SuperCoupe400

Hey everybody. Finally getting around to installing all the bushings I ordered from TM Engineering the other week.

Now that I've gotten everything apart (front end), I'm really starting to second guess whether or not I NEED to replace the upper control arm bushings. Yeah, the car's 14 years old with 152k miles. But I just couldn't help but notice the huge difference between how the OEM upper control arm bushings are designed to work and the Daizen's. (The same can be said for the lower c.a. bushings too, but the difference is night & day with the uppers) There's this aluminum washer-like disk (attached to the inner sleeve)that sits between the OEM bushing and the bracket. But there is no such component to the inner sleeves of the Daizen's. Looks like the bushing will be coming into direct contact with the bracket.

Don't ask me, but isn't that a recipe for disaster (constant squeaking)?

Anyway, I'm really leary about melting out my OEM upper bushings to put these in, having the new ones start squeaking constantly, then having to go back through all the trouble of swapping them back out again.

So my questions are: Has anybody else gone in and replaced only the lowers, and found no need to touch the uppers? Of those who have swapped the uppers (with Daizen's) had good results?


Thanks

markesc

iTrader: (2)

I've had mine in for about 2 weeks now...zero problems, I'd say the car rides about 15-20% more rough because of the bushings, however I think it's a reasonable tradeoff as long as you have new lower control arms, which I went with stock supra tt control arms for the bottom, and daizens for the upper control arms both front and rear.

So far not squeeking/annoyances, nice that the car doesn't feel like a boat, however I strongly recommend having the ability to adjust your coilovers dampening factor....I think it's kind of an all/nothing deal if you want the car to handle and ride decently...

I can say that after making numerous adjustments on my megan racing coilovers, I've finally reached a point where I'm very very happy with how the car rides.

markesc

iTrader: (2)

...also, I STRONGLY recommend that you change the steering rack bushing as well, this was the biggest noticable improvement of the car with all the changes I made, the stock bushing was a complete joke, I think they were high on denture glue when they designed that and the cd changer....

MJHSC400

I have seen numerous people say theirs aren't worn out-- Mine included at 155k on a 92 SC4-- I wouldn't be changing mine if I didn't need to add a camber kit--

If your uppers don't have slop which is very doubtful don't change them--

I've seen others say theirs were good after 220k ---

Nice wheels Markesc -- They look familiar--

SuperCoupe400

Well, too late now. I was actually doing the work at the time I made the post, and only had about a 1-hour window to wait for a reply before having to get things wrapped up before dark. So I just decided since I had already paid for the bushings to go ahead and swap'em. And like you mentioned, my uppers did not have any slop. Stupid ME I'm paying for it now. Because now my ride quality is suffering (road bumps are way more noticeable now). Of course, this quite likely is being caused 85% to 90% by the stiffness of the lowers - being that they (especially the trailing arm) bare the brunt of lateral forces.

Either way, I'll be swapping my sway bar and steering rack bushings tomorrow to round out the front-end work for now. Struts will be next.

MJHSC400

I just pressed my uppers out, and they were perfect- and super tight in the sleeves too--

So they weren't worn at all basically-- after 155k I'd say they'd go twice that far without need of replacing--

The poly's are stiffer-- but they never wear out though -- so it's cool