For the plastic bushings like at the shift linkage, and for the rubber bushings at the sway bars and suspension, do the bushings get lubed? If so what lube is recommended for each?

I have heard one respected person here suggest that the plastic bushings are self-lubricating but that does not sound right to me. I think all wearing and bearing surfaces require lube but I have not seen much in print to give direction.

Opinions?

silicon chassis grease, the sticky thick stuff

I've heard others here say that sway bar & drop link bushings should be lubed to prevent sqeaks. I just put both in and did not lube them. I have no squeaks as of yet. Time will tell I guess.

The white bushings are just plastic, nylon or polypropylene I think, the black ones are impregnated with graphite. If I get any squeeks, I spray the bushing with some silicone, don't know if that is good or not, no problems in years of doing it. The book says lithium grease, but some say it damages the plastic.

If you want to lubricate plastic or rubber bushings, you really need to talk to the manufacturer of the part. Otherwise you may use a lubricant that will adversely affect the polymer. (Dry out rubber, harden plastic, etc....)


It is my opinion that many of the plastic bushings will wear faster with lubricant as it can hold and trap dirt. Sometimes plastic can swell if exposed to petroleum chemicals. Other plastic seems to swell with moisture.

(Disclaimer: I am grouping all hard polymers into plastic)







just my $0.02

Nylon is self-lubricating. I can think of thousands of things I've taken apart that had a steel part in a nylon bushing with no lubrication (by design). For something that really doesn't move that much, like a shift linkage, this should be adequate. We're not, after all, talking about something that has to move hundreds or thousands of times a minute, but more like a few times a minute (racetrack use), or even a few times an hour (freeway use).

Rubber is more of a question. The sway bar bushings really shouldn't see much rotation between the bushing and the bar. More likely, the bushing should distort so any movement between the bar and the mount is taken up by the bushing itself twisting. Poly bushings can't distort so much, so there's rotational movement of the bar in the bushing, and you'll get squeaking and wear unless you lube them.

Bingo.

I still dont lube them. The dirt is the biggest issue. It will wear the shift bar and the bushing.

Hayden @ WEVO has first hand experience with this on his mid engine 915 conversions. He ended up making a COVER for the rear shift bushing. The linkage would drag dirt into the bushing causing premature wear.

Brad << doesnt lube..LOL


B

Easy there. I would'nt go that far


B

I did not put any grease on my shifter bushings or on the end links myself. The old bushings were yellow and crumbling, whether from age, exposure to the elements or the wrong grease I could not say.

We need to know what the available bushings are made from, does anyone knwo for certain? I have seen an opaque white ball cup bushing that may be some type of nylon, polypropylene or even polyethylene, but I am not sure, it is slightly pliable. If its nylon, it has a soft durometer. The firewall bushing I recall is different, more of a clear plastic, not sure what that material is. Sway bar shackle bushings? Are the bushings we buy now all OEM factory parts, or are they aftermarket? The only black bushings are the suspension (trailing arm and A-arm) bushings right?

I found this in the factory manual, it says to lube them, not sure how a tire iron could be used to install those bushings:

Jeff,

Factory recommends Moly Sulifide Grease. Won't hurt Delrin bushings, nylon, Teflon or graphite composits. Lite coat is all thats needed.

KP