride from the poly (more so than the monoball which are nice, but very tight) but re greasing them every 6 to 8 months is a non starter if the noise returns. I also really like not having to torque them (or the monoballs) with weight on the suspension.

[Homerlovesbeer]

Try white plumbers tape next time as I've read that solves the noise problem.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Henn28

Figured I’d download the learning curve with tension strut bushings that I’ve been climbing the past year.

I had been chasing a front end clunk at low speeds for a while, which eventually turned out to be the tension strut ball joints, at the steering knuckle. Part of my “throw parts at it until I found the problem” solution was to swap out the Turner mono-balls with Polyflex tension strut bushings. Per above, I was very happy for the first few months. However, I recently started getting the creaking/groaning noise from the front end (that that mentioned in a different thread) when pulling away from a stop. This noise continued after I fixed the clunking with new tension strut ball joints.

I can say definitively now that this noise was from the poly bushings. Specifically, the metal sleeve thst passes through the center and allows the bush to rotate and flex around it when the suspension and steering flex. The metal sleeve came with a grease, which I used liberally, but I guess it doesn’t last long.

Last week I put the car in the air and dropped the tension struts at the subframe to re-grease these metal sleeves. The noise is gone. Who knows how long it will stay gone. All I had on hand was white lithium grease.

If it comes back I think I’ll throw the towel in on poly bushings and swap my monoballs back in. I did find the ball joint boot on the left side lower control arm already shredded, so I ordered a set of monoball arms to try.

Part of the problem is thst the roads around me are truly awful, and I suspect the fact that I’ve lifted the car a bit and the wheels and tires I’m running don’t help by putting more force on the suspension bits. The car also takes more of a beating in the winter during hunting season with some very mild off road and unimproved farm road driving.

At any rate…love the tight, quiet and comfortable ride from the poly (more so than the monoball which are nice, but very tight) but re greasing them every 6 to 8 months is a non starter if the noise returns. I also really like not having to torque them (or the monoballs) with weight on the suspension.

IIRC silicone grease is the recommended lubricant for poly bushings. It's what I used on my tension strut poly bushings and I've never had an noise issue.

[Henn28]

Thanks gents. I think the stuff thst came with the bushings was silicone grease, or looked like it anyway.

Plumbers Teflon tape is a good idea. Thanks.