squeaky bushings

[slantscamp]

hey guys. well as some of you may know i just rebuilt my front end with a poly kit from pst. ive put about 1000 miles on my car since then. all is well except for the upper bushings on my right side control arm squeak like crazy. the left side doesnt squeak at all. anyone experienced this before. can i just spray some wd on them?

 

[ThogtheCaveman]

I don't have any personal experience, but I have heard that if you don't grease the polys enough then they will be super noisy, hope this helps...

 

[Rick 5150 69]

Even in the street rod world this happens, a lot of guys just install zerk fittings anymore as they install the poly bushings.....

 

[redfastback]

i over grease them with that thick silicone and i hope you tightened all the bushings with the weight of the car on them and not up in the air. wd40 will only last for so long.

 

[slantscamp]

hey redfastback. i dont think i understand what you mean by tightening the bushings with the weight on the car. are you talking about tightening the cam bolts while the car is on the ground. i pretty much torqed everything down while my car was up in the air. is that not the right thing to do. any help is appreciated.

 

[340mopar]

If you tighten the suspension bolts with the car in the air when you let it down the bushings will be in tension and will try to get back to the "at rest position" but if you tighten them when the car is at ride height the bushings will be at rest sitting still and every time the suspension moves up or down the bushings will try to get the "at rest position" which is normal ride height.


Chuck

 

[dgc333]

I rebuilt my car with poly graphite bushings and the strut rod bushing squeaked so bad I pulled them out and replaced them with rubber. I tried WD40 and it would last a day or two before it would dry out and the squeaking came back. I had the best luck with motorcycle chain lube. Goes on as a liquid to soak in when the solvent evaporates it has the consitency of grease. But that would only last two maybe three weeks.

With the poly bushings you do not need to have the weight on the car when you tighten the bolts down.

With rubber the suspension motion is achieved by twisting the rubber in between the inner an outer shells. You want the bushing in it's neutral postion at normal ride height so the rubber is not always in a stressed state. That is the reason for have the suspension at it's ride height before tightenin down the bolts.

With poly the inner and outer shells actually rotate (and that's why they squeak) on the poly material in between so no need to worry about when you sock down the bolts.

 

[340mopar]

I have seen some poly bushings that had a steel insert just like the rubber bushings and these need to be treated just like the rubber bushings. So I don't have to pick and choose which ones do and don't matter how you tighten the bolts I just tighten all of my suspension bolts when the car is sitting at ride height. This includes rear suspension bolts also.


Chuck

 

[slantscamp]

so do you guys suggest i loosen my bolts up while my car is sitting on the ground? does this go for my lower control arm pivot bolt. i know i tightened those up while the car was in the air also. thanks

 

[slantscamp]

well i was looking under my car some more today. and it looked like whoever did the alignment didnt tighten up one of the tierod clamps all the way so one was rattling! great. i think im gonna stop by that shop tomorrow.

 

[JR]

Motorcycle chain lube....LOL thats what I used on my 73. It started about 4 months after I did the rebuild. Every 2 weeks like clockwork, I will never use polly bushings again. We went with all rubber in my girls 72 scamp and I will use all rubber bushings in my 53 merc pick up that has a volare clip.

 

[dgc333]

I have seen some poly bushings that had a steel insert just like the rubber bushings and these need to be treated just like the rubber bushings. So I don't have to pick and choose which ones do and don't matter how you tighten the bolts I just tighten all of my suspension bolts when the car is sitting at ride height. This includes rear suspension bolts also.

Even with the steel insert the they still slip verse twist like the rubber so there is no need to worry about when you tighten them. If the poly was bonded to the inner and outer shells like a rubber bushing the suspension wouldn't move because the poly has so little give.