Urethane bushings squeaks

[madkaw]

I know this isn't the first squeaking urethane bushing thread but I do have a question. I have the black bushing that were purchased many years ago, but don't have many miles. They squeak bad- especially the rear arms. I have tried re lubeing them, but they start squeaking again after a while

Did they make black ones that were not graphite impregnated?

How do you tell if you do or don't have them?

[siteunseen]

I wonder if a spray silicone with the little red straw would quieten them down?

[Wade Nelson]

There are a couple of easy solutions to the "urethane squeek."

One is a louder stereo.

Another is a header and lo-flow exhaust.

Even just a new subwoofer may do the trick.

Last, but not least, are earplugs.

Don't worry after awhile you won't even hear it.

You can also remove the bushing and wrap teflon (plumbers) tape around the rod.

If your'e going to try the aerosol and little red tube technique, I'd suggest white lithium grease instead of WD-40,

[madkaw]

I already have the loud exhaust and stereo. The stereo will drown out the noise, but it's loud enough that other people can hear it.

I posted over in hybridz and I think I will try the zerk fittings and grease. At least it's easy maintenance to squirt some grease in there.

[Diseazd]

IMO.....The squeak drove me crazy.....I went back to stock bushings on my one car that had 'em. Go back to stock.....people outside your car will be a lot happier too!

[madkaw]

IMO.....The squeak drove me crazy.....I went back to stock bushings on my one car that had 'em. Go back to stock.....people outside your car will be a lot happier too!

So could you feel a difference in the handling that was worth noting?

My car winds up being my daily driver when the weather is good. It hasn't seen a second of track time yet, but will eventually in a limited amount. So maybe I'm fooling myself to even have urethane in there.

I would love to do a direct back to back drive of two cars set up with a stiffer springs and sport shocks, but one rubber and the other urethane

[Diseazd]

Steve.....I didn't notice any difference at all. The squeaking drove me crazy and the silicon grease lasted a couple a months and the squeak was back. You can buy stock bushings right from the dealer and they are cheap. Maybe a full blown race car needs em, but street and weekend warriors don't IMO.

[madkaw]

It seems primarily in the rear control arms where all the noise is coming from. I think I will change them out this winter and be done with it.

It's frustrating when I have gone to great detail to eliminate rattles and make the level of refinement high on this car to just have it ruined by barn door creaking over bumps.

[madkaw]

Okay guys, help me out here.

I took off the rear control arms and suddenly noticed the length of my inner bushing sleeve( steel sleeve) was longer then the control arm pivot. So that tells me that my sleeve is not rotating on the control arm because it is locked in place by the cap bolt. I guess I have the wrong ones ? I'm going to trim the sleeve down and put it back together. Comments??

Also, talked to a buddy who said his urethane bushings on the rear control arm( inner) is one piece where mine is two pieces. What do you guys have.

[Zed Head]

Pretty sure it's supposed to be that way. It's the same for the stock rubber bushing also. With the stock bushing, the rubber flexes but nothing rotates independently. That's why you have to load the suspension before tightening the big bolts, to get the inner sleeve rotated to where it won't put the rubber under constant tension. If you still have the old rubber bushing you'll see the teeth marks from the locking washer on the inner tube.

With urethane the bushing rotates on the inner sleeve. That's where some of the grease needs to be, on the outside of the sleeve and inside of the bushing. The outer part of the bushing needs grease just for general loading and unloading friction on the caps and frame work.

The original rubber bushing is pretty well-designed for its purpose.

I bought an MSA urethane bushing kit on sale a few years ago. Black urethane, and the control arm bushings were two piece. By the way, I think that the idea that the black ones are graphite-loaded might just be a myth. Black color alone does not mean graphite has been added for lubricity.

Edited August 20, 2013 by Zed Head

[EuroDat]

Zed is right, if you shorten the bush it will spin and squeak even worse then the PU bush. The PU bush spins on the inner sleeve and its dry. Its hard to get any lube in there without dismantling it. The spindle pins will be the worst to dismantle.

Black dont mean much. It depends on the manufacture. Mine are black with NO graphite.

Chas

[madkaw]

You guys burst my bubble. I thought I had something.

I have been running a heim joint style bar to connect my rear control arms- in leu of the standard brace. I'm going to dump the adjustable brace because it might be inducing loads on the bushings that are causing the squeak. The heim joints gave me ability to adjust toe, but my toe maybe the issue