Well I recently installed some Superpro bushings on my LCAs and have to say these things are great!

What they have different to the ES LCA bushing (which do nothing compared to these Superpros) is an offset hole that adds positive caster. Just like the Sentra's that these bushings were designed for, both cars are postive caster challenged. Both rear LCA bushing designs are the same, so it fits a 4th gen. These help out by adding about a degree more positive caster to stiffen up the steering and make the car more stable at highway speeds.

However on my car it had an amazing side effect, it completely elimated the dreaded 4th GEN 50~90 MPH STEEERING SHIMMY PROBLEM! Now mind you the front end of my car is completely rebuilt (see sig). I upgraded or replaced just about everything, even with all the new parts and rebuilt wheel bearings the steering wheel still vibrated at highway speeds. I added these bushings and got an alignment just today. One trip on the highway and I could not believe it, the wheel does not shimmy one bit! My tires haven't been balanced since the rebuild last year, the only thing that's different is that im on the 80K old OEM SE springs and struts. However my old '98 SE had this problem for all of it's life even with all OEM suspension parts. So someone that has tried "everything" to fix the wheel shimmy will have to try this out themselves and see what happens.

The install is easy. It's the same for the big ES bushing on the back of the LCA. If you have the ES bushing it should be easy to change them. The offset hole must face outward, you can reduce the caster by putting them in backwards so be warned. I didn't take any pics so we have to make do with this crappy ASCII drawing for now.

|-----------|
|-----------|+++++++++++|----------|
|Pass. Side-|+++++++++++|--O------| <--- Offset hole facing outward
|--Tire-----|+++++++++++|----------|
|-----------|++++++++ Pass. Side LCA Offset Bushing

Obviously the driver side is the reverse of passenger side.

Once you get a set of these you will realize what im talking about. They come with there own bushing lube and have knurled insides to retain the grease much better, I have not heard any noises and no binding from them. IMO a flat out better product than ES makes well worth the extra cost. Also you will need to get an alignment afterwards as it throws off the Toe a bit.

They even come in three different flavors.

70 (3 +/-) Durometer

http://www.globalperformanceparts.co...ducts_id=22987

80 (3 +/-) Durometer

http://www.globalperformanceparts.co...ducts_id=19551

90 (3 +/-) Durometer

http://www.globalperformanceparts.co...ducts_id=25107

The pics are nice and show the offset hole. Im running the 80 durometer ones from Superpro. FYI Superpro makes the bushings for Whiteline and dyes them a different color. Im still running the ES bushing on the front of the LCA and so far everything works great with the Superpro bushing on the rear.

Props to Jsutter for getting me on the SR20 Forum and learning what real suspension tech is about. Also all the posts from the Sentra guys were I learned all about these things and got a good deal of info from. They have been using these things for years and have had only good things to say, even Mike Kojima gives these bushings the thumbs up!

All I have to say does anyone need a used set of rear LCA ES bushings ?

Discuss.

 

This makes me want them but I just installed ES bushings.

We need to slap the rear beam's trailing arm pivot bushings in.

 

is there a part number for the bushing for the front of the control arm? Also do you think it would be able keep the toe from changing? Marking locations of everything before removable? How much harder is the superpro compared to the es?

 

http://www.globalperformanceparts.co...ducts_id=19553

Front Sentra LCA bushings, don't know if they will fit on a Maxima. Most Sentra guys don't bother with the front Superpro LCA kit. It's to expensive and the ES front bushings have the same function. Most of them run ES up front and Superpro offsets on the rear with no problems.

Alignment will change with more caster, don't cheap out get a professional alignment after installing these offset bushings. I tried to "eyeball" the toe on re-install and it was way off.

Stiffness seems to be about the same. I squished the ES with locking pliers and then squished the Superpro, they both had about the same amount of deflection. Not exactly scientific but they seem pretty close. If you want stiffer you can try the 90 duro Whiteline racing bushings and report back to us.

 

We'll I tried installing the SPF1340AK finally that I bought last year off Chuck on the G20 boards. I couldn't get mine to seat into the compression rod bushing clamp very well. It hangs down about 3/8" too low. Either the corners were too sharp or the height is a tad taller than the reguar ES rear bushings. Also both of my outer clamp bolts are pretty stripped and one wouldn't come out, the other wouldn't go back in. More when I get things working...

 

For some reason I recall them being smaller than the ES bushings by a little bit.

Maybe at the end of this year I will take them out for a detailed side by side comparison with some pics. Id like to take them out now, but I would not feel comfortable until getting another alignment afterwards.

Also all those big suspension bolts on my car are either new or I used my tap and die set to re-new all those threads. IMO it's critical to have a good set of threads for a bolt to work properly and to get correct torque readings. This is especially the case for us auto-x & roadcourse guys.

 

We'll mine are finally in. What a pain. Turns out nearly all my threads were partially stripped on those 6 bolts holding the rear control arms. Had the Firestone that does my alignments help. Gave them some new $6 Nissan bolts but they didn't have a M14x1.5 tap. Neither did Ace, Carquest, Napa, HomeDepot, Lowes, Sears, TrueValue, etc. Turns out Harbor Freight would've been a good choice but I forgot about them at the time. We made do with what we had, replaced a tie rod while there, and aligned.

Turns out I only get an additonal +.3deg caster avg. +3.8L, +3.6R which is still higher than stock specs allow but I'm dissapointed. Nothing near a whole degree in my case. I think the offset hole left & right isn't such a major change as the way it pushes the arm forward somewhat. The back has a small lip that pushes the bushing forward a tick, and it's not drilled all the way through but rests on poly in the rear. Seems the arm get's moved forward nearly 10mm.

click here for enlargement

I've never used tap & dies before but I'm gonna start now as who knows what's gonna go bad next.

 

Does Superpro make Panhard rod Offset Bushings? this would be a HUGE benefit for the 4th/5th genners with the beam misalignment.

 

I don't know how I didn't know about these bushings, but someone mentioned them in the Superpro beam axle pivot bushing thread so I found this thread.

I just had a new full ES set installed (FSB, LCA, end links, engine subframe) on the front of my car when I had the 97-99 SE steering rack installed as some of the 5 year old bushings were shot. I still have the rear beam pivot bushings waiting to be installed.

My problem is that even with the 97 SE rack, my (heavily modded) car still doesn't turn in like my friend's less modded 97 SE. The feel of the wheel increased (it feels a little heavier) after the rack install, but initial turn-in still isn't as fast. We checked, and both our racks are about 3 turns to lock, whereas my old one was closer to 3.5, so I'm sure I have the correct rack. I've checked, and the alignment specs on my I30 are different than on a Maxima, so the next step is to redo my alignment.

I guess my question would be how much extra adjustment room there is with these bushings. Did anyone else get more than 0.3* more adjustment? If these could get rid of my shimmy around 75 mph, that would be worth it alone, but I'm curious if anyone felt a difference when racing.

Also, Tein is now the only company that sells Superpro bushings, right?

I saw a post on G20.net which talked about other similar bushings, and I don't understand the purpose of some of them:
SPF1338K - Standard caster
SPF1339K - Increased passenger side caster & standard driver side caster
SPF1340K - Increased passenger side caster & decreased driver side caster
SPF1340AK - Increased passenger and driver side caster (this is the one you want to get)

What is the purpose of the SPF1339K and SPF1340K bushing?

Also, why wouldn't one buy the 90 durometer bushings?

EDIT- I just downloaded the ES product guide and they list a shifter bushing set for the 00-03 Maxima. Is this a type or do they actually make a set for the 5 speeds? I thought it was just for the 6 speeds....

 

These do increase caster but just a little bit. The shimmy problem came back after a while, which was weird. There is just to much going on with all these parts to figure out what causes that shimmy problem. My next caster idea is to notch the upper strut towers a little bit so I can adjust caster and add some negative camber. The caster is uneven on my car and I would like to get them both identical on each side.

That is the one of the uses for those 1339 and 1340 bushings, some cars have less caster on one side and you can use the bushing to add some without having to grind the upper strut towers. The 1338 is similar to the ES bushings where they do not add any caster just a stiffer bushing and 13040AK is the set im using to add some caster on both sides.

You could try the 90 durometer stiffer bushings but it will hurt ride quality a bit more. My attitude towards poly bushings on suspension has changed over the years. Instead of using ultra stiff poly now I would rather use spherical bearings with more road noise instead of poly bushings that bind and hurt ride quality. To each his own I guess.

If you want a stiffer shifter linkage use the ES Sentra shifter bushings, buy both part #s 7.1103 and 7.1109. With the two kits and some minor metal work you can cobble together a bushing to replace the '95 ~ '01 Maxima shifter linkage bushing. I did this about 2 years ago and almost forgot about it till you mentioned the ES '00 ~ '03 shifter bushing.

With a new OEM stabilizer bushing and the ES linkage bushing the shifter is very stiff and somewhat more accurate when shifting. Again to each his own. I didn't think it was worth it so I never posted about it on the org.

 

Have you somehow replaced any of the poly bushings on your car with a spherical bearing? Could this even be done?

I already have the "TET" poly shifter bushing in my car, and I believe I bought those Sentra shifter parts a few years ago but never installed them because I didn't know how. Got any pics of how you did it or any tips?

Any thoughts on why my 96 I30 still doesn't turn in like my friend's less modded 97 SE even after the new 97 SE rack was installed in my car? Could the alignment specs for the I30 be that different than the Maxima? All FSBs are the same size for all 4th gens, right?

 

The only sphericals I have are the upper mounts but those are the Stillen plates. You have to find sphericals that are close to the size of the bushings you want to replace, then make a metal insert to fit them. It has been done for many years just no one has done it on a Maxima that I am aware of.

I remember with the shifter bushing I used both Sentra bushings and had to drill out this metal dish shaped part from the stock shifter. Then used the rubber bushing from one Sentra kit and a steel tube insert from another. Then a nut and bolt were used but I had to grind down the bolt head for clearence on the linkage. I used high strength loctite and it has been holding well since then.

I would think the I30 would have the same suspension but maybe a different alignment? Are you having a standard alignment done or doing custom specs?

 

Don't want to get off topic but besides alignment (toe-out), couldn't it be the condition of the shocks, profile of the tires, or any number of other variables?

 

My shocks are newer (and frankly better), we both have 17s, similar tires, etc....I have a FSTB, LTB and SFCs and he has none of them. I know there are a ton of variables, but I'm wondering if it's something built into the car, not something modified, such as FSB diameter, etc.

I was planning on getting 97 SE alignment specs with as much negative camber as possible (usually around -1.5*). What are some more aggressive specs people run?

 

Does the I30 have those subframe plates that the SEs have? Again its something that would help stiffen up the front end.

-1.5 camber is a good set point, Mine is at -2.2 and I like it but personally I wouldnt go any more negative than that unless I start doing auto-x stuff.

 

And as much toe-out as you can stand. Zero at a min. +1/8" better. +1/4" trailer queen.

 

Subframe plates? I can't say I've ever heard of those, where are they?

To get -2.2* camber, you had to use Stillen camber plates, right? I've read some people's reviews of them and they seem to make a lot of noise. How do you like them?

 

Would these work with a LTB?

 

Hmmmm they do move the control arms a little bit out, I'm not sure if the LTB will line up with the control arms.

We are looking into camber/caster plates from a new vendor I would just get those instead of these bushings.

The subframe plate are the brackets that bolt to the chassis and to the subframe arms. All the SEs have them and all A32 have the holes in the chassis for them. It is an OEM desgined chassis reinforcement so why not use them?



The two that are highlighted are the parts in question.

54342-0E001
54343-0E001

Those are the part numbers, left and right side are different.

 

Thanks for the diagram, WTB ad posted!

What's the design of these camber/caster plates going to be like? Similar to the Stillen design? BTW, how did you get your camber to -2.2, the Stillen camber plates? If you already have the Stillens (assumption), why are you making something new?

A little OT, but all 4th gen FSBs are the same diameter, right?

 

I couldn't get my LTB1's to line up. Widening the bolt holes would help but there was no way to get a socket into the recess for the nut (unless one cut off that whole cup end which might be there for strength). I felt the caster was more important than that particular brace.

 

Wow, that's very surprising, especially since you didn't even get the advertised change in caster. I have the LTB2, and really liked what I felt when I installed it. How would you compare the effects of LTB vs. bushing?

 

I really didn't care for the LTB1 that much. Didn't feel much of an improvement and it lowered ground clearance too much. Caster measurements depended on the day, but I saw a avg of 3.7* when lowered and even 3.1* on stock. That's enough of an improvement over 2.7* OEM spec to like em. LTB2 might be totally different but I couldn't use.

 

When you say 3.7* lowered/3.1* on stock, are you referring to ride height? How did you go from 2.7 to 3.7?

 

No, degress of caster with the bushings both with coilovers and on stock susp.

 

Where can you order these caster bushings? Original link isn't working.

I had my alignment done by a friend not to long ago. My alignment has been screwed up for so long it was nice to get it back into spec. I set toe to 0, camber to -1.3. I honestly can't remember what my caster is. But on uneven surface now my car somewhat swerves depending on the angle of the pavement. I don't remember it ever doing that. Caster possibly? I know both sides were pretty close to each other but don't think they were perfect.

Anyway I still want to get the bushings. I'm ordering the ES pivot bushings tomorrow.

 

I was getting ready to go on a vendor search to buy these only to re-read the thread and remember they won't work with my LTB