Worn bushes

[jaffa_cree]

My car has recently made squeaky noise in the front (possibly left) when driving over spead humps or un even roads. The squeak is very loud when the car is still cold, but over a period will quieten down.

Just took it to a mechanic and he said it possibly could be worn bushes.
He couldn't give me a quote because he said he was unsure which bush needs to be replaced.

As a hypothetical, if all bushes needed to be replaced (or just for the front), what would the cost be for parts and labour?

[SPEEDCORE]

The labour is the biggest killer with bushings.

Would not be able to tell you exactly how much..... but even with a press etc then alignment etc. it would not be jsut a few hours. Having to disassemble the rear brake assembly to remove the trailing arms to get to those RTA bushings are a fair wack of time!

I'd source a bushing kit from Ebay and take it somewhere to do, cause local manufactures of poly bushings seem to want to bend you over for something that costs them 50c to make.

To give you an idea on my 86..... for $200 AUD all I could get would be the trailing arm bushings from a local company that produces them in a blue colour (not mentioning names you'll figure it out).

That same $200 AUD got me a whole poly bushing kit for the 86 delivered to my door from the USA from a reputable company.

[vividjazz]

Pedders and Whiteline will have bushes and can of course also do the labour but the time is a killer. While its apart you might as well replace all the bushes along the way (if doing the front end) as its really the labour / time that costs not the bushes. You don't have to go poly bushes.

[Slow96GSR]

Energy Suspension for about $45USD, and $10 S&H from Ebay.

[SKREMN]

ive got energy suspension bushes in ym car
i did a write up on it a while back
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36385

[dsp26]

^^^^ aaah ****!!! i knew solid engine mounts from them had to be pressed which i've already done... didn't realise the smaller bushes required pressing also.

was just wondering, of the thinner ring bushes, were they even easily bendable? i know the smaller thick ring bushes won't budge...

got cut.. didn't realise it would cost like ~$600ish to get them installed...

[iamhappy46]

I spent 10 hours doing all the bushes(upper & lower bushes on all front & rear control arm bushes + front swaybar bushes + rear trailing arm Noltec Pivot style bush)

Parts alone were over $400 trade price for all of the bushes(Noltec one is $200rrp for a pair!) but it sure did stiffen the suspension up a LOT!

[dsp26]

I spent 10 hours doing all the bushes(upper & lower bushes on all front & rear control arm bushes + front swaybar bushes + rear trailing arm Noltec Pivot style bush)

Parts alone were over $400 trade price for all of the bushes(Noltec one is $200rrp for a pair!) but it sure did stiffen the suspension up a LOT!

Matt, for the thinner ones i described in the post above yours, could they be pushed in without a press or the whole job requires a press?? how about the swaybar D-Link bushes? they slide in from one end and just push it to the right spot past the bends and stuff???

bit worried now as i'm very financially close to ordering the Hyper-Flex kit from Mossy Performance in the states....

what was included in the noltec kit??

B13 Hyperflex Prothanes US$120+freight:
- 28mm Fr swaybar bushes
- 15mm Rd swaybar bushes
- Fr + Rr Control Arm bushes
- Tie Rod end boots
- Transmission Stabilizer bushes
- Steering Rack

[Limbo]

could actually be a bearing problem, bushes usually don't sqeak. If they do you will notice that the car wobbles alot when hitting higher speeds.

[bOoStn]

A bearing would probably also create a vibration, and if you turn left and right, you can change the pitch of the noise

[dsp26]

bearings can be tested by jacking each corner up one at time and shaking the wheel... shouldn't move...

stuffed bearings don't get passed during Pink Slips btw...

[DomenEK]

I took my car in to pedders the other day for exactly the same problem. They did their 14 mpoint suspension check , which included a drive on shock absorber test. What he found to be the problem was my top shock mount has busted and needed replacing. This was causing the squeaking noise, which I found would also dissappear after a while during a longer drive.

I'd suggest you take the car into a suspension place and they can go through it with a fine tooth comb, and you may find it could be the same problem as mine...

[iamhappy46]

Noltec kit was just for the rear trailing arm pivot on my GF's Civic, about $75ea trade price. Not cheap but def better than the Honda OEM item! The pin thru the centre can rotate freely, without being restricted by the rubber which stopped it from rotating. Soaked up the roads much better...

The thinner ones still require a press atleast, to remove the old bushes and casing. Some urethane bushes are a 2 piece item so that they do not need to be pressed in.

The swaybar D link bushes are the easiest of the lot. They flex enough that you can just 'open' them by bending them back nearly flat(they have a split in them on the flat surface section) and put them onto the bar in the correct position. No need to put them on from the side...

Just check that those mossy bushes are the right diameter swaybar for your car, steering rack bushes might be different too. PM me with a link to pics of the kit...


Matt, for the thinner ones i described in the post above yours, could they be pushed in without a press or the whole job requires a press?? how about the swaybar D-Link bushes? they slide in from one end and just push it to the right spot past the bends and stuff???

bit worried now as i'm very financially close to ordering the Hyper-Flex kit from Mossy Performance in the states....

what was included in the noltec kit??

B13 Hyperflex Prothanes US$120+freight:
- 28mm Fr swaybar bushes
- 15mm Rd swaybar bushes
- Fr + Rr Control Arm bushes
- Tie Rod end boots
- Transmission Stabilizer bushes
- Steering Rack

[jaffa_cree]

I took my car in to pedders the other day for exactly the same problem. They did their 14 mpoint suspension check , which included a drive on shock absorber test. What he found to be the problem was my top shock mount has busted and needed replacing. This was causing the squeaking noise, which I found would also dissappear after a while during a longer drive.

I'd suggest you take the car into a suspension place and they can go through it with a fine tooth comb, and you may find it could be the same problem as mine...
How much did it cost you to fix it up?

Brought it back to the mechanics today, and this time they did a thorough inspection and told me the front radius rod bushes are the cause of the sound and need to be replaced. He quoted me $260 for it. Does that sound reasonable?

EDIT. That is with Honda OEM parts.

[iamhappy46]

Get the Superpro Polyurethane version bushes, SOOO much cheaper the OEM and make the steering feel much more stable

[jaffa_cree]

Just picked up the car and it turned out to be $240 for the installation of the radius bushes. Didn't bother me that much as long as the squeaky noise is resolved.

As i drove it home, i approached a stretch of road that is uneven and guess what .. i heard the squeaky noise :(

Looks like i will have to take it back to the mechanic tomorrow and get them to look at it again.

[Limbo]

told ya bushes don't make sqeaky noises.

[Limbo]

still think it s prob the bearings

[iamhappy46]

bearings dont squeak, they whine.

I reckon control arm bushes, specifically the swaybar link bushes or the shockabsorber to lower control arm bushes

[Limbo]

my bearings did, depends if they are worn, burnt or broken
If they are burnt they sqeak

have changed 4 sets of bearings now. You need a big press to get them out. I got Meekong spares in Canley Vale to press them out for me for $20 a bearing