Bushings Kits

[wmaurojr]

Wondered if a few of you could post what you're using for bushings--especially interested to hear from those of you with Rs. I'm planning to buy a polyurethane replacement kit/kits and a cursory search shows that you can quickly spend lots of money for a little bit of plastic and metal ($250 bump steer correction kits, etc). Are you going piecemeal, or buying a "Master Bushing Kit" like you can find on Rock Auto?

I'll be replacing all the dry-rotted rubber bushings from my donor parts, along with the rear control arms. The rear-rears? got crunched by I'm assuming forks in a salvage yard, which I'm reading happens to a lot donors. Not a huge deal if the ≈ $100 AC Delcos are good. A bit worrisome if THE ONLY WAY TO GO is $500+ Turn-In-Concepts.

Thanks in Advance.

Bill

[Pearldrummer7]

I am using mostly new OEM or equivilent bushings and have no problems thus far. Do you have an R or an S/C? What's the car's main function(i.e. track vs. street)?

The bump steer kit might not even be a good idea for you, actually.

[phil1734]

The S does not need a bumpsteer kit if you stay in the upper 4 inch ride height range.

You also do not need any swaybar/droplink or shifter bushings, which are commonly included in any poly kits.

I used a combination of Energy Suspension and Whiteline for my car. The only bushing that might not transfer between years/RS/WRX/wagon/sedan etc. is the rear lower bushing on the front control arm. (It's the large one that comes with a giant washer.)

Also I'd highly recommend getting everything blasted and re-painted if you already have the bushings out.

[Pearldrummer7]

I agree with Phil! Or do some electrolysis and repaint them, like Rasmus shows here

[wmaurojr]

Thanks all.

The end goal is track, but for the first year or so of the car's life, it'll probably just be street. And more specifically, I'm aiming to build a track-worthy, two-seat C. As of now the kit is unordered, but I'm preparing donor parts. Like just about everyone else, I have a very specific build in my mind's eye. For me, that's start with S, add C when ready, sprinkle in as much R as is possible (custom rollbar, fuel cell, etc.). If getting around the rollbar height is an issue, I'll just chop my feet off and drive with stumps. No big deal.

I've been cleaning and painting like a fiend, so no worries there. I didn't do the Full-Rasmus/Mad-Scientist (official name) and use electrolysis, but I did log many many hours with a drill and wire brush.

I saw the Energy Suspension and just wanted to be sure they aren't S**T. If, as the car is getting closer to being track-ready, I think bump-steer is a problem, I still have two tie-rod ends from the donor parts that could get another patented Rasmus treatment: DIY bump-steer kit.

Perhaps a side thread, but is anyone sure that Rasmus isn't a mad scientist?

Thanks again all.

[Pearldrummer7]

I did the Rasmus DIY bump-steer kit (c 2015) and his electrolysis setup too. I really like both of them.

Now that I think about it, he very well might be a mad scientist. A VERY helpful one, at that!


Side note- You definitely do not need 100% of your parts ready before you order the kit. Between the time it takes to fulfill the order and the time to build it, a lot may change for you/your intentions/your car. I think anything with this much time investment should have an element of "just roll with it" to it. Even if the plans don't change, new info from the forum may come up to sway you towards a certain set of bushings, etc.

[wmaurojr]

Thanks! I really appreciate the input.

If it were up to me I'd be wrenching now, but I have to hold off and save up. It seems to be a common trend on the forums, but my wife and I bought our first home in April. Fairly uncommon (and unexpected) was our whole HVAC system biting the bullet a few months later. I was all for sweaters and space heaters, but couldn't quite make the sell. So, for better or worse, when the kit arrives, the donor parts will probably be polished within inches of their little metal lives.

Just ordered the Energy Suspension kit from NewEgg of all places. More parts to polish and reorganize on the shelf!

[Hindsight]

I disagree about the S not needing a bump steer kit.

[Pearldrummer7]

I disagree about the S not needing a bump steer kit.

What I should've said, is maybe you need something more aggressive than the standard WRX bump steer kit**

I agree. I think they all need bump steer correction to some degree