Front Bushing Failure??
could this possibly be the issue i am facing if i am starting to hear a tire/rubber rubbing sound when the car is angled on a driveway or turning? my car is slammed and it was fine for about 2 years with no rub but i just recently started hearing these noises. the car drives perfectly straight still so i think the alignment is alright 
i'm going through the same crap with my 03 with 55k on it, ordered the nismo bushings from rhd, a japenese company. They have the nismo bushings for the transverse link were in stock. It was a bit pricey, 90 for the set(2) shipped. Better than possibly waiting six months from my nismo but just found out about these from noltech oh well.
The Noltec bushings are polyurethane (essentially the same as urethane). Not to be argumentative but as far as your experience, it really comes down to the quality of the bushings you use. There are crappy polyurethane bushings and excellent polyurethane bushings. For example, we have been running polyurethane bushings in Adam's 600+hp 280zx for over 10 years without any issues and thats just one of the shop cars that we have completely outfitted with urethane/polyurethane bushings without any issues.
I have recently ordered all of the Noltec (Noltec, Whiteline and Nolathane were all bought out by Red Ranger and are the same company. Noltec = Whiteline Plus) bushings for my car. I wont be able to post a review for some time however due to the fact that the rear subframe bushings wont be in the U.S. for some time.
For anyone looking to purchase any of the bushings we have a of couple sets available, with the exception of the subframe bushing.
Front Bushings:
http://www.z1auto.com/prodmore.asp?m...ng&prodid=3783
Rear Bushings:
http://www.z1auto.com/prodmore.asp?m...ng&prodid=3784
I have recently ordered all of the Noltec (Noltec, Whiteline and Nolathane were all bought out by Red Ranger and are the same company. Noltec = Whiteline Plus) bushings for my car. I wont be able to post a review for some time however due to the fact that the rear subframe bushings wont be in the U.S. for some time.
For anyone looking to purchase any of the bushings we have a of couple sets available, with the exception of the subframe bushing.
Front Bushings:
http://www.z1auto.com/prodmore.asp?m...ng&prodid=3783
Rear Bushings:
http://www.z1auto.com/prodmore.asp?m...ng&prodid=3784
"The Noltec bushings are polyurethane (essentially the same as urethane)."
While that may be the case for products that come down the pipeline after the company was sold, prior to that point the Noltec bushings are make from a polyester and nylon blend. The Noltech site when it was still in operation went to great lengths do discribe how they were NOT polyurathane, further mentioning that the product offered the durability, yet with greater compliance and less harshness vs polyurathane.
"The Noltec bushings are polyurethane (essentially the same as urethane)."
While that may be the case for products that come down the pipeline after the company was sold, prior to that point the Noltec bushings are make from a polyester and nylon blend. The Noltech site when it was still in operation went to great lengths do discribe how they were NOT polyurathane, further mentioning that the product offered the durability, yet with greater compliance and less harshness vs polyurathane.
While that may be the case for products that come down the pipeline after the company was sold, prior to that point the Noltec bushings are make from a polyester and nylon blend. The Noltech site when it was still in operation went to great lengths do discribe how they were NOT polyurathane, further mentioning that the product offered the durability, yet with greater compliance and less harshness vs polyurathane.
short of each manufacturer giving you the recipes, I don't think there is anyway to chase down that info.
When I contacted Whiteline about the compounds, this is what they said:
"Adam - The Whiteline Plus range of bushes use the latest Polyurethane technologies and are a completely revised compound from the Noltec Polyester bushes. The Whiteline Plus Polyurethane is a much more durable compound that offers better performance characteristics in high load situations while still remaining supple at low speed/light load conditions."
When I contacted Whiteline about the compounds, this is what they said:
"Adam - The Whiteline Plus range of bushes use the latest Polyurethane technologies and are a completely revised compound from the Noltec Polyester bushes. The Whiteline Plus Polyurethane is a much more durable compound that offers better performance characteristics in high load situations while still remaining supple at low speed/light load conditions."
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I ended up going with the Whiteline Plus bushings. Whiteline Plus Urethane Front Lower Inner Control Arm Bushings 2002-2008 350Z (Pair) and while I was swapping those out decided to also get the Whiteline Plus Urethane Front Shock Absorber - Control Arm (Lower Shock Bush) 2003-2008 350Z(Pair).
Much props to Adam and Z1!!
Much props to Adam and Z1!!
I ended up going with the Whiteline Plus bushings. Whiteline Plus Urethane Front Lower Inner Control Arm Bushings 2002-2008 350Z (Pair) and while I was swapping those out decided to also get the Whiteline Plus Urethane Front Shock Absorber - Control Arm (Lower Shock Bush) 2003-2008 350Z(Pair).
Much props to Adam and Z1!!
Much props to Adam and Z1!!
+1 Adam Z1 good people
Interesting, I saw this on my front lower control arm as well recently when getting my alignment done.
Hmmm... I have always been wary of urethane bushings. As someone else posted, the properties of the polyurethane can be varied to accommodate the desired specifications of hardness, compression, and tensile strength. The trouble is finding a company that has done this well. Deciding on a poly bushing set is usually left up to trial and error and the user's end goals. Too hard and they may crack on rough roads, too soft and they lose lubrication from play, etc... I suppose I will have to wait to hear more reviews of the Whiteline before buying.
The main concern I have is in regards to lubricating the bushings. I have seen some newer designs incorporate scoring on the inner face to retain the grease, but I doubt this to be a permanent solution. Of course, as this thread is in response to, rubber bushings wear out and are not a permanent solution, either. However; there is something to be said about the use of a harder durometer rubber to manage increased longitudinal loads while also providing the necessary rotational properties required for the joint without lubrication needs. As it is, I still lean towards the NISMO bushings for this reason.
I would think the poly-nylon blend Gsedan35 is using to be my ideal. Being a more familiar engineered material, it hosts the necessary rotational and lubrication properties without the shearing risk presented with a polyurethane bushing run dry. Perhaps the material is not as durable with the obvious compromise in compression needed for street duty, and that's why it isn't as popular.
Will
The main concern I have is in regards to lubricating the bushings. I have seen some newer designs incorporate scoring on the inner face to retain the grease, but I doubt this to be a permanent solution. Of course, as this thread is in response to, rubber bushings wear out and are not a permanent solution, either. However; there is something to be said about the use of a harder durometer rubber to manage increased longitudinal loads while also providing the necessary rotational properties required for the joint without lubrication needs. As it is, I still lean towards the NISMO bushings for this reason.
I would think the poly-nylon blend Gsedan35 is using to be my ideal. Being a more familiar engineered material, it hosts the necessary rotational and lubrication properties without the shearing risk presented with a polyurethane bushing run dry. Perhaps the material is not as durable with the obvious compromise in compression needed for street duty, and that's why it isn't as popular.
Will
I have had left lower fail and right upper fail. Unfortunately the bushing could not just be replaced the entire arm had to be replaced. Fortunately even though the car was lowered it was still covered under warranty. Dropping off the car this coming Monday 4/13/09 to have it installed. Just received the call this morning that the parts came in.
This was brought to my attn by my alignment shop. They could not align the front because of this issue.
This was brought to my attn by my alignment shop. They could not align the front because of this issue.
