Rear axle poly bushings

[just plain john]

I'm swapping my rear. I already installed new UMI control arms, and they came with bushings for the rear end housing. I damaged one, and need to replace it but all I can find for sale are complete bushing sets for around $80. Does anyone know if just the axle bushings are available seperatly? I'm looking for poly stuff.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Do not use poly in the rear suspension on a street driven car! Poly won't allow the arms to move laterally and the rear suspension can bind in roll in turns, especially in double-lane change (slalom) situations. When that happens, the car will lose rear traction instantly and uncontrollably, usually resulting in a very nasty spin. Very dangerous.

The OE rubber bushings are still available from the dealer, as well as most parts stores. They're sold individually and should be under $10 each for the Moog brand (OE).

 

[Grumpy]

I should have one here .. Ya we use them on our 9 sec street car

 

[just plain john]

Thanks, b oth of you, but I got my problem resolved (except for the wiring, the fuel system, dash swap, and I'm forgetting at least one other thing).

 

[turbo nasty]

Do not use poly in the rear suspension on a street driven car! Poly won't allow the arms to move laterally and the rear suspension can bind in roll in turns, especially in double-lane change (slalom) situations. When that happens, the car will lose rear traction instantly and uncontrollably, usually resulting in a very nasty spin. Very dangerous.

The OE rubber bushings are still available from the dealer, as well as most parts stores. They're sold individually and should be under $10 each for the Moog brand (OE).

Sorry that dont jive I drive mine everywhere and 3hour trips oneway frequently.
The energy suspension pieces (ones that come with the umi's and what I have as well) work great. The suspension travel isn't hampered. Now if you dont follow the torque specs given with the arms then yeah you will squish them and they will bind.

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Sorry that dont jive I drive mine everywhere and 3hour trips oneway frequently.
The energy suspension pieces (ones that come with the umi's and what I have as well) work great. The suspension travel isn't hampered. Now if you dont follow the torque specs given with the arms then yeah you will squish them and they will bind.

Try to drive it through a 40 foot slalom and your mind will change along with the direction your car is pointing. I've autocrossed mine quite a bit, I know what happens if you have poly in the rear suspension.

The first two cones will be fine, but as you pull the wheel over to get around the third, the rear end will bind up and the car will spin and then skid nearly 60 yards, assuming you don't hit anything first. I was lucky to be in a parking lot. Since putting the rubber back in, I've encountered the same obstacle several times without anything like that first spin. Even when I overdrove and spun it, I didn't slide 60 yards.

Are you going to do something that extreme in normal driving? Probably not, but you never know when some ass is going to drop a bunch of crap in front of you on the expressway, and having the right bushings in the back will mean the difference between simply going around whatever's been dropped in front of you and spinning into the railing.

The four-link in these cars does not work properly unless the arms can move laterally as well as axially. Period. Rubber or spherical bearings. Poly in the back is asking for trouble.

 

[just plain john]

I should have one here .. Ya we use them on our 9 sec street car

Grumpy, is there anything there that you DON'T have?

 

[Grumpy]

Grumpy, is there anything there that you DON'T have?

unfortunately prob not I have been collecting Buick junk since 86.. I still have a LOT of parts left. I have to get rid of this stuff. Wife said she will get a dumpster if I croak :biggrin: I am actually throwin some stuff away as I find it.

 

[just plain john]

How much for the lot shipped to Houston? :wink:

 

[aminga]

Wife said she will get a dumpster if I croak :biggrin:

For you or the parts.

 

[just plain john]

I just want to see that Mazda run on youtube.