A Cars forum. AutoBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » AutoBanter forum » Auto makers » Chrysler
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Replacement Bushings



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old February 10th 05, 12:59 AM
Richard
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Instead of turning over hundreds of dollars to the dealer I order the energy
Suspensions bushings and put them in tonight. With hand tools it took a bit
over an hour to do both sides. The clunks are gone. How do they figure 2.5
hours labor and a $450.00 bill to do something this easy?

Richard.


Ads
  #12  
Old February 10th 05, 01:36 AM
Bill Putney
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Richard wrote:

>>I've used energy suspension bushings on two cars. They're very good parts,
>>but be sure to get the graphite impregated type (Polygraphite brand)
>>rather than plain polyurethane. Especially on sway-bar bushings, plain
>>polyeurethane will make squeaking/squawking noises after the initial
>>lubricant gets washed away.

>
>
> Just sent your comments to Energy Suspension and they informed me that, with
> the exception of just a few appropriate applications, their bushings, be
> they red or black, do not contain carbon (your reference to graphite). They
> say that the few applications that would benefit from carbon get them. The
> set I was just sent came with a tube of bushing lube which they tell me
> should last the life of the bushings.


Coincidentally, I just discovered the same thing in a phone conversation
this very week with Energy Suspension about the black sway bar bushings
not having graphite in them. Also this week I discover that my Energy
Suspension sway bar bushings (2 years old) are totally worn out - that
the thumping noise in my Concorde was being caused by them rather than
the end links which I just replaced (probably needed replacing anyway at
130+k miles, and at $18 each, no big deal).

The web sites of the distributors of Energy Suspension's products are
*very* misleading on this point ( graphite not being in the black
sway bar bushings). One of them argued with me on the phone about it
when I called to see what they had to say about it.

TRW makes what appear to be some very nice replacement ones at $9 a pair
for my Concorde - going to be installed this week end. Not sure what
they are made of, but not the usual factory rubber
(http://300mclub.100megs42.com/forums...pic.php?t=8081). Lifetime
warranty.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')
  #13  
Old February 10th 05, 01:40 AM
Bill Putney
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Richard wrote:

> Instead of turning over hundreds of dollars to the dealer I order the energy
> Suspensions bushings and put them in tonight. With hand tools it took a bit
> over an hour to do both sides. The clunks are gone. How do they figure 2.5
> hours labor and a $450.00 bill to do something this easy?


Did they come with brackets with the zerk fittings? If so, make sure
you grease them (see my other post).

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')
  #14  
Old February 10th 05, 01:42 AM
Bill Putney
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Bill Putney wrote:

> Richard wrote:
>
>> Does anyone have experience with "Energy Suspension's" polyurethane
>> bushing and sway bar suspension components? I am thinking of using
>> them to replace my worn PT Cruiser bushings.

>
>
> They'd be the last sway bar bushings you would need to buy for that
> vehicle.


I spoke a few days to soon. I just discovered that my Energy Suspension
bushings are totally shot.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')
  #15  
Old February 10th 05, 03:34 AM
Richard
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Bill Putney" > wrote in message
...
> Bill Putney wrote:
>
>> Richard wrote:
>>
>>> Does anyone have experience with "Energy Suspension's" polyurethane
>>> bushing and sway bar suspension components? I am thinking of using them
>>> to replace my worn PT Cruiser bushings.

>>
>>
>> They'd be the last sway bar bushings you would need to buy for that
>> vehicle.

>
> I spoke a few days to soon. I just discovered that my Energy Suspension
> bushings are totally shot.
>
> Bill Putney


Lifetime warranty. Do you want their phone number?

Richard.


  #16  
Old February 10th 05, 03:40 AM
Richard
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Bill Putney" > wrote in message
...
> Richard wrote:
>
>> Instead of turning over hundreds of dollars to the dealer I order the
>> energy Suspensions bushings and put them in tonight. With hand tools it
>> took a bit over an hour to do both sides. The clunks are gone. How do
>> they figure 2.5 hours labor and a $450.00 bill to do something this easy?

>
> Did they come with brackets with the zerk fittings? If so, make sure you
> grease them (see my other post).
>
> Bill Putney


Well the link ends for the sway bar don't need zerk fittings, and the two
large bushings are just that bushings, you don't get brackets and so you
don't get zerk fittings. They did come with a tube of lube. If I only get
another 40,000 miles out of them I won't cry since they were easy to change
out. I called and told them to change the info on their web site since it
implies that the bushing sets come with new fittings, and bolts. They tell
me they only come with their generic sway bar sets. Very confusing to say
the least.

Richard.


  #17  
Old February 10th 05, 12:09 PM
Bill Putney
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Richard wrote:
> "Bill Putney" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Bill Putney wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Richard wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Does anyone have experience with "Energy Suspension's" polyurethane
>>>>bushing and sway bar suspension components? I am thinking of using them
>>>>to replace my worn PT Cruiser bushings.
>>>
>>>
>>>They'd be the last sway bar bushings you would need to buy for that
>>>vehicle.

>>
>>I spoke a few days to soon. I just discovered that my Energy Suspension
>>bushings are totally shot.
>>
>>Bill Putney

>
>
> Lifetime warranty. Do you want their phone number?


For some reasom, I missed the life time warranty on their web site. I
have their phone number - talked to them earilier this week when I found
out about the black bushins not having graphite in them. I will call
them back and get a refund. I wonder if I have to ship the old ones
back. For the little that they cost (around $14 or $16), it may not be
worth the trouble and cost of shipping.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')
  #18  
Old February 10th 05, 12:18 PM
Bill Putney
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Richard wrote:
> "Bill Putney" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Richard wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Instead of turning over hundreds of dollars to the dealer I order the
>>>energy Suspensions bushings and put them in tonight. With hand tools it
>>>took a bit over an hour to do both sides. The clunks are gone. How do
>>>they figure 2.5 hours labor and a $450.00 bill to do something this easy?

>>
>>Did they come with brackets with the zerk fittings? If so, make sure you
>>grease them (see my other post).
>>
>>Bill Putney

>
>
> Well the link ends for the sway bar don't need zerk fittings, and the two
> large bushings are just that bushings, you don't get brackets and so you
> don't get zerk fittings. They did come with a tube of lube. If I only get
> another 40,000 miles out of them I won't cry since they were easy to change
> out. I called and told them to change the info on their web site since it
> implies that the bushing sets come with new fittings, and bolts. They tell
> me they only come with their generic sway bar sets. Very confusing to say
> the least.


Moog makes end links with zerks on them (in their line Problem Solver™).
People go all a-ga-ga when they find out you can get those with zerks.
Here's a write up I did complete with pictures on the 300M Enthusiasts
Club forums: http://300mclub.100megs42.com/forums...pic.php?t=8050.

As far as the Energy Suspension bushings, I have a Concorde - they do
not make an exact drop-in bushing for the LH cars, so you I had to get
their "universal" set that comes with its own brackets that you modify
to fit the chassis holes - that's what you were saying ( "generic").
Those brackets have zerk fittings. For my pictures of those, see the
first picture in this thread on the 300M Enthusiasts Club forums:
http://300mclub.100megs42.com/forums...pic.php?t=8081

If you read that thread, you'll see that I'm going to give the TRW
OEM-type drop-ins a try - at this point I think they'll work better.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')
  #19  
Old February 10th 05, 05:53 PM
Richard
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

The problem with the Cruiser is that Chrysler did a poor deisgn job. The
link end bolt does not lineup with the hole in the sway bar end, forcing the
end bushing to pull and distort and not seat flush on the flatend end of the
sway bar. This is why the link end fail so often in this application.

Still can't figure out how the dealer wanted over $400.00 to do what took me
under an hour with hand tools and $40.00 worth of link ends and bushings.

Richard.


  #20  
Old February 11th 05, 01:51 AM
Bill Putney
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Richard wrote:
> The problem with the Cruiser is that Chrysler did a poor deisgn job. The
> link end bolt does not lineup with the hole in the sway bar end, forcing the
> end bushing to pull and distort and not seat flush on the flatend end of the
> sway bar. This is why the link end fail so often in this application.
>
> Still can't figure out how the dealer wanted over $400.00 to do what took me
> under an hour with hand tools and $40.00 worth of link ends and bushings.


Hey - you can't blame them for trying, can you? 8^)

BTW - I just installed those TRW sway bar bushings tonight to beat the
cold weather coming in tonight. Thumping on bumps is totally gone.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
C5 problems (98 in particular) radar Corvette 12 January 3rd 05 11:04 PM
2001 Accord Coupe Rear Rotor Replacement Lucas Tam Honda 16 November 30th 04 05:15 AM
Dodge Caravan 02 BUSHINGS FROM FRONT SWAY BAR REPLACE jean Chrysler 0 October 23rd 04 10:19 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:54 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AutoBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.