Poly spring eye bushings vs rubber?

[sled_dog]

So here is a question for you guys, which should I go with? Leave the rubber bushings and sleeves in the 63s or go with the greasable poly units I have from ORD? I would think the rubber ones would have more give puting a little less stress on the main leaf. Should be slapping the 63s under her any day now so would like to get this discussion going /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

 

[Hossbaby50]

Greaseable poly should net you some extra flex but with 63's is that really necessary? Poly will last longer too most likely. It tends to be tougher then rubber. Especially for me here in the desert.

 

[pauly383]

How old are the springpacks? If not very old pull the stock rubbers out while you can still do it easily /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

 

[Mastiff]

The greasable ORD's were just too cool for me to pass up, so I'm putting them in. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Thing is, the original 83 rubber bushings are still looking like new, but the red poly bushings in my Rancho springs are cracked and discolored already. So... I don't really know what's better.

I probably wouldn't have bothered except for the grease fittings. Poly alone would not have made the pain of installation worth it.

The other thing about the ORD's is that (for me at least) the bushings were wider than factory when installed, so they were super tight in the hangar. I actually bent the hangar open some just to get them in at all. This does not seem good for flex purposes.

 

[dyeager535]

I'm not a hardcore wheeler, but poly's properties IMO don't suit it well to that application. I'd say if they are in good shape, leave them until they need replacing.

Of course I don't think it's good for any suspension parts short of the sway bar, but it's great for motor, trans, and body mounts. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

My *opinion* on this is that rubber is softer than poly (witness some of the cracking poly bushings) and with a leaf sprung setup, when one side of the axle is higher than the other, rubber will "deflect" better, letting the spring move a bit more (and more smoothly) than poly. If the material won't compress, or is more resistant to compression (poly) the spring itself must absorb ALL of the torsional force acting on it.

 

[tRustyK5]

Rubber will help flex more than poly and will last longer too. I kept the rubber bushings in my 57's and when I swap front springs I'll install rubber bushings in those too. Poly sucks.

Rene

 

[sled_dog]

yeah I'm staying rubber. I think I will be going 56s or 57s and keeping the rubber.