What's the downside to poly bushings?
 

I was thinking about replacing the tired sway bar bushings and bar end-links with some poly ones instead of the plain rubber.

Am I setting myself up for NVH (possible noise, vibration or harshness) with this choice over rubber? I'd like to tighten the handling, but not at the expense of degrading the overall ride to get the handling benefits.

thanks

Leave the sway bar bushings with OEM. I bought poly ones and they are larger and they ripped within a few months say like 2K. Then I had all this squeaking noise from metal to metal contact. So just leave the sway bar bushing OEM.

There will be no noise or vibrations from the poly bushings. I would get the poly endlinks, control arm bushings, and crossmember bushings.

yeah i have poly bushings on my sway bar and i do occasionally get a squaking noise...
might wanna pass on those.

I got a lot off popping and stuff from the control arm bushings. I lubed them but when we took them out they were bone dry.

Dave

I've had Energy Suspension bushings on my LCA's and front sway bar for about 4,000 miles, and have experienced no problems.

At each tire rotation, I have them checked and lubed, if necessary.

thanks for the comments guys. Basically I'm trying to get the suspension as close to feeling how it left the lot with 9 miles.. New tokico blues, all new soft rubber parts on the struts and thought of the sway bar and bushings too, since the main bar bushings are more oval-shaped at this point! I'm not one that pushes the car to its limits and would rather have a softer ride with no noises, versus a *bit* more responsive but having vibrations or noises, etc.

Thinking I'll at least go oem on the bushings and endlinks (I think that's all I'm changing at the immediate time it looks). Control arms and all look a bit more involved.

A couple of years ago I put on an addco rsb and for some reason I was thinking it had red bushings, maybe not, have to check on that.

thanks again!

They did, and those red bushings are poly.

I had a guy at Tire Kingdom install all my poly bushings for $40.

Could you kindly clue me as to how the poly endlinks would be preferable over the oem? In other words, what will it change and how?

thanks

I've got poly in the front... sway bar, end links, and lower sub-frame connector. I noticed right away that the turn in was a little bit easier. I used the lube that energy suspension provided and have no squeaks or pops to speak of. I installed them myself and it took a little over 2 hours. The hardest part was breaking the subframe conncetor bolts off. They were on there TIGHT. Even with the breaker bar, I had trouble...
I'm going to order the lower motor mounts next and the ball joints. From what I'm told, I'll need a press to get the ball joints in.