Subframe/differential bushings

[Philipio]

I want some advice from people with experience.

All my suspension arms are adjustable with solid metal bushings, other than the front and rear lower control arms. Those are stock. I can't decide between new ball joints and urethane bushings for those or SPL control arms, the price holds me back. I have coilovers. My subframe and differential bushings are all stock, worn rubber. I have a helical LSD. I have front and rear sway bars. I want to upgrade bushings before I make some power. My car is 99% daily driven with some road course track use occasionally. Now you know my situation.

There's a local race shop I go to and highly trust. One of the guys recommended solid subframe bushings and urethane differential bushings. Thoughts on this? I want to know noise and comfort levels from other S14 owners ideally. S13 has a slightly different setup as far as I know.

[Second Shadow]

I originally put solid bushings in my subframe then switched them out to polys. they don't massively effect ride quality(they do a little), but the biggest thing I noticed was the vibration and the noise it caused. to me it felt kind like the way a gravel rode feels but on regular streets, not quite that bad but, well it's hard to explain I guess. didn't like it anyway.

I like the polys a lot. the vibration is low enough to not bother me but it just feels solid in the back. it was explained to me once that for street driving, whenever bushings are concerned, you can firm them up or remove most of them(in favor of solid stuff) but you need some give somewhere between you and the source of vibration or impact, gotta have a buffer somewhere.

so my personal suggestion is get poly subframe and dif bushings. for the RLCAs, if you go with poly subframe bushings you can do either, but if price is bothering you I think your alternative is fine. you might also want to consider boxing your RLCAs, cheap way to reinforce them.

just my opinion.

[n00b240]

Points to my sig...

In a month I'll be on some coilovers, so it may give me a different feel, But for sure the ladies wont appreciate the solid bushings. At least from the ladies i been checkin

[Philipio]

Thank you both for your input. Right now it's looking like urethane subframe and differential bushings might be the way to go.

I don't want a ton of noise and vibration. I get plenty of that as it is, and my existing ride quality is pretty harsh. My differential is so loud, even with a loud exhaust, I can't imagine what it would be like in that case if I had solid subframe/diff bushings from what it sounds like. I'm looking forward to stiffening up the rear though, I know it will feel a lot better. It sure did when I installed all my arms at once. My car rode so much more firm but so smooth.

Anyone else, feel free to chime in.

[SketchyRollin564]

I dont want to thread jack but its a similar question

If you use the aluminum subframe collars (not bushings), will you still get that vibration and rattling? I would think yes because they are solid, but then at the same time, you still have the original bushing in the middle to absorb some of the vibration

[Razi]

From what I heard, aluminum collars will give you a tiny bit more noise but nothing as harsh as the solid aluminum bushings.

Also, I'd recommend using solid diff bushings, S13s don't come with rubber differential bushings, fyi, and I don't notice any annoying noises from the diff.

[Second Shadow]

I should correct myself. I did have the "collars", not full solid bushings. now I have ES pineapples.

[Bumnah]

Drivetrain noise will be the biggest issue, with aluminum subframe bushings.

If you have spherical bearings on most arms, you may as well go with the aluminum bushings from SPL.
Do their differential bushings in aluminum as well.

For the control arms, get new balljoints and poly urethane bushings. You don't want an adjustable lower control arm for a car that sees the street.

[n00b240]

I would recommend the poly's then, If the sound is your concern. Im sure with your setup as stiff as you are already, poly's v solid, would prolly perform pretty close to each other. Mine is a DD as well, and the only streets I see are 90% tollway 5% streets to get to work and my house which is right off the tollway, and 5% random driving stuff.

If you in the DFW, shoot me a PM if you want to ride along in mine to hear just how loud it is