Help...there are so many bushings available, which do I need? I'm going to be putting on new springs and Illuminas this week and I'm wondering whether it's worth it to wait and do some Energy Suspension bushings at the same time. Or should I just put on the new springs and struts and do the bushings later?

Which of the bushings on these pages should I replace? 76K miles on a '99 Maxima, I'm sure most of my bushings are in poor shape.

http://www.motivational.net/products/esbushings.shtml
http://www.suspension.com/nissancars.htm/

Also, can anyone confirm or deny that the SEs have slightly larger stock front sway bars? If so, will the bushings on the second link not fit SEs?

 

Bump'n'grind

 

The Control arm bushings are not as easy of an install as you would think they are. To remove them, I had to chizzle/hack saw the metal ring which held the stock bushings in the control arm. I dont feel any real difference from stock, but it is way cheaper than replacing your entire control arm.

 

Thanks GTR. Anyone else with thoughts?

 

it's not an easy job, I don't know about the back because never done it on the car with a beem axle, but the front is not going to be easy. If you want to install the kit, you will need to take the whole front suspension apart, and burn the old bushings out and then hacksaw the metal sleeves and then knock them out with a chizzle (or you can do it with a shop press).

 

bump bump bump

 

7-5118G Energy Suspension 20mm Front Sway Bar Bushing Set $12.95
G4803 Energy Suspension Bushing (4) - Front Sway Bar End Link 1995-1999 Maxima $5.96
7-3111G Energy Suspension Front Control Arm Bushing Set $30.00

Thats Courtesy Nissan pricing and part numbers for everything available for the front with the exception of the steering rack... oem only on that one...

The front control arm bushing is a bi#$*$ch. but doable. Everything else is drop in, even the rear control arm bushing.

Nuf said.

 

Thanks for that info, volkl!

 

You're welcome!

 

I don't believe you will find that to be the average experience with the front bushings. Talk to any of the guys who've done the job.
I took mine to a shop as soon as they came off the car knowing it was going to require a press. Even with a 12ton press the best they could do was to pop out the center section of the bushing. Pop out sounds too easy..it actually tore away from the outter section.
That still left the outter part of the bushing lodged in the control arm. Air hammer and hack saw were the only remedy. No damage to the arms luckily.

Count your blessings , you got away easy on this one!

Cheers!

 

The stock control arm bushings are giant, fist sized rubber units that HAVE to flex awfully bad when leaned on hard in the corners.

I replaced mine with the CE pieces, and yes, it was a b*tch. I've got a press, but as has been said, it just tears the bushings apart. You've got to rip grind and burn to get the old ones all the way off the arm.

I did a full suspension replacement all at once, so I can't give you a rundown on how they affected cornering performance. But now, the car will SCREAM around the turns. Before, the inside tire would squeal around the corners, but now the whole car just darts in whichever direction the wheel is pointed.

Good Luck!

 

Great info, all. Sounds like it's worth it to do the control arms. I'll do it at some point.

 

i am not trying to jack this thread but i also have a similar question. i wanted to replace the sway bar bushings and the sway bar endlink bushings as well. how difficult is this too do.?