Bushings: poly or rubber??

[VaGuS510]

Rubber would probably suit you best but there is a place called Performance Suspension Technology (PST) sells what they call Polygraphite bushings. These are polyurathane bushings that are impregnated with graphite. The goal of this is to reduce friction. The biggest problem with urathane bushings is that the bushing doesn't twist like rubber does. Therefore the suspension will have to twist in it. This causes friction, squeeking and increases ride harshness.

How well do they work? I don't know, i will tell you once I install mine. I just bought a front end kit they sell for the 240-280z. I also got the rear end kit and steering rack bushings. What attracted me most to PST was the fact that they had these kits. The front comes with control arm bushings, ball joints, and tie rod ends. The rear end kit and steering rack kits are just bushings. I will let you all know how these end up working once i put them on.

[Sailor Bob]

The good thing for me is I can't drive it till May or June when winter is done and the salt is washed off the roads. Lots of time to sort it out. I do like the idea of stiffening up the steering gear (poly) and replacing all the others with rubber.

It's easy to spend a few dollars - I'm looking around at springs and shocks as well - the existing is original gear.

[a7dz]

Since I am not going to race this car. I am going to replace mine with rubber, always liked the ride.

[240ZX]

I'm very surprised that alot of you think poly bushings are the source of a harsher than stock ride! They certainly allow your Z to have better feel while cornering...and isn't that what a sports car is all about? My experience, and I have poly bushings all the way around, is that its the springs/dampers/anti-roll bars package that regulates how harsh a ride your Z will have not the bushings. The poly bushings will keep the parts they are attached to in place better, where they were engineered to be, than the rubber bushings...and they won't go bad on you over years of use. You will transmit a little more road noise however....but thats why they invented insulation. If I were redoing a Z to stock and wanted a nice ride, I'd still replace the rubbers with poly. Think about it, would you ever want to go through the trouble of replacing all the bushings again, when you could have installed the poly units and be done with it! Just one mans opinion.