Rubber or Poly?

Money has built up in my secret pile so I need to send it to Flyin Miata. I am going with the Stage 2 V-Maxx without the NB upgrade. I know they ride a bit stiffer than the FM Stage 2 yet that is one of the reasons I got an 1990 Miata. I had been buying new cars every two years and I got tired of how soft new cars feel.

So with that I am picking bushings. The rubber will be closer to a new car feel yet they won't squeak. With poly they might ride more like I want yet squeaking could make my crazier.

Oh it will be used as a summer fun car.

Thoughts please?

Non related picture of a cool Miata.......

Yay secret pile!

With the newly affordable IL bushings, I'd go rubber. Less hassle in the long run. And you might want to stiffen that frame with some rails if you get a chance, it'll make the suspension upgrades more effective.

Ok. I hope the rubber ones don't make it too smooth riding. Frame rails already installed.

Rubber for sure. When I get neck deep into the suspension of the Javelin there was a pretty resounding "heck no" for poly from here, the AMC guys, and just about everywhere else.

I think the general idea is "rubber where it moves, poly where it doesn't", so things like roll-bar end links, steering rack bushings, etc get poly. Control arms go rubber or something else not-poly.

Another vote for rubber. I like the idea of poly, but squeaking drives me crazy. Poly is for track-only cars, not even for dual purpose ones.

And I an also endorse the FM frame rails. They really stiffen the car up, plus, they give you a lot more places to jack up the car from.

Make everything else loud enough that you don't hear the suspension?

in my experience poly feels 5% stiffer, and 200% more irritating.

What about Delrin?

Out of curiousity, why not go with the NB upgrade?

I'm getting ready to install my stuff, the non-adjustable VMaxx with the softer springs.........I also got poly bushings since mine will be a mainly track car, with the occasional weekend hooning.

pres589 wrote: I think the general idea is "rubber where it moves, poly where it doesn't", so things like roll-bar end links, steering rack bushings, etc get poly. Control arms go rubber or something else not-poly.

I used the Racing Beat poly sway bar end links and they squeaked all the freakin' time. Drove me nuts. So I would take the end links off that list.

In reply to dculberson:

Wow, even the end links squeak? Haven't experienced that although I've never had any myself.

You know, I really don't personally know anyone around me that does anything with suspensions besides throw Monroe or Rancho shocks on stuff and keep driving.

Go rubber.

I have a couple of poly bushings on my FD for the last 3 years and they are friggin annoying. Can't wait to replace them with a set of Mazda Comp rubber bushings.

I had installed some Energy Suspension stuff, came with their "anti-squeek" lube, no noise issues and drove the car for several years.

I have also had poly without said lube, it drove me bananas.

My vote is poly with the lube, rubber if without.

Poly with lube.

Lube wears out fellas...

Woody wrote: And I an also endorse the FM frame rails. They really stiffen the car up, plus, they give you a lot more places to jack up the car from.

I was excited about that too, but I've never been able to get a jack far enough under the car to reach the frame rails anyway. They're good for jack stands once I've raised the car up using the factory jacking point. But I'm just too low to actually jack up from the frame rails.

Noticeable improvement though; I endorse the product.

amg_rx7 wrote: Lube wears out fellas...

Add more lube.

Problem with zerks is that they lubricate the outside of the bushing, but you need it in the middle.

Nothing wrong with a smooth ride. It's called compliance!

Delrin is like poly, but harsh :)

belteshazzar wrote: in my experience poly feels 5% stiffer, and 200% more irritating.

Hmmm, I must have poly then. How does one go about getting universal and/or custom sized rubber bushings?
Sorry for the threadjack.

belteshazzar wrote: in my experience poly feels 5% stiffer, and 200% more irritating.

I will remember that next time someone asks me about poly bushings!

Does anyone make high density rubber bushings for the Miata??

For example, both TRD, and Cusco make, or made, high denisty rubber bushings for the AE86. They performed great, and were as quiet as OEM

oldeskewltoy wrote: Does anyone make high density rubber bushings for the Miata?? For example, both TRD, and Cusco make, or made, high denisty rubber bushings for the AE86. They performed great, and were as quiet as OEM

http://flyinmiata.com/index.php?deptid=5676&parentid=0&stocknumber=13-98120

These are making me consider selling the poly bushings I've purchased.....

In reply to Keith: But many bushing kits are two halves, with space between that will enable lube to reach inner and outer surfaces. For 1 piece bushings, can use a circumferential outer groove, with a hole drilled through to enable lube to also reach inner surface.

I spent HOURS drilling and tapping the entire front and rear suspension on my B13 Sentra so I could grease the poly bushings I installed.

C-O-L-O-S-S-A-L WASTE OF TIME.

The bushings were so tight, there was nowhere for the grease to go. You could not produce enough force with the grease gun without the grease oozing out somewhere unwanted.

Having said that, the Sentra was my daily driver. I usually had to disassemble and re-grease the front suspension once a year. It always squeaked if it dropped below freezing. The rear bushings just got tighter and bound more (I never did re-grease them). I drove the car with these bushings from '01 to '07 every day, and racked up 150,000km's on them, including 4 years of autocross and 6 years of Canadian winters.

The Sentra was replaced with a D21 Hardbody pickup. Again, I replaced all the bushings with polyurethane. This truck is my daily driver. It doesn't squeak as bad, but it still squeaks. I've had bushings on this truck now for about 3 years. Considering the cacophony of noise the truck makes just being itself, squeaky bushings aren't much of an issue for me.

Would I do this again? Yes, absolutely - for me. Would I recommend it for everyone? No.