Polyurethane bushings on a 4wd daily driver

[Crispy]

I did a quick search and come find a general consensus. I found mostly threads from 2wd guys. The previous owner had bought but never installed energy suspension black bushings for the body, front and rear leaf springs, and sway bars. Before i go spending hours on labor installing these i would like to know how hard they ride.

I switched to a poly trans mount for my ls1 trans am and hated it. Went back to oem style rubber. This burb is gonna be my old ladies and occasional weekend get away vehicle so while i know its not a cadillac i dont neccesarily want it to ride like a 3/4 ton with 80psi in the tires and an empty bed.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

What color did you use on your Trans Am? There is a difference between red and black. I have black body and suspension Energy poly bushings in my 87 V10.

 

[Crispy]

I used the red one in the T/A. Felt everything through it. At first i thought it was just a color difference but after my search here i read that black bushing are graphite impregnated. I guess thats what the G on the part numbers mean.

Should those be a bit softer than the reds then?

 

[Honky Kong jr]

I used the red one in the T/A. Felt everything through it. At first i thought it was just a color difference but after my search here i read that black bushing are graphite impregnated. I guess thats what the G on the part numbers mean.

Should those be a bit softer than the reds then?

They move a little easier and don't squeak. I put reds on my 67 Chevelle and hated them. Never again.

 

[theblindchicken]

I have a set of black poly body bushings on my truck. It tightned things up a little bit. Couldnt tell you with the rear end since went from original suspension to a shackle flip with poly bushings. Rode a ton smoother after the shackle flip.

 

[spanky55amg]

On your trans am... did you grind off the bumps? If you didnt, that was your issue. I had the red in mine and it took me grinding three times till it was correct.

 

[Crispy]

On your trans am... did you grind off the bumps? If you didnt, that was your issue. I had the red in mine and it took me grinding three times till it was correct.

I didnt grind anything off, It bolted right up to the trans and to the crossmember.

I dont remember if I used the spacer or not but I dont see anywhere to grind on mount.

http://www.maxchevy.com/tech/2011/vi_3-towtruck/CM-29.jpg

 

[spanky55amg]

I didnt grind anything off, It bolted right up to the trans and to the crossmember.

I dont remember if I used the spacer or not but I dont see anywhere to grind on mount.

http://www.maxchevy.com/tech/2011/vi_3-towtruck/CM-29.jpg

yeah.... so where it bolts to the piece of metal and that bolts up to the cross member, there are two humps. They needed to be ground the F off. I dont know why, but on the 4th gens, they created a horrible ride by letting you feel every drive train vibration.

Basically, it needed to be a flat mounting surface and if there was any part that wasnt ground flat, you got vibrations.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Crispy]

Yea that ride description sounds right lol. I know that ES mount isnt application specific to the F-bod so that makes sense. I chucked the thing and went to OEM rubber. Been smooth since.

 

[spanky55amg]

I had bigger valves and from what I was told was a first series MagicStick 3 cam. We think the specs were .609 .603 246 239 on a 113 and later on a 4800 stall and 0 vibrations.... from the transmission mount. Haha.

 

[Crispy]

Thats a big thumpstick lol. One day I'll beef up the LS1 since its no longer a daily driver. Gotta love the sound on cammed lsx.

 

[spanky55amg]

Thats a big thumpstick lol. One day I'll beef up the LS1 since its no longer a daily driver. Gotta love the sound on cammed lsx.

Haha, that was my DD. 430+ hp to the wheels. The injectors were maxed out at 100%. Im sure it would have been well over 450 to the wheels with 36 lb injectors. And it gave everyone a run for its money. Plus it had long tub headers and 3 inch exhaust, H pipe, and dumped before the axle. It sounded like the devil.

It died once at Cars and Coffee. I had my foot slightly in the throttle to keep it idling, this was before the stall. Everyone laughed when it died... till I started it back up with my foot off the throttle. I think some of them peed their pants hearing the lope in the cam. I asked if anyone thought they could tune better than me and they were quiet, then asked for a burn out. Yeah right, the cops where less than a 1000 ft away.

 

[SkinnyG]

"They say" to never use a poly trans mount - always use rubber.

I had poly for a couple years, all the while chasing driveline vibration. Eventually chucked it and went rubber and s-m-o-o-t-h since.

I've had poly suspension bushings in my last three vehicles (none 4WD), and they do ride slightly rougher, but it's not brutal. Can't speak to your application though.