| Greased solid urethane bushings w. a metal rod are INFERIOR to volcanized rubber oem designs. They will dry out, they will make noise, they will fail. This is why OEMS don't use this on production cars. Front Z32 suspension upright moves in a parabolic path. The stock / Nismo bushings allow for both the upper and lower arm to twist correctly during this movement. *ALL* adjustable upper arms on the market today FAIL at this, if they are bushings they crumble with time, if they are solid bearings (PowerTrix, TBO, Midori, countless Chinese clones sold on eBay etc) they will break the bearings OR they will strip the threads on the adjustment point as the arm twists. The old Stillen arms failed this way in the 1990s, nothing has changed since then. I DO NOT use urethane bushings in ANY control arm application. Not in upper arms, not in lower front arms, not in any rear arm, really not anywhere that sees motion, except on sway bar bushings which are easy to re-grease and easy to replace. I'm ok with them on solid installations, like steering rack, subframe (for lack of a better option) and on the differential - that said even on the diff I would install Nismo bushings if the choice is mine. Also I've seen red ES bushings dry out and crumble too often, the black ones I believe have a better composition given the choice - they used to be advertised as graphite impregnated, I'm not sure that is still the case. Z32 suspension motion was modeled using a CRAY Supercomputer.
End of statement. Here are some links. Rear arm fails:
[ http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg.aspx?forum=general&msg_id=2633955 ] Gordo (RIP):
[ http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg.aspx?forum=general&msg_id=2632425 ] Greg Dupree on 1st gen ES tension rod bushing breaking front lower control arms. I agree with him. This is also why ES came out with a 3 piece revision of their bushing design. I don't love it but it's cost effective and sometimes budget drives customer choices. I have personally see broken FLCAs from this issue:
[ http://www.twinturbo.net/net/viewmsg.aspx?forum=general&msg_id=1376685 ] Watch this @ about 5:30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loACdyN2cX4
![]() SRC="http://www.yugobernie.com/images/TTnet_Sigs/yugobernie_
sig
_b12m.jpg">
Bernie Bilski berniebilski@cox.net
President of Z-Car Club of Northern Virginia1995 Nissan 300ZX TwinTurbo in Cobalt Green
1997 Nissan 240SX SE in Ultra Red
2006 Nissan Frontier SE in Ultra Black
![]() src="http://www.yugobernie.com/images/TTnet_Sigs/zccnv_logo_
new
.jpg"> |
