Gtr Tension Rod Bushes

[SiR_RB]

I'm changing afew of my bushes to new superpro items

I want to change my tension/caster rod bushes aswell, how do you go about changing the bushes in these? I'm assuming they need to be pressed out and the new ones pressed in?

Is there any tips/tricks to getting the old ones out and the new ones in ?

Thanks

[KiwiRS4T]

Yes use a press or gas axe out (maybe hacksaw?)and vise to get the new one in.

[SiR_RB]

Good idea with the vice

Do you smear some of the supplied grease on the bush before pressing in? Is it necessary ?

[GTSBoy]

You piss the whole thing off and get adjustable rods with rose joints on the end. Might not be legal, but the difference in front end control is worth it.

[SiR_RB]

Wouldn't the rose joint items be noisy for a street car?

[gtr jet]

I run rose joints in most of my arms now and didn't notice much difference in noise or harshness.

[zoomzoom]

You need a cylindrical object large enough to press onto the metal casing of the bush, but small enough to fit through the actual arm. You also need to support the arm on the press just on the edges so the casing can be pushed through. The superpro bush is a bit difficult to get in, the best way I have found is to use threaded rod to pull the bush through the hole in the arm. A 6 ton press was more than sufficient for this bush.

Or you could use adjustable arms to set the castor right when you get a wheel alignment. It will probably be uneven.

[KiwiRS4T]

Wouldn't the rose joint items be noisy for a street car?

It is possible to get adjustable arms with bushes.

[GTSBoy]

It's the not adjustment that is worth it though (although it is definitely good). The problem with bushes, even stiff urethane bushes, on the front end of caster rods is they allow the lower arms to move forwards and backwards by a large amount during loading and unloading (like when you come off the brakes and are turning into a corner). This sucks. Rose joints have no such compliance and keep the wheels a lot more stably located. They are so much better than bushes that I will never go back.

And no, they aren't noisy or harsh. There isn't a lot of road jiggle transmitted to the front of caster rods. It's not like installing rose jointed wishbones where all the road shocks are transmitted through the joint. When I installed mine I could barely tell that there was a little extra chatter from the front end when I was bashing along back roads with gum tree root ripples in the bitumen. Normal driving on highways or in the suburbs they are silent.

[gtr jet]

I had the same experience as GTSBoy with this. My car used to feel unstable when washing off a lot of speed coming up to a tight corner and the change to rose joints eliminated some of this.

Then the change to new brakes completely cleared it.

[SiR_RB]

Ok that's got me thinking

Which adjustable do you guys recommend ?

[GTSBoy]

They're all pretty much the same. I have Tein ones on mine, but Cusco, etc will all be much of a muchness. I would stay away from the more YumCha brands just on principle.

[gtr jet]

I run the Hardrace ones with no issues.

[MrStabby]

Another option is to use Nismo radius rods which have a wider (and therefore stiffer bush).

Rose joint arms: best suspension control, excellent adjustability, illegal, less durable

Nismo arms: improved suspension control over stock, small adjustment with aftermarket bushes, legal, durable

[R.3.2.G.T.R]

i run arc ones in mine, cant say i have noticed added noise, if possilbe get one that have dust boots

[SiR_RB]

I can get some new nismo bushes for around $100

Would like to keep it legal so not sure if I should go rose joint etc

Justjap have hard race one for around $190 which is cheap

[GTSBoy]

I like to keep my car legal too. And in almost every other respect it is. But I think rose joints on caster rods are unlikely to get seen by anyone at any time. They are pretty discrete.

[Missileman]

Another option is to use Nismo radius rods which have a wider (and therefore stiffer bush).

Rose joint arms: best suspension control, excellent adjustability, illegal, less durable

Nismo arms: improved suspension control over stock, small adjustment with aftermarket bushes, legal, durable

I can get some new nismo bushes for around $100

Would like to keep it legal so not sure if I should go rose joint etc

Justjap have hard race one for around $190 which is cheap

Michael, did you end up going with the Nismo bush?

Would like to know if the Nismo bush will fit into the stock tension rod? Specifically r32gtst.

[GTSBoy]

Well.........the Nismo one for R32 GTSt would fit R32 GTSt, wouldn't it?

[Missileman]

I'd only assume a nismo bush would fit a nismo tension rod, mr stabby post seems to sugest they're wider?