I just ordered some Energy Suspension 20mm front Sway bar bushings/ Front Sway Bar End-Links x4 / Front control arm bushings/ Energy Suspension Parallel Link Bushings. My question is this mod worthy of the money I spent? How much did you guys enjoy this mod if you have it? Also I searched for install tips but didn't find much of anything for bushings.

Thanks,

-Nate

 

It increases noise and vibration a ton, which is great for steering feel yet can be annoying when you're used to the smooth, comfortable ride of the stock Maxima. I think it's worth the money, yet I only have the FSB set (not control arms or the brand new subframe bushings).
-Cyrus

 

Thanks for the very informative post... Sounds great! I am excited, although the additional noise won't be welcomed but with performance comes some negatives, right!

-Nate

 

I have the FSB bushings installed and notice no difference whatsoever.

I'm in process of installing the front control arm bushings, and will report on that within a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, I'm confident the original stock bushings are smashed, so the comparison vs. good stock bushings won't be there.

 

I just ordered the hyperflex energy suspension poly bushings off www.suspension.com today....ordered just the FSB set, the grommets (endlinks), and the subframe set...can't wait for my new ball joints and poly control arm bushings as well which I will put on later!!! and then slap on the WSP SFC's and possibly the matt blehm LTB!!! finally a chassis that is worth showing up to the track with and not being embarrassed by how sloppy it is!!! LOL... oh yeah, and can't forget the long travel rear shock mounts, so when autoX'ing, my rear tires stay in contact with the ground for once, instead of "3-wheeling"...

 

I have found my pre-owned Maxima's front control arm bushings to be in the same condition as yours. So the comparison will serve it purpose to me. Thanks for the post.

-Nate

 

Cool, keep us informed. Sounds awesome and I know what the 3-legged ballet looks like with our Max's. LOL

-Nate

 

The only poly bushings that were really bad as far as increasing vibration were the Place Racing motor mounts. They were too stiff and transmitted a lot of engine vibration to the chassis.

The Energy Suspension motor mounts for the VQ (brand new) do increase vibration but not to an annoying degree, according to PoLo (who has a 2002). The general consensus is that ES motor mounts are much better than the old PR mounts and of course they drastically reduce the sloppy engine movement and reduce wheel hop.

I ordered the complete ES bushing set for the 4th gen. I've only installed the FSB and FSB endlink bushings thus far because the rest are a bit more difficult to install. I haven't even driven with them installed yet because I haven't taken my car out for the season yet. I do plan on installing the rest in the course of the next two months so I will report back.

I did a lot of reading on the Org before I decided to go with all the available ES bushings, and from what I gathered, they are well worth the trouble of installing.

 

I've noticed nicer steering feel with ES sway-bar and endlink bushings,
but nothing made my ride smoother than new balljoints !!!

Nick.

 

Nick, did you buy the whole control arms or were you able to replace just the ball joints? And how much?

 

i bought the whole LCA off ebay for $55 shipped , great product even though made in Taiwan

Nick.

 

Good to know.

 

Yeah, bugger they didn't exist 6 months ago when I went to the junkyard to get a spare set of arms. At that time I saw a few OEM arms for over $100/ea, which made buying the old arms ($75), ES bushings ($25), and new balljoints ($50) just barely economical.

Dave

 

How do you know when your ball joints need to be replaced? My car has a very annoying alignment/ tire out of round or something issue going on right now. I had the alignment done before and after no change. I think that the brand new tires are out of round.

-Nate

 

a good alignment tech should point out bad ball-joints to you prior alignement
If you have you car on the lift , grab the wheel at 6 and 12 o'clock and try to wiggle it back and forth , look for any loosenes

I advice to replace balljoints on any high milage car

Nick.

 

Thanks for the great info...

-Nate

 

I noticed no increase in noise or harshness with the ES bushings...

 

I installed all es front end bushings. Control arm, all sway bar, and engine mounts. I did notice a difference in handling. Turn into corners is much better than before, there's no sloppy feeling in my steering. The motor mounts are bad ***, no more wheel hop, or engine rocking. I still need to install the rear trailing arm bushings, and see how those affect handling.

 

Ah, it was you 1FSTMAX. I just asked somewhere else about the guy who was going to attempt to put in the rear trailing arm bushings for the 5th gen in a 4th gen. Then someone responded and said they checked Nissan part numbers and they're different. But try anyway and report back.

 

i bought them but have yet to install them. There sitting in the box in my car bag.

 

I didn't know they had rear trailing arm bushings for 4th gen's....

 

Energy Suspension doesn't. He bought the 5th gen ones and is hoping they'll work given the strong similarity between the 4th and 5th gen rear suspensions.

 

well wouldn't energy sell them to 4th gens guys if they knew they would fit to expand their demand/market base..?

 

They prob don't know if they fit a 4th gen. Once they do, they prob will market them for the 4th gen.

 

so in other words, they tested fitted them or copied the stock replacement bushings but not for the 4th gen...though they made all the other bushings for the 4th gen...I hope they do make these/or do fit....

 

I went with these, i think they will work fine. then I'm on to the motor mounts.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...RK%3AMEWN%3AIT