The title says it all. I am replacing the old rubber mounts in the lower control arm, sway bar mounts, and end links with the nice black energy suspension pieces. I hope this will give a better ride and offer a tighter steering feel. I am however having some real issues trying to remove the front bushing as I tried one persons suggestion of drilling out the rubber material and just basically hacking away until its removed. The only problem is that the outer steel shaft is still there and needs to be pressed out because the new poly parts fit only in the very outer lower control arm shaft. If anyone has done this or knows someone who has please lend me some advice or a link to a thread about this, Thanks and I would search but when I donated over a year ago, I never recieved donating member status, thanks again.

 

[B]I just did my mine it was hell
i torch off the rubber and then used a press to punch out the metal part
if you ask me i will tell you just take to a suspension shop near you
your ride will be stiffer great upgrade
sway bar is very easy to install bushing

 

Where did you guys purchase all your bushings. I am considering replacing my bushings in the near future. Maybe some part numbers or a list of all the bushings need would be helpful.

Thanks

 

http://www.suspension.com/nissancars.htm

best price you are going to find, you can also pick up all the FSB bushing there too

 

thanks for the imput kitmax. I got mine on after taking the lower control arms completely off the car and having them pressed out for a rip off $80 = 1 hr of labor. I never let anyone work on my car, but since when has labor gotten so high.

Anyway this is one of the best suspension mods I have ever done, almost as good as the sfc's and illuminas. I used to have a noticeable shake at ~75mph and now it is totally smooth like an LS430. I use to always think the dam balancing was always bad.

 

Yah unfortunatly, I had to get mine pressed out when i did the G20 control arms...i did my rears too...it cost alotta money they are all bastards for a 5 min job. If you know someone with a press that kicks ***...otherwise u gotta take it to a shop.

 

Had the same problem. I took out that sleeve using a hacksaw. This is the simplest way to do it, as you can see how far you're cutting into the sleeve without damaging/nicking the outer housing. Remove the saw blade from the hacksaw...stick the blade through the control arm housing, and re-attach to hacksaw....then start sawing. Ensure you cut the sleeve flatly...and evenly. Inspect your sawing every 10-20 saws.

Once the sleeve is 95% cut through, you can take a flat-blade screwdriver and tap between the sleeve and housing. Tap until the sleeve starts to bend inwards 2-3 mm. Then move your screwdriver and tap to further make the sleeve coil inwards. Then it should pop/fall right out. If you're worried about nicking the sleeve housing, then put some electrical tape over the tip of your screwdriver..that should help.

Press in new bushings. I used a small vice. Though...if I had the whole control arm off...I probably coulda tapped them in using a soft mallet or something.

 

ok the way i took that out was i got a air hammer and a cutting piece and just cut through it and then i, just hammered it out. well i guess i was late tho but its really not that hard and yes thoes money hungry bastards, if u don't have anywhere to do it go to like a auto tech collage, they are always looking for something to do and its free.

 

One of my friends suggested this and was there when I tried to saw through the outside metal. It was working but I didn't have a good blade or the patience to saw through it. It could have saved me $80 and I would have done it if I thought it would have worked, but I would have still have to melt the other side and I didn't have a torch only some sterno and that took forever on the first side.

 

Sounds like your steering is much better...how does it affect the ride...any harsher? Also...do the new bushings make any noises? I've got 100K on mine and figure it's time to replace all that stuff since the front end is getting loose.

 

Can you tell us exactly which parts (numbers) you bought and replaced. I would like to get these done on mine with the hopes of improving the ride some. Does it create a stiffer or firmer suspension?

 

Ah yeah, i remember this project. nyway the rear huge block you can just beat off with a hammer. The front cylinder one is more of a pain. I took a torch and burned out the rubber. Then, there is a metal sleeve, like someone else said, use a hacksaw inserted thru the metal and cut away at the steel sleve. Then stuff a screwdriver in there and pry it out. Then use a dremel and deburr the thing. Next put in the poly. It'll take some time but its not entirely too hard.

No need to use a press. Besides on a normal cheap press you prolly couldnt get the angle to be able to press out the oe bushing anyway.

 

I am also interested in any change in ride. Any vibration through the steering wheel?

 

I have an extra set of the lower control arm bushings if anyone wants them for $35 shipped or about what you would pay at Courtesy.

The suspension I think performs smoother not "stiffer" like someone had mentioned, more like a good hinged joint, rather than the stock rubbery floating feeling. My lower control arm rearward bushing was totally bound around the pivot arm itself so the rubber was providing almost a torsion bar effect and not doing its job correctly.

After 125k miles on my car and 80k of those from up north the stock bushings were shot. They dont have a lot of protection from the elements like the fronts, covered by the washers and outer sleeve, and a lot of dirt can get in this from driving down the road.

I would definitely do this mod if you have done springs/struts/fstb/sfc's and are looking for the final ride quality enhancement. This totally makes the lower gt fabrications bar obselete. I wonder now if the rear could be helped with a energy suspension kit, especially that huge engine mount sized one suspending the entire rear beam??

 

You're talking about the GT lower tie bar, correct? Has any 4th gen actually had on installed? I am interested to see the results. Where can I contact these people about info for it? I feel like I need something else on my car to help make the ride more compliant, even with the SFC's. It sounds like these would do a nice job. I just don't need any more noise/vibration/harshness. Any thoughts about the mount suspending the entire rear beam? Sounds like a place that could be improved, especially on an older car. If it's rubber, I don't see why someone couldn't fill it up like motor mounts. But what do I know....

From my past research, I remember hearing that only the FSB and end link bushings should be replaced. I think people were saying that the ES lower control arm bushings didn't do anything beneficial. However, if you install all 3 at the same time I guess it could be hard to tell.

This issue with removing the front bushing, which suspension component is this a part of?

 

the Lower tie bar provides completely different benefits than the urethane bushings. one stiffens the chassis itself, preventing the alignment from changing.. The urethane bushings reduce slop in the suspension on hard corners, acheiving similar effects to the tie bar, yet in a different place.

I've got both on my 3rd gen, and I noticed a HUGE improvement in steering response with both over either.


FYI, here's a few instructions I typed up for changing the bushings on a 3rd gen... they're exactly the same as the 4th, other than the ball joint is different... on 3rd gens, they simply unbolt from the control arm. mucho easier to do this job on them.
http://www.mattblehm.com/faq/control...placement.html
same writeup on 4dsc: http://www.4dsc.com/articles/suspens..._bushing.shtml

a diagram of how you need to cut the bushing is in my last post in this thread: http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=287083

 

95maxrider.... a few more comments, since I didn't see your post.. (I installed the 4th gen ES bushings in my 3rd gen last week, so it's still fresh in my mind)


ride comfort.. I noticed a small amount of increased road noise over the factory bushings, but it's nothing you can't get used to in the first 15 minutes of seat time. I don't even notice it now, and I can still head myself breathe at 100mph on the highway. I have more wind noise coming in from the glass than I do suspension noise (on smooth roads anyway)
the smoothness of the ride actually IMPROVED over the stock bushings, since the control arm simply pivots now, instead of the rubber bushings causing the suspension to jump around when you hit potholes.

A couple weeks ago, I also designed and installed a lower tie bar similar to GT's design (but my own, of course) on d_warner's 4th gen. he was EXTREMELY impressed with the benefits of it. tightens up the front end dramatically.. It's similar to installing an FSTB, only more pronounced in the benefits. less understeer and sharper turn-in response.
(I've had one on my 3rd gen for a few months now, and have sold about half a dozen to other members- all with extremely positive comments on them).

I'll be listing the lower tie bar for 4th gens very soon on the site- as soon as I get more materials in to make a few. I went by the steel supply shop today, and the pipe I need is on backorder for this entire part of the country... take a look at the suspension page on my website for some pics of the 3rd gen bars that I've done.

 

How much do you expect the 4th gen lower tie bar to cost? How's the installation on it? I have stage II SFCs and my ground clearance isn't that good. I read on your site that the tie bar shouldn't reduce any more ground clearance on the 3rd gen. Will this be true on the 4th gen design as well?

I would like to make my ride as compliant as possible, but I don't know what to get next. I know stiffening up the chassis is a good thing, but is there a point at where you stiffen it up to much to degrade ride comfort? So do you think with all new bushings around and your tie bar the ride will improve, or are there drawbacks besides the slight noise? Are there any other mods I can get to improve ride? Stage III SFCs? Thanks man.

 

I would like to know what your impressions are as well about the bushings. From what I understand they tighten up the front a bit and like said above counter the rear sway bar for more neutral handling.

But I also read somewhere that they make vibrations come through the car much more sharply.

Can anyone speak to those points?

TIA.

P

 

^^^That reminds me of another question. I will be installing my PR motor mounts soon, and with those I expect some vibration to enter my car when at idle. I don't want any more than that, and I would like to eliminate that if possible. Is it possible to adjust the idle without doing damage to other parts of the car? I don't see why the bushings would really transmit more vibrations into the car, at least at idle. Is there any truth to this?

 

You hit the nail right on the head. I put the ES bushings in two weeks ago.

They do add a little bit of impact harness. This is negligible compared to the improved steering feel and stability.

I give them 3 thumbs up.

 

How many hours does it usually take to replace the FSB, end link, and lower control arm bushings? If I end up buying Matt's lower tie bar, would any of the bushings be removed during that installation? I want to consolidate man hours for the install.....

 

yea i was the one that suggested drilling out the bushing.....next when i got that out i used a air hammer with a shiring bit and just cut the metal piece out.........it worked with out any problems...