BURN RUBBER

The installation of performance polyurethane bushings is no different than replacing them with new rubber units. In fact, polyurethane inserts are usually easier to install as many of them simply press into the factory bushing shell. With the supplied grease, Energy Suspension’s Bill Harrill and Ben LaHatt installed the master kit onto the Integra. This kit included polyurethane bushing replacements for the front and rear control arms, front and rear shock mounts, front end links, steering rack, transmission shifter stabilizer and ball joint and tie rod end boots. The most difficult part of installing a bushing kit is usually the suspension pieces such as the lower control arms. Using a butane or propane torch to heat up the factory rubber bushing will make the removal process much easier than trying to manually cut it out. Fortunately, we had a highly experienced Energy Suspension technician to install the kit on a four-post lift. While he only took an hour to get the full Master Kit onto the Integra, it should only take about two to three hours for the average enthusiast with some jack stands to install the bushing kit.

NO MORE SLOP

After we got the new bushings installed, Jeren took the Integra out for a drive and noticed an immediate difference in the vehicle’s handling. He noted that the vehicle felt much tighter than before, as the polyurethane bushings greatly reduced the suspension slop of the worn rubber units. In addition, the Integra no longer exhibited the squeaks and clunks that it had prior to the bushing install. Instead of pointing and waiting for the vehicle to move in the right direction, the vehicle now moved in a much more nimble and predictable manner. Although bushing kits can seem intimidating to install, with the right tools and a little bit of determination, almost any high-mileage vehicle can benefit from a polyurethane bushing upgrade.