Anyone ever replace their rear control arm bushings with ES ones?

Did you notice any performance or 'feel' difference?

Yes and yes - the rear of the car's tighter as a result. Not in an oversteering way, more like a 'less jiggly' way. It's hard to explain. There is slightly more squeak too, especially on cold days, but that's normal with poly.

I definitely think it's a worthwhile upgrade (there's lots o' rubber back there), especially on high-mileage cars with worn stock bushings, but go for the bigger-hit stuff first like struts/springs, anti-sway bars, etc. to feel the difference in bushings.

Yes they make a huge difference. Especially on a 109,000 mile car like mine. They are a bitch to do on a Rust Belt car! I recommend three things when you decide to do it: 1. PB Blaster 2. WD40 to get the bushing grease off your hands. 3. A propane torch to burn-out the old bushings.

Yes.
Yes.

Yes they make a huge difference. Especially on a 109,000 mile car like mine. They are a bitch to do on a Rust Belt car!

How about a 91 SE-R that has lived in Ohio it's whole life and has 262xxx miles? ;)

I am debating between buying the Master Set (http://www.suspension.com/nissancars.htm) or all of the parts except the rear control arm bushings. I think I'll buy the set based on your feedback.

Thanks!

Get the Master Set and the Steering Rack Bushings. It's definitely worth it!

P.S. Add beer and Band-Aids to my previous list.:D

And Pizza! :D

Andrew, im looking at your mods:


Drool Drool Drool



Got any pics? Drool Drool ....

I can only imagine the condition of the underside of your car. Replacing all the suspension bushings on my SE-R was tedious even on my car, which has never seen snow or salted roads. I can tell you that the effort was definately worth it. I would recommend doing the entire swap. Just be sure to soak the nuts/bolts with liquid wrench the night before you make the switch. I recommend liquid wrench (LW), because you will be using a propane torch to ease the old bushings out and LW is not flamable like WD-40 and other penatrants.

Black 93,

Thank you:D I'll post pictures in a week or so.

Could you guys give any installation tips for the rear control arm bushings? I've done the front with the drill and hacksaw method (thanks to Ben98SentraSE for showing me how and helping). So how different is it? Are there any metal sleeves that need to be removed?

Nope, no sleeves in the rear :) I just got them burning with a prop torch and let em go until they were no more. I guess the PC way would be to just heat them up enough to break the bond with the metal and punch them out but thats not as fun. The only thing difficult about the rear is getting all the bolts loose and removing them. The long one in the hub can be a super pita especially if its a rust belt car. What I did was use a dremel with a wire brush and removed all the corosion (you have to spin the bolt to get the back side too) and used lots of pb blaster. I reinstalled the nut loosely and banged it out with a BFH while turning it from the other side.

Matt Ostlund
93NX
91SE-R DET

Iwas able to remove all the nuts and all but 1 bolt. The toe adjusting bolt on one side is stuck. I think the bolt is rusted to the inside bushing sleeve.

Any tips?

A 3lb hammer and lots of pb blaster couldn't coax it out.

Tried the blowtorch yet?

Well Jacen, I'd keep beating it until it pops out. Mine were slightly rusted to the sleaves too. You might want to increase the size of the hammer to make it easier. If all else fails you might have to resort to cutting it but I'd try a lot more beating first. Did you try to turn it at the smae time? That helped me get the tough ones out.

Good Luck,
Matt Ostlund
93NX
91SE-R DET

Did you try to turn it at the same time?
A little, but since it is the toe adjusting bolt it can only turn a little.

And the 2 long bolts have the sleeves rusted to them also. I was able to remove the bolts and bushings from those control arms, but I need to buy new bolts. I'll buy another toe-adjusting bolt to replace the one above that I am going to blow up. Anybody have plastic explosives ?