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Polly vs rubber

4K views 34 replies 24 participants last post by  gman628 
#1 ·
Want to change older body bushings on my 69'. What are your experiences with the different types and brands?
Any problem areas?
 
#2 ·
I went with poly both front and rear but changed the bushings in the ears in the rearend to rubber after only a couple of short test drives. Felt like rear was binding. New poly vs 45 year old rubber bushings was big improvement but cant say how new rubbers would felt vs poly? Used energy suspension bushings.
 
#3 ·
rubber body
polygraphite suspension
"" motor mounts
rubber trans mount...feels about perfect.

Everything feels much tighter but has some isolation from the frame as far as vibrations go
Has a fairly rowdy motor and feel 0 harmonics, anything inside. that stuff annoys me
 
#4 ·
I went with Energy Suspension (poly) bushings on my Nova. Just drove car for the first time and seemed tight with no noises. Some say they squeak and the ride is rougher. The rubber ones I bought seemed cheap made. You will hear good and bad on all of them. pick one that suits you and don't look back. I'm also running solid motor mounts with a rubber trans. mount, picking up nothing there either., nice tight and solid, no vibrations that I can feel. Jim
 

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#5 ·
I just did the inline tube rubber kit. Really happy with it, no squeaks. Car is nice and tight but I did a lot of things all at once this winter so can’t attribute it all to the body bushings.
 
#6 ·
For a cruiser or a driver, Installed all new " Stock " rubber suspension bushings. All new MOOG in the front. The rear, All new stock type rubber. L.C.A. and U.C. A.
Depending on what you are after, I just wanted a nice driver, All is just fine and would do it again.
Building a RACE CAR............ Go to Plan " B ".:laugh:
Bob
 
#7 ·
Body to frame, engine, and trans I used poly mounts.
 
#9 ·
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#15 ·
When I pulled my body off the frame I was afraid of stripping the cage nuts. So. I drilled small holes is the floor above the blots and shot some penetrating oil on them using the straw. If a cage nuts comes loose you will need to cut the floor open to hold the nut so the bolt can be removed. I bought the same kit as seen in the video posted, but have nit completed the car yet so cant speak to the ride. I did think the kit and hardware were real nice.
 
#16 ·
Several years ago I installed the Energy Suspensions, black k, graphite impregnated bushings. My kit came with all new hardware but I found the bolts to be inferior. Didn't use any of the bolts and got all new bolts from AMK products. They are just like the original bolts.
 
#17 ·
For body bushings, I think Poly would be great.

As far as control arm bushings go, why bother with poly control arm bushings with the excellent Delrin bushings that are out there today..

I tried poly rear control arm bushings on my 64 Pontiacs four link years ago, they were terrible. When turning off a hill onto level street it felt like my rear window was going to pop out! I ended up making rear control arms using Currie Johnny Joints, big difference!!
 
#21 ·
I assume you broke them on disassembly. Before I removed my old bolts I drilled small access holes above and doused them every day for a few weeks with Kroil. Then when I a tally went to remove I barely broke loose and then retightened, broke loose a little farther and retighten again going a little further each time until bolts were removed. Only spun one and was still able to get that bolt out by jamming a big screw driver through the drilled hole and wedge against the caged nut.
 
#24 ·
Front suspension I replaced the worn out rubber with UMI tubular A arms and Delren bushings. Out back more UMI tubular stuff but with poly bushings. The rear feels a little firm over speed bumps otherwise the ride is great. Fat sway bars F&R and Monroe Gas Magnum shocks.
I need to replace all my body bushings but will wait until I get body work done.
 
#25 ·
I can give you my recent first hand experience. I had old, rubber body mounts and I replaced them with Energy Suspension poly mounts.

I can absolutely feel the difference in how much the body jitters when going over harsh bumps or train tracks. The rubber definitely dampened some of that. I personally would still go poly, but there is a difference. Now what I have yet to find out is how much body mount flex there is as before the driveshaft would touch the floor a bit in certainly situations.
 
#34 ·
I went to the energy suspension poly body mounts about 4 years ago when I swapped my frame. I even added the "missing" body mount 1/2 way down the rocker panel. I didn't notice any measurable difference. I've had the poly control arm bushings front and rear for 19 years, never any issues or noise. I would go poly again.
 
#35 ·
I recently changed all the control arm bushings front and back with Energy Suspension poly bushings along with Bilstein shocks, and it was a huge improvement. I noticed a little more road feel, but was expecting that. The ride and handling was greatly improved.

I have not changed out the body bushings yet, they will have to wait. I suspect the rubber body bushings are giving me enough road vibration isolation that the ride does not feel harsh.
 
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