Time to replace the front bushings. Thoughts rubber or poly

[3sloppydogs]

It is now the front suspensions turn for a rebuild on Ruby, the 66 coronet
What are you guys using, rubber or poly or a mix of both?
Recommended suppliers?

 

[RemCharger]

Fairly stock car-rubber.
Road racing etc.. poly

 

[Kern Dog]

Rubber lower control arm bushings.
Moog K-7103 offset upper control arm bushings.
Urethane for the strut rod and sway bar bushings.

 

[moparedtn]

Rubber lower control arm bushings.
Moog K-7103 offset upper control arm bushings.
Urethane for the strut rod and sway bar bushings.

...and kryptonite for the motor mounts!!

 

[3sloppydogs]

Kryptonite?!!!!
Are you crazy that stuff is way too expensive

 

[3sloppydogs]

The car is going to be a driver
Stock 383/727

 

[Jerry Hall]

PST rubber, mention FBBO and get a discount.

 

[Kern Dog]

If by the term "driver" you mean a casual cruiser that will see no aggressive driving, racing or autocross, why would you even post a question asking about urethane? Why would you think that firmer bushings would even be needed?

 

[1 Wild R/T]

One more time....
GM LCA bushings = lots of rubber = lots of deflection...

Mopar LCA bushings = very little rubber = very little deflection...

With a GM something needs to be done to keep the alignment stable...
With a Mopar things are already stable..

 

[moparedtn]

Kryptonite?!!!!
Are you crazy that stuff is way too expensive

If by the term "driver" you mean a casual cruiser that will see no aggressive driving, racing or autocross, why would you even post a question asking about urethane? Why would you think that firmer bushings would even be needed?

It's the cool thing all the kids do!

 

[3sloppydogs]

Yeah casual driver
That's why I'm asking opinions
Just to see what y'all are using or not
Just like your handle says Kern dog, my car might turn and it needs to handle it

 

[wagonman]

Here is My take on it. If you can find NOS Moog yeah go for it will be fine even if you like to Banzi a little. Most if not all are offshore Junk. The three cars I have, 67 chevelle wagon has everything Poly including body mounts and after market upper arms, been on over 20 years no issues. 68 Runner all Poly F&R only problem was the Moog Shackle bushings took a dump, Poly now. The rest have been trouble free for 8 yrs. PST IIRC. 73 Duster PST F&R not enough miles on it to judge but the track record speaks for itself. I like the ride quality on the Wagon & the Runner tight but not harsh, shocks play a role there. The Duster rides like a buckboard but needs springs and torsion bars and fine tuned. Plus I dont want to change bushings every 5 or so years especially Mopar lowers. Ya pay your $$ and take your chances.

 

[moparedtn]

About time for me to replace the rest of the steering on Fred, come to think of it...
ball joints have been done already, along with Pittman and of course that lovely sway bar setup
(red poly - ugh).
I'll tackle this the way I have other systems on the car, namely searching for old new stock parts
made in America (probably Moog since any factory stuff is going to be $$$).
It'll be as stock, too.

A big part of the appeal of these cars for me is experiencing them as they were originally built.
Can't do that with sooped up this or carbon kryptonite that....

 

[1 Wild R/T]

, namely searching for old new stock parts
made in America (probably Moog since any factory stuff is going to be $$$).
....

I'm sure you've heard but there have been issues with Moog LCA bushings lately... They've been notified repeatedly & supposedly are/have fixed the problem but I've gotten allot of bad bushings, and send them back & get more till I get good ones, but a normal shop can't waste time that way, time is money & a car apart in the stall needs to get down the road in order to make money...

I've heard other brands have been better, I have no experience, been using Moog for 40+ years & old habits are hard to break...

 

[moparedtn]

I'm sure you've heard but there have been issues with Moog LCA bushings lately... They've been notified repeatedly & supposedly are/have fixed the problem but I've gotten allot of bad bushings, and send them back & get more till I get good ones, but a normal shop can't waste time that way, time is money & a car apart in the stall needs to get down the road in order to make money...

I've heard other brands have been better, I have no experience, been using Moog for 40+ years & old habits are hard to break...

(That's the "new old stock parts" part...)

 

[T2R9]

I used AC Delco lowers on my 71 because of the Moog fitment issue. They fit perfect.

 

[Cranky]

Imo, it's hit or miss. My first set of bushings for my 66 died before the car was ready to go and that was 30 years ago. Have no idea what the stuff is like now. It's stooopid nuts but the bushings that's on it now still look good after 25 years of not driving it.....

 

[Jerry Hall]

I just replaced the lower control arm bushings last year on my 67 GTX original car. According to the alignment shop nothing else is needed. I think 53 years and 90 K miles is a good run on just LCA bushings.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

A casual driver can have more fun if you make handle better, but then you might chase the rabbit down the hole.

Kern Dogs recipe sounds like a good one, firming up the parts that are more used in steering, while keeping everything else squishy enough it’s not going to be too rough.

I second the kryptonite engine mounts, expensive but worth it

 

[3sloppydogs]

Thanks everyone
I think I'll follow Kern dogs path