To replace all bushings on DD or not.

Hi all, So I got a 1996 Honda Civic 4dr that I've been DD'ing for a long while now and it's been pretty good to me even though I'm not too fond of it. As with all cars you get the 'mod' bug and think of a billion things you'd like to do to it, but either don't want to waste the time or money on it. Well now it looks like I won't be getting rid of it for another 3-4yrs (going on 4yrs now) and it's about that time to get the suspension overhauled. 1st thing on the agenda is obviously a budget minded shock/spring combo, but I'm sure the rubber bushings haven't been replaced since the car was new. Anyhow to make a long story short, would it be worth it to spend a little extra just to replace all the bushings or should I just focus my money on other things? BTW the car has over 260k and is still strong. Inside the engine is quite sparkly too surprisingly.

I think you will be surprised at how mushy the handling in your car has gotten over the years once you replace those bushings.

Bushings, definitely.

That's become the first thing i do on any car that i buy, these days.

Changing bushings is amazing on a car with that kind of mileage, you won't regret it.

Agreed. I've done it with the last couple high-mile cars I've bought. When I got my E34 @ 220K miles I spent a few months replacing every rubber part I could think of. Engine/trans mounts, guibo, suspension bushings, door seals, etc. Anything that deteriorates. If you couldn't see the odometer, you'd guess the car has 30K on it now.

We've only replaced a fraction of key bushings with high quality poly on our XR4 track car and all I can say is it went from vibration sloppy to tight and tighter...

(do with that statement what you will oh perverts)

Should do them on my DD Intrigue at 130k, not at all looking forward to it, but afraid if I don't and just shotgun the dampers I'll still have slop / vibration / etc issues. Soooo wishing I could run an air compressor in my garage (very long story).

Raze wrote: We've only replaced a fraction of key bushings with high quality poly on our XR4 track car and all I can say is it went from vibration sloppy to tight and tighter... (do with that statement what you will oh perverts)

Now if only I could replace the bushings on my wiiii.....nevermind.

Upgrading the suspension without replacing the bushings would be like installing a turbo with a big hole down-stream of the intake. Your going to have the suspension apart anyway, so do it. And yes, you will feel a difference.

I don't think replacing bushings is ever a bad idea.

Anybody know of a reasonably priced source for bushings for a 1995 LS400? Daizen doesn't make a kit for them, and most places online only seem to have one or two bushings for it. I would love to do all the bushings, but have a hard time spending multiple hundreds of dollars for the parts by going to the dealer. (Even discounted, they're pretty costly.)

Yikes, I just got done adding up what it would cost to replace all the bushings and ball joints from the dealer. They don't sell most of the bushings separately, so I would be replacing the whole control arms, etc. It would cost as much as I paid for the car! ($3,001 plus shipping!) Suffice it to say that will NOT be happening. That's plus shocks, too.

I wish someone made a complete kit for this car. Daizen does make a front bushing kit for the 1st gen LS400 but not any rear kit and not any kit for the 2nd gen like mine. Their web site has said "available 6/10" for over a year now.

Thanks for the replies. I guess I'll be making my list of what I need and finding prices.

Raze said: We've only replaced a fraction of key bushings with high quality poly on our XR4 track car and all I can say is it went from vibration sloppy to tight and tighter... (do with that statement what you will oh perverts)

I thought about using polyurethane bushings in a few areas as well but I wouldn't have time for the periodic lubing.

dculberson said: ....most places online only seem to have one or two bushings for it. I would love to do all the bushings, but have a hard time spending multiple hundreds of dollars for the parts by going to the dealer. (Even discounted, they're pretty costly.)

Yeah I've noticed they never sell them in a complete kit and the dealership often doesn't sell them separate from the control arms they go in. You would think in this vastness of automotive parts, there would be a company that could piece together a complete rubber bushing suspension kit. I'm not talking polyurethane bushings. They're not practical for all the bushing designs out there.

I did every last one w/ Energy Suspension urethane on the 90' Miata w/ 127k I got last summer. I also installed an FM stage 2.5 suspension and a butterfly brace at the same time, new rear wheel bearings, a good alignment, etc...

It's a new car.

Doing it my my Dodge Dakota w/ 110k did the same thing.

Doo Eeet!

That's it. I need to get a daily driver that has better aftermarket support.

dculberson wrote: Yikes, I just got done adding up what it would cost to replace all the bushings and ball joints from the dealer. They don't sell most of the bushings separately, so I would be replacing the whole control arms, etc. It would cost as much as I paid for the car! ($3,001 plus shipping!) Suffice it to say that will NOT be happening. That's plus shocks, too. I wish someone made a complete kit for this car. Daizen does make a front bushing kit for the 1st gen LS400 but not any rear kit and not any kit for the 2nd gen like mine. Their web site has said "available 6/10" for over a year now.

185performance.com

Ask about SuperPro bushings for your car. Josh will take care of getting together the most complete kit you'll be able to find.

motomoron wrote: I did every last one w/ Energy Suspension urethane on the 90' Miata w/ 127k I got last summer. I also installed an FM stage 2.5 suspension and a butterfly brace at the same time, new rear wheel bearings, a good alignment, etc...

What has your experience been with the poly bushings? I had a '99 Miata a few years ago and put the Racing Beat poly bushing equipped sway bar end links on, and ended up with a heck of a lot of squeaking going on, despite applying what I thought was plenty of grease. Is your suspension squeaky or quiet?

There's a pretty strong group on EP3 Civic forums that like the harder rubber bushings over poly.

Merc wrote: I thought about using polyurethane bushings in a few areas as well but I wouldn't have time for the periodic lubing.

Between graphite impregnated poly and better lube this periodic lubing you speak of is a thing of the past. Havent relubed one in forever, both my dd and my autox car are loaded with poly, the autox car actually doesnt have a single piece of rubber left in it.

I need to replace the bushings on my DD, but the car just plain isn't worth it and never will be.

Got full Prothane set on my Neon and don't regret it one bit...the wife and the kids don't appreciated quite as much.

For a DD I would recommend rubber over poly. There is an aftermarket rubber option for civics, look up Hardrace. Bit of an upgrade from OEM bushings while remaining cheaper and just as quiet.

SupraWes wrote:

Merc wrote: I thought about using polyurethane bushings in a few areas as well but I wouldn't have time for the periodic lubing.

Between graphite impregnated poly and better lube this periodic lubing you speak of is a thing of the past. Havent relubed one in forever, both my dd and my autox car are loaded with poly, the autox car actually doesnt have a single piece of rubber left in it.

Graphite poly bushings have been around for around 30yrs now. Although it may help to solve some of the sliding sticking issues related to polyurethane, it does nothing to change bushings that require a free range of motion. I would also doubt they require no maintenance. I'm sure that climate would play a huge part on how maintainence free they are.

I did all the bushings in my DD B13 Sentra in Polyurethane, and racked up 150,000km's on them (car had 93,000km when I put them in - noticeable improvement). I re-lubed the front bushings every year for a while, and then just stopped bothering. They would squeak below freezing. I ~never~ re-lubed the rear bushings.

I had drilled and threaded grease fittings everywhere to make this easier. Turned out to be a colossal waste of time - there was no room for the grease to ~go~.

I did all the bushings on my DD D21 Hardbody in Polyurethane two years ago (truck had 230,000km on it - minor improvement). I have re-lubed the back chasing a squeak that wasn't from the bushings. I have never re-lubed the front, and likely won't unless I have to go in there for something like ball joints.

I'd do poly bushings in a DD again. It's usually vast improvement, despite the potential for squeak.

Bushing squeak? Turn the stereo up.