Soarer Central: Front and rear Bushes and steering arm

Soarer Central Suspension Front and rear Bushes and steering arm

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Bejimen Berry
Tinkerer
WA
SC400 V8

Posts: 8
Reg: 05-2008

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 10:49 am, by: Bejimen Berry (Minoberi)

Hey Guys,

Is there a way/place where i can confirm that I need to change my front and rear bushes and 2 front steering/control arms..

I get noises (creeking sounds) comming from the front and rear left side as i take corners. The car feels really poor when taking turns and I need to turn the steering wheel alot to make the simplest of turns..

Thanks heaps

Leo Zarate
Tinkerer
NSW
JZZ31

Posts: 51
Reg: 02-2008

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 01:19 pm, by: Leo Zarate (Leo_zarate)

Yep sure is, check out VFT Bushes.

http://vftbushes.com/

These are replacement rubber bushes, many Soarer's on this site are using them and most people seem to be happy with them.

Hope that helps.

Peter Nitschke
JunkFilterer
South Australia
UZZ30 UZZ31

Posts: 9461
Reg: 11-2004

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Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 01:47 pm, by: Peter Nitschke (Pen)

Bejimen, most Pedders stores can do a $14 safety check which should be able to show the condition.

It sounds like your steering rack bushes are shot too,

Dave Cazes
TryHard
sa
tt

Posts: 115
Reg: 08-2007

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Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 02:12 pm, by: Dave Cazes (Cazman)

Leo he asked if he needs to replace them, not where to buy them from.

Every one sells them, even me, and they are cheaper in urethane, but whether you need to replace them you must inspect the free play in your old ones, or pay some one to do it for you, then you will know

Rob Rojo
TryHard
NSW
Soarer TT

Posts: 429
Reg: 12-2007

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Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 02:14 pm, by: Rob Rojo (Rob_tt)

How much are lower control arm bushes normally?

Dave Cazes
TryHard
sa
tt

Posts: 117
Reg: 08-2007

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Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 03:07 pm, by: Dave Cazes (Cazman)

depends, late model, early model, front or rear of arm? front or rear of car? (rear is trailing)

Rob Rojo
TryHard
NSW
Soarer TT

Posts: 430
Reg: 12-2007

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Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 03:10 pm, by: Rob Rojo (Rob_tt)

Just both of the front lower control arm bushes JZZ30.

Bejimen Berry
Tinkerer
WA
SC400 V8

Posts: 9
Reg: 05-2008

Rating: N/A
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Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 03:55 pm, by: Bejimen Berry (Minoberi)

Thanks for the info guys, if i do need to change them, how many are there on the front and rear that I could possibly change?

Peter Nitschke
JunkFilterer
South Australia
UZZ30 UZZ31

Posts: 9466
Reg: 11-2004

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Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 04:05 pm, by: Peter Nitschke (Pen)

Usually the first to go are the front Lower Control Arm (LCA) bushes and steering rack bushes.

If you want to restore ride quality, then there are also front upper, and rear upper and lower control arm bushes that could be done. I ended up doing the lot in my UZZ30 and it was worth it.

Bejimen Berry
Tinkerer
WA
SC400 V8

Posts: 10
Reg: 05-2008

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 05:20 pm, by: Bejimen Berry (Minoberi)

Sounds good Peter, I think i will do that..
What kind did you get: rubber or polyurethane?

Peter Nitschke
JunkFilterer
South Australia
UZZ30 UZZ31

Posts: 9470
Reg: 11-2004

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Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Tuesday, June 03, 2008 - 06:00 pm, by: Peter Nitschke (Pen)

Rubber of course! I wanted to have a quality ride.

Leo Zarate
Tinkerer
NSW
JZZ31

Posts: 53
Reg: 02-2008

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Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 03:50 pm, by: Leo Zarate (Leo_zarate)

Oops sorry didn't read it properly.

Good luck with the bushes anyways Bejimen.

Matt Petersen
Tinkerer
NA
V8

Posts: 67
Reg: 01-2008

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Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 07:33 pm, by: Matt Petersen (Mattmannz)

I have had Nolathane bushes and replaced them with Supra arm's and the difference was night and day.

Nolathane provided precise control but made the car a little skittish and gave massive feedback through to the cabin. Far too harsh in my opinion.

The VFT bushes are great.

Matt.

Evan Kaio
TryHard
Wellington
'91 UZZ31

Posts: 140
Reg: 01-2007

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Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 07:44 pm, by: Evan Kaio (Knave)

VFT been there done that. Excellent.

Peter Nitschke
JunkFilterer
South Australia
UZZ30 UZZ31

Posts: 9472
Reg: 11-2004

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Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 07:53 pm, by: Peter Nitschke (Pen)

Dave, do a little research. There have been posts on most Soarer Forums over the years of people fitting after market bushes, then replacing them with rubber because of the disappointment experienced.

Ashley Leach
Goo Roo
South Australia
GT Limited UZZ31 V8

Posts: 1154
Reg: 02-2006

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Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 01:08 pm, by: Ashley Leach (Ashlar)

Just be careful on where you get them installed. Take the car too a proper suspension mechanic. I just got back from having my sway bars installed and have been informed that my less than 2 years old Vlamos bushes are stuffed.

I'm not going to mention any names, as the place I took the car to have them fitted is a common mechanic that many soarer people here in Adelaide use. So not only am I out of pocket almost $600 for the bushes, I've now almost killed a set of front tires cause the wheel alignments wont hold, so much so is I can't even have the car wheel aligned anymore.

Very unhappy.

Ashley Leach
Goo Roo
South Australia
GT Limited UZZ31 V8

Posts: 1158
Reg: 02-2006

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Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - 04:13 pm, by: Ashley Leach (Ashlar)

I should point out that it might not be the installers fault, don't mean to come off like an a-hole pointing the finger. Could have been bad bushes, but as the raving reports I hear from people here (and mine were very nice to begin with) I just find that hard to believe.

Anyway, my main point is make sure they are installed properly as it could end up costing you a lot down the track... Now to whinge about buying 4 new airbags... LOL

Matthew Sharpe
Goo Roo
North Island
JZZ31

Posts: 3561
Reg: 10-2005

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Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 06:55 am, by: Matthew Sharpe (Madmatt)

Wow, that's really odd - its not rocket science installing new bushes, its pretty hard to get it wrong, and though its a forceful process, its hard to imagine how you could damage them while you are doing it unless you were really rough or did something really silly like trying to bash them in with a hammer or something.

Peter Nitschke
JunkFilterer
South Australia
UZZ30 UZZ31

Posts: 9530
Reg: 11-2004

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Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 07:10 am, by: Peter Nitschke (Pen)

I think there is more at play here. I also was told by a suspension place that my 2 year old front bushes were shot. Andrew sent me over some spare fronts when I had the rear bushes fitted, but when the mechanic checked the fronts out, they were actually fine. Just a case of the suspension joint trying me on I suspect.

It's actually not that easy to see the real condition without unbolting the arm.

Steve - the mechanic that fitted Ashley's bushes (and has done for many other Soarers) is quite interested to investigate the issue and offered to inspect the bushes on Saturday, but unfortunately Ashley will be away for a few days, so it will have to wait.

Andrew Vlamos is also interested to find out if there is any evidence of a problem, so it's an issue that both parties are taking seriously.

Andrew also pointed out, that once you fit bigger wheels, incorrect offsets, start lowering the car etc, then the life expectancy of the bushes will be reduced due to the increased stresses placed on the bushes.

Evan Kaio
TryHard
Wellington
'91 UZZ31

Posts: 151
Reg: 01-2007

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 07:26 pm, by: Evan Kaio (Knave)

Peter Nitschke wrote on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 - 07:53 pm:
There have been posts on most Soarer Forums over the years of people fitting after market bushes, then replacing them with rubber because of the disappointment experienced

Gotta say, as Matt said, differance is night and day.

Peter Nitschke wrote on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 07:10 am:
Andrew also pointed out, that once you fit bigger wheels, incorrect offsets, start lowering the car etc, then the life expectancy of the bushes will be reduced due to the increased stresses placed on the bushes.

Andrew does point out in his bush survival PDF, about lowering your car. And it seems to me that wheel alignment shops won't use the Toyota alignment figures, probably due to wheel size offsets?
Anyway after pissing around with ride height for a weekend I decided to put the ride height back to original. It looks dumb but that's where it staying till I get new wheels (with correct/better offset)

Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer Limited UZZ31 & Soarer 3.0GT JZZ31

Posts: 2088
Reg: 11-2005

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Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 10:59 pm, by: Mike Beck (Gold_40gt)

Peter Nitschke wrote on Thursday, June 12, 2008 - 07:10 am:
once you fit bigger wheels, incorrect offsets, start lowering the car etc, then the life expectancy of the bushes will be reduced due to the increased stresses placed on the bushes.

Ive repeated this kinda stuff to a number of people I know, that dont really think about the whole picture when they come to change their wheels/suspension setups. They dont really get it or care but In some cases I can see the evidence of the huge stresses through essentially bad modifying. Guess some people just dont learn.

Im glad Im watchful of stuff like this, I recently Upgraded my wheels on my Soarer with Factory RX7 wheels which are 16x8JJ 50 Offset so easily a good setup in regards to the size/offset.

Only thing that may make a difference is the fact the tyres are 225/50R16's not 225/55R16s specified on the factory 16x7 TT/Limited Rims. Works out to be a 3.4% Smaller rolling diameter... Making the speed read a few k's higer, It does look nicer though 55 Ratio is a little too thick sometimes.