Jakeepoo3
New member
OEM bushings are a synthetic rubber, neoprene. They are designed for ride comfort and allow for a certain amount of deflection. Synthetic rubber is also much cheaper to manufacture coming from petroleum byproducts rather than natural rubber. No one has even mentioned the durometer scale. Bushings act just like a coil with spring rates. OEM LCA bushings are 75 on the durometer scale which is on the soft side of the scale. The high side goes up to 100. It depends on what you want the truck to do and the the location of the bushing to determine the proper bushing material. For example an engine mount bushing you would want on the high hard end of the scale so polyurethane is best. Minimizing deflection and energy loss under acceleration. On the other hand a rear control arm bushing needs to be on the softer side for articulation. I bought a whole set of LCA bushings for $75. Febest bushings from Wal-Mart. Actually two sets because of the awesome price. Yes they are made in China but are under the high standards of the German Nazi's. They use a combination of 75% natural rubber and 25% polyurethane. To achieve a comfortable ride and durability. 85 on the durometer scale. Also the perfect spring rate for more responsive handling without bouncing around corners. I also off road a lot so this bushing was perfect for my needs. They are actually better than OEM for my needs. So far a year later and and non stop wheeling no issues what so ever. Just because the price is high doesn't mean jack sh!t. Application is key.
