SuperCoupe400

I recently swapped out my stock (front) lower & upper control arm bushings for the Daizens. WHAT A MISTAKE! My ride quality is HORRIBLE! Every single little pavement gap or crack in the road is telegraphed through my suspension to the point where my wife prefers riding in here Eclipse over my Lexus. Now that, people, is something that should simply NEVER BE!

Anyway, since the cash just isn't growing fast enough on that tree out back, I certainly won't be springing for a set of OEM bushings to swap back out anytime soon. Fortunately, I think part of the problem is that my struts are still original equipment (circa '93). So here's my question. Would swapping out the struts (to something with a nice luxury ride quality) help significantly offset the harshness that seems to be magnified by the new bushings?

Cause it's getting to the point now where I don't even want to ride in my own car.

ccotenj

you replaced rubber bushings with poly ones... and you expected to get a "cushy" ride? regardless of what they might say on their website, a little searching (google is your friend, not to mention clublexus) would have told you that you would get exactly what you are experiencing...

they are doing what they are "supposed" to do, which is to firm things up and give you road feedback... generally when people replace rubber with poly, that's the result they are looking for...

in terms of general vehicle dynamics, it probably isn't a good idea to try and fight increased stiffness in one area of the suspension with softness in another without considering what effects it will have on the other parts involved...

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

struts would help if our car had them...

a nice set of shocks would definitely make it a better ride though...

bushings don't necessarily make things a bad ride, they just let the suspension do its thing properly... good chance 90% of your "shock absorption" was happening through your worn out bushings, not the shocks like it should have been...

it may not solve it 100%, but on a car that old, it's definitely been time for new shocks for a while...

ccotenj

dunno mitsu... all things being equal, poly bushings are definitely going to provide more road feedback than rubber ones...

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

right... but a worn out shock thats not doing its job will definitely be an issue...

I say this because when I had my Talon with all poly bushings, the ride was only as harsh as the KYB AGX setting I had the car on...

I know the poly's aren't as smooth as the factory, but to say there is a night and day (horrible) difference would lead me to believe there are other factors at work here...

ccotenj

yes, i agree that worn shocks would be an issue, but even with new shocks, it's going to transmit gaps, etc. through the suspension into the car... it just won't be "bouncy"... but you'll definitely know they are there...

and i agree with you on your talon point, but again, you were already on polys...

CantSeeMe

As mentioned new shocks would do nothing but help. But lets face it. Its likely all the suspension parts could use some attention after 14 years.
Also i know its not going to help you now that youve swapped them. But alot of people dont change the upper CA bushings,(Myself included) due to their effect on comfort as you describe. Plus the upper bushings dont tend to wear as fast as the LCA bushings.
Also, how long has it been since you changed them? They do need to settle a bit..... Oh, and did you have the car aligned afterwards?

SuperCoupe400

Haven't had the alignment done yet. Waiting until I get my sway bar and steering rack bushings installed too (i've got them, just haven't had the time to throw them on yet). It's been two weeks today since I swapped the CA bushings. And, in fact, I was on the brink of NOT doing the uppers. I even submitted a post as I was doing the work to see what people recommended - being that they really didn't show much sign of degradation - but I only had a very narrow window of time to get a response back. I was trying to get everything installed and put back together before nightfall so I could go to work the next day. But, unfortunately, I couldn't get a response in time so I just went on ahead and swapped 'em, figuring that I may as well since I paid for them and while I have everything ripped apart.

vwynn

iTrader: (4)

dont wanna thread jack or make another thread but.

i was wondering about shocks. or struts. umm what size are those bushings on the front strut? (lower part of strut where the small metal tube is located at) sorry about my noobish terms but yea. i wanna replace the ones on the GR_2 before putting em on.

Thanks!

Blockbore

Don't waste your time and money buying after market bushings like the Daisens, etc..they all suck...Go to the Toyota Dealership and purchase two new front lower control arms for a 1993 Supra tt ($500-$600)... Install them yourself on you SC's..Your SC's will ride like new and the new arms come with new OEM supra bushing and a new pivot joint... You won't regret it and the parts are %100 compatible...

Most people don't understand the stock pivot joint on the SC arms also wear out over time and can actually become dangerous...

Struts? Shocks and springs only on the SC's....

GaDawg

The LCAs cost $286 a piece at Toyota, but understand that once you install them on a Lexus, you no longer have any warranty guarantees...just thought I'd add that little tid bit. BTW, I have to replace my LCAs and found the OEMs at Lexus were $306...not much difference, so that's cool. I know they're not for a TT, but how different could they really be other than slightly stiffer?