Control Arm Bushings - Can you lubricate them?
02-25-2010, 08:12 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Control Arm Bushings - Can you lubricate them?
Gents,
My driver's side UCA bushings are "moaning" when the suspension cycles. A low pitch noise, more of a moan than a squeek. I isolated it with the automotive stethoscope. The bushings are all present, no tears, and there is no relative movement in the arm when I pry on it.
Is there any way to grease the bushing? Anyone had any luck with something like this?
I am trying to avoid tearing the UCA out of the rig. I have a new one in the garage from my buddy's SAS job. The bushings look fine in that one also.
My moaning '89 4Runner, hopefully my wife does not notice...
My driver's side UCA bushings are "moaning" when the suspension cycles. A low pitch noise, more of a moan than a squeek. I isolated it with the automotive stethoscope. The bushings are all present, no tears, and there is no relative movement in the arm when I pry on it.
Is there any way to grease the bushing? Anyone had any luck with something like this?
I am trying to avoid tearing the UCA out of the rig. I have a new one in the garage from my buddy's SAS job. The bushings look fine in that one also.
My moaning '89 4Runner, hopefully my wife does not notice...
02-25-2010, 02:15 PM
#2
Hmmmm.
Well being's that they're rubber bushings(stock) you shouldn't grease them, generally speaking. Chassis/bearing greases(i.e. lithium soap-based greases) can quickly deteriorate rubber bushings.
Of course there's silicone-based/dielectric greases that are fine for use on or near rubber or poly bushings. One might try using one of those. How to go about doing so on an UCA bushing I haven't a clue.
Of interest...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I did several hours of research on this subject and wanted to share what I learned.
First of all, what I learned was that Lithium grease and Marine grease are all petroleum based. Any petroleum based grease will react and degrade your bushings including Polyurethane bushing and stock OEM rubber Bushings. They may work for quieting your ride, but manufactures do not recommend them. I suspect because the petroleum based may harden the plastic or rubber and result in cracking the bushing over time.
I checked with 2 major manufactures of Lubricants for automotive markets, NYE Lubricants and Syn-Tech Lubricants. Spoke with one of the reps that visit our company. Looks like the industry recommends synthetic or silicone based grease. For some reason GM now perfers a non-silicone based grease. See below
From NYE lubricant's web site:
Non-Silicone Bushing
Grease Approved by GM
General Motors assigned Part No. 9986233
to Nye’s Fluorocarbon Gel 875R for stabilizer
bushings. Fluorocarbon Gel 875R is a rust-inhibited,
PTFE-thickened, heavy viscosity,
synthetic hydrocarbon grease. Nye often
recommends Fluorocarbon Gel 880, a PTFE-thickened
silicone grease, for stabilizer
bushings. GM wanted a non-silicone grease
with the same capabilities. Stabilizer bushing
grease eliminates the annoying (sometimes,
down-right obscene) sound of rubber against
metal that has been known to boost
warranty expenses.
Well, its a bit difficult for most of us to buy a smalll jar of this stuff from Nye since they sell this in 5 gallon buckets. The only synthetic grease or Silicone grease I found on the retail level or online is pictured below
Picked this up at ACE Hardware for $3. It is a Synthetic grease with PTFE (teflon) mixed in. It is not petroleum based and is clear in color and the same texture / thickness and color as the grease that came with my L-tuned/Eibach sway bar bushings.
I believe the Silicone spray lubricant in a spray can will NOT work This stuff is water thin and will be washed off easily. Whereas the synthetic grease from ACE has the same texture/viscosity of toothpaste.
http://my.is/forums/f89/proper-greas...ithium-280229/
Good luck!
Well being's that they're rubber bushings(stock) you shouldn't grease them, generally speaking. Chassis/bearing greases(i.e. lithium soap-based greases) can quickly deteriorate rubber bushings.
Of course there's silicone-based/dielectric greases that are fine for use on or near rubber or poly bushings. One might try using one of those. How to go about doing so on an UCA bushing I haven't a clue.
Of interest...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I did several hours of research on this subject and wanted to share what I learned.
First of all, what I learned was that Lithium grease and Marine grease are all petroleum based. Any petroleum based grease will react and degrade your bushings including Polyurethane bushing and stock OEM rubber Bushings. They may work for quieting your ride, but manufactures do not recommend them. I suspect because the petroleum based may harden the plastic or rubber and result in cracking the bushing over time.
I checked with 2 major manufactures of Lubricants for automotive markets, NYE Lubricants and Syn-Tech Lubricants. Spoke with one of the reps that visit our company. Looks like the industry recommends synthetic or silicone based grease. For some reason GM now perfers a non-silicone based grease. See below
From NYE lubricant's web site:
Non-Silicone Bushing
Grease Approved by GM
General Motors assigned Part No. 9986233
to Nye’s Fluorocarbon Gel 875R for stabilizer
bushings. Fluorocarbon Gel 875R is a rust-inhibited,
PTFE-thickened, heavy viscosity,
synthetic hydrocarbon grease. Nye often
recommends Fluorocarbon Gel 880, a PTFE-thickened
silicone grease, for stabilizer
bushings. GM wanted a non-silicone grease
with the same capabilities. Stabilizer bushing
grease eliminates the annoying (sometimes,
down-right obscene) sound of rubber against
metal that has been known to boost
warranty expenses.
Well, its a bit difficult for most of us to buy a smalll jar of this stuff from Nye since they sell this in 5 gallon buckets. The only synthetic grease or Silicone grease I found on the retail level or online is pictured below
Picked this up at ACE Hardware for $3. It is a Synthetic grease with PTFE (teflon) mixed in. It is not petroleum based and is clear in color and the same texture / thickness and color as the grease that came with my L-tuned/Eibach sway bar bushings.
I believe the Silicone spray lubricant in a spray can will NOT work This stuff is water thin and will be washed off easily. Whereas the synthetic grease from ACE has the same texture/viscosity of toothpaste.
Good luck!
Last edited by MudHippy; 02-25-2010 at 02:38 PM.
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