Urethane or Rubber Bushings

[tiiloui]

Just received my 73 2002tii from a reputable BMW club repair shop after some extensive suspension work. I had specified to replace all bushings with rubber. Urethane came back with the car. I have heard bad results with Urethane....is their cause for alarm? Make them install rubber?

[jakeb]

It really depends on the use for the car. If it is a daily driver I would stick with rubber bushings. If it is a fun car...and you want really tight steering/suspension then stick with the poly.

I have poly throughout my car and it is really stiff and a bit harsh at times. My city has pretty crap roads so...yeah

But when you push the car the poly makes a nice difference...everything is very tight.

Also poly will start to squeek....I have had mine in for just over a year and they are starting to squeek. ie. get out of the car and all the bushings squeek.

I also have a 91 318is...so when I want something a little softer I can drive that.

hth,

jake

[cj]

If you specified rubber, I'd have them replace all the urethane with rubber. Urethane in certain applications of the suspension is good but for the most part nothing but an annoyance(noise) with minimal gains for the street.

Cris

[alp]

I will buy your used poly's.

[tiiloui]

Thanks for the feedback....I use the car occasionally not a daily driver....on the weekends I like to drive it hard and interested in doing some auto cross.

The horror I heard cracks to the sub-frame when driven hard.

[tiiloui]

Thanks for the feedback....I use the car occasionally not a daily driver....on the weekends I like to drive it hard and interested in doing some auto cross.

The horror I heard cracks to the sub-frame when driven hard.

[jakeb]

stick with poly if you drive it hard...

jake

[SteveJ]

Stick with poly if you drive it hard. Also consider reinforcements if you drive it that hard.

I run all rubber bushings with the exception of the swaybar end links.

[TobyB]

it's more dependant on use. If you really flog it, you'll want to reinfor ce it.

As to benefit/detriment, there are a few places it really helps (rear trailing arms), a few places that don't hurt (inner front arms) and a couple of places that don't much matter (outer front arms and front subframe). Yes, your caster will change slightly under braking, but that's a tiny change compared to the increased noise...

fwiw.

t