What's the long term consensus on poly front upper/lower control arm bushings?

[goodgnus]

Anyone been running them for years? Any issues beyond squeak? Your alignments hold true?

2001 here, 182k still on stock suspension. Getting '99 tall springs and Bilstein 4600's installed and definitely doing UCA and LCA bushings. I picked up some Japanese made traditional LCA bushings (sold as MOOG brand), they were cheap, so not opposed to not using them. Curious about the Energy Suspension poly kit with both upper and lowers.

Also doing OEM upper and lower ball joints as well as OEM outer tie rods.

How important are the rear upper trailing arms? The short ones that link to the top of the axle. Bushings have a little play when pry bar'd in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the fastening bolt. Lowers seem ok.

Anything else to consider while in these areas?

 

[goodgnus]

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

 

[Unner]

I'd check the steering rack bushings also. On LCA and UCA I wouldn't use cheap bushings just because it's a pain to redo them. Do it once and do it right. Sorry I don't have any input on the poly part, I haven't done anything to mine. Eventually I think I'll probably go with either energy or whiteline bushings in the LCA and aftermarket UCAs that will come with poly bushings.

 

[snivilous]

I've had nothing bad happen after years running poly bushings on my steering rack, and a bit over a year on my LT LCAs. Not sure how they'll hold up after 100k miles, but I've yet to have an issue so far.

 

[4-Ripcord]

Keep them greased like you would (or at least should) a driveshaft and you will not have problems.

 

[amalik]

Nice list. Hell, all you're missing is new itres on both sides. They are really expensive for oem. If you don't crawl much, you can consider a duralast or Napa set with lifetime warranty. Add in some wheel bearings, and a front brake job and you have an entirely new front end

 

[stir_fry_boy]

Nice list. Hell, all you're missing is new itres on both sides. They are really expensive for oem. If you don't crawl much, you can consider a duralast or Napa set with lifetime warranty. Add in some wheel bearings, and a front brake job and you have an entirely new front end

I did my UBJs, UCA and LCA bushings this week with OEM BJs and ES bushings. I put a ton of the supplied grease on the bushings before pressing them. There is no way to grease them after installation without removing them. If they squeak, I'm replacing the entire control arm. It was a PITA to do the bushings and I couldn't imagine getting the poly out.

I also have ES steering rack bushings. Without grease, they don't squeak.