Thread: 2"lift in...Reset bushes?

I'd say the only bushes you may need to replace are the radius arm bushes to correct the caster. Not all 2" lifts require it, but if when driving down the road the car doesn't seem to track as straight as before and you feel you are correcting with the steering wheel more, particularly on uneven surfaces or roads with pot holes than you used to, it is a good sign you need to fix the caster.


Other than that the other bushes should be fine, any movement would have twisted in the bush already I would have thought. Also after taking it for a drive it will reset itself. The idea of a bush is so components can move, I reckon you'll be fine.

Originally Posted by Jazzman

Other than that the other bushes should be fine, any movement would have twisted in the bush already I would have thought. Also after taking it for a drive it will reset itself. The idea of a bush is so components can move, I reckon you'll be fine.

That's exactly the OPs point... If the centre sleeve of the bush is locked to the chassis or diff (by the bolt through it being done up tight), and the outer sleeve (press fit) is locked to the suspension arm, and you then lift the suspension, you've twisted all the bushes. Even when the car is parked in the driveway not moving, the bushes are loaded up, whereas they should be in their neutral position, only being twisted when the suspension moves from its 'resting' position.

If you simply loosen the bolt through the centre sleeve (with the car sitting on its wheels on the ground), and then retighten, the central sleeve should rotate back so that the rubber is unstressed with the suspension in its resting position. The only real effect of this of course, is simply a longer service life for the bushes, which doesn't seem to be a big problem with D2 suspension anyway. Some cars however, can destroy certain bushes in a manner of a few thousand km if they are done up tight with the suspension not at rest. This only applies to rubber bushes where the rubber is bonded to an inner and outer sleeve, and is not free to rotate. Superpro and other poly bushes with a press in sleeve, or which are just poly, makes no difference where you do them up, as they are free to rotate. As you say, this type WILL reset when you go for a drive.


So to the OP, yes, you are correct, your bushes are now preloaded. With a D2, I haven't seen too many people replacing most bushes in the suspension anyway, and the amount of preload is fairly small. It's certainly a good idea to loosen them all off, but I don't personally believe it'll make a huge difference to the life of the bushes in this case.....

It is a good idea, but personally I didn't bother and that was a few years ago and I haven't had any fail or prematurely wear from not doing it yet.

That is interesting. I thought the centre in all bushes moved, but as you say if the centre sleeve is moulded to the rubber it can't.


But what is the point of a bush that can't move?

Originally Posted by Jazzman

That is interesting. I thought the centre in all bushes moved, but as you say if the centre sleeve is moulded to the rubber it can't.


But what is the point of a bush that can't move?

Agreed, i would think that the center of the bush would have to rotate as it would shear otherwise rendering it stuffed after the first articulation.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Agreed, i would think that the center of the bush would have to rotate as it would shear otherwise rendering it stuffed after the first articulation.

In a rubber bush with sleeves bonded to the inside and outside, it doesn't so much rotate as twist. Yes the centre sleeve does rotate, but the rubber is not independant of that sleeve, meaning that there is a limit to the amount the sleeve can rotate before the rubber binds up or fails. Hence why some passenger cars have a very short bush life if done up with the suspension hanging - at normal ride height, the bush is near the limit of its rotation due to the massive amount of suspension droop they can have (which is never expected to be seen in operation, unlike a 4wd). When the suspension goes into bump, it reaches a point that exceeds the elastic capability of the rubber bush.


Compare that to a poly bush, where the centre sleeve is simply lubed up and pressed through. You can completely rotate the centre sleeve in this setup as many times as you like, since the poly bush can slide around the centre sleeve.