Suspension Restoration Parts
Suspension Tips
Updated 3-Aug-06
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  1. If you have had problems with poly-urethane bushings that squeaked in the past, the new Energy Suspension Hyper-flex bushings should fix the squeaks. If you do not want to replace all your existing squeaking poly-urethane bushings, you can tap an SAE thread into the I.D. hole only, of any sway bar bushing, control arm or leaf spring bushing. The thread should go through the entire bore of the bushings. The groove you create will keep the grease from squeezing out the side of the bushing. Do not put a thread in any metal parts.  We are not telling you to drill a hole in the bushing.  Look at the bushing, does it have a hole you can stick your finger into and is there a metal rod or tubing that fits into this hole, well this is the hole that you must thread.
  2. Worn strut rod/radius rod/tension control rod bushings will cause excessive caster change and make the car want to change lanes when the brakes are applied.  Poly-urethane strut rod bushings, with their increased density will decrease castor change.  Poly urethane will not degrade like rubber, so they will last much longer than rubber.  I once purchased a nice '65 Mustang with drum brakes from an owner who was frustrated with the car, because he could not make it stop in a straight line.  When I went to look at the car, he told me of the problem with the brakes.  He told me how he had replaced all the brake hardware, backing plates, shoes and the drums.  He adjusted the wheel bearings properly, and it still wanted to pull to the left.  I offered to tell him how to fix the problem.  He was so upset he said, "you buy the car and you fix it.  I'm through working on this turd".  I purchased the car for a terrific price.  Took it to the shop.  Replaced the strut rod bushings with E.S. #4-7111-G.  Drove the car and slammed on the brakes.  The car came to a stop in a perfect straight line.  He was right, he did a great brake job.  But the brakes were not the problem.  It was the strut rod bushings all the time.   Nissan 300ZX owners, this applies to you too.  If you notice tire wear on the inside of the tread, you should suspect the control arm bushings.
  3. Poly-urethane bushings will last longer than rubber and the increased density of Energy Suspension Hyper-Flex poly-urethane bushings, will greatly decrease the possibility of camber and caster change.
  4. When you consider what your rubber suspension bushings are designed to do, insulate moving metal suspension components from each other, they do a good job. But there are trade offs. Hi-performance Poly-urethane bushings, are more like a bearing, that allow smooth movement of the suspension component(usually just up & down) without the unwanted twisting, side to side, bushing crush and rapid deterioration, that is inevitable with rubber bushings.
  5. Be sure and read all the footnotes pertaining to the parts you want to order.  Pay particular attention to the (2) footnote, as this means you will need to retain or reuse your original/existing metal parts.  Reproducing the original metal shells that were used on rubber control arm bushings, is expensive.  That is the main reason the outer metal shells are not included with poly urethane control arm bushings.  But, it can be argued that you do not need the outer shells.  Some mechanics will tell you it is easier to install poly bushings without metal shells and others will say "those guys don't know sh..".  Either way you are stuck with poly bushings that do not have the outer metal shells.  That's why they are less expensive than comparable rubber parts.  Control arm bushing only replacements, are not available for newer cars.  The car manufacturer wants to sell you a complete control arm with new ball joints and new rubber bushings - expensive.  There is nothing wrong with the control arm, just the bushings.  That is why you want poly bushings.  When you have replaced the rubber with poly, you will never have to do it again.  Poly bushings will not degrade like rubber.  Of course, you may still have to eventually replace ball joints someday.  
  6. When you have to reuse your original metal parts because the new polyurethane bushings do not include new metal parts, you must remove the rubber bushing from the metal parts.  Be careful with any thin wall metal sleeves, that surround a rubber bushing. like a control arm bushing shell, if you have to reuse the shell.  The  best way is usually to burn the rubber bushing out of its outer sleeve.  If the part you are working on is the control arm bushings, do not press/remove the control arm outer bushing shell from the control arm if the rubber bushing is in a steel outer shell.  Remove the control arm from the car and put it in a vise to hold the part. You will ideally be outside, because the burning rubber will pollute the surrounding air. Obtain a piece of pipe about 2 feet long and with a outer diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the part that has the rubber bushing, a five gallon can that is 1/2 filled with water.  Place the 5 gallon can under the vise.   Put the control arm in the vise with the bushing you want to remove pointing down so the burning bushing will eject into the 5 gallon can 1/2 full of water.  You will also need a hammer and a propane torch. Light the torch and heat the metal outer sleeve, until the rubber starts to burn.  This will break the bond between the rubber and the metal shell.  Put the pipe on the bushing and tap on the pipe with the hammer, to persuade the bushing to leave the metal part. As the burning bushing leaves the metal part, it will be expanding, due to the heat.  The bushing will pull itself out of the outer metal shell and it will pop out quickly, so don't let anyone try to interfere with its expected trajectory("Hey there Forrest Gump, don't try to catch the burning bushing!").  If you do it correctly, the hunk of burning rubber will shoot into the 5 gallon bucket, half full of water.
  7. If this method is not satisfactory to you, you can drill holes in the rubber and cut the bushing out of the metal part. Or you can drill holes in the rubber and attempt to press the rubber out. Be sure and don't let the drill bit touch the metal part. Burning the rubber might be smelly, but it is still the easiest, quickest and does less damage to the metal part.
  8. If you attempt to press the bushing out of the metal part(control arm shell for instance) you will compress the bushing in the shell until the bond that is formed between the rubber and the metal will release.  This will cause the metal shell to swell because the pressure will build up in the bushing as it is compressed within the shell and will 'hydraulic' the shell, before you can overcome the bond between the metal shell and the rubber.   In other words it will stretch the shell and increase the diameter. When you put the new urethane bushing in the shell it will seem as if the bushing is to small for the shell. But in reality the shell will now be larger in diameter than original. That's why we say to burn out the bushing.
  9. You can press a bushing out of a spring eye because the spring eye is strong enough to withstand the pressure of the compressed rubber bushing before it actually pops out the other side. Many front spring eyes(main eye) have a thin metal shell around the rubber bushing that you should remove before installing the polyurethane bushing. So just press out the metal shell/rubber bushings at the same time. Just be careful with any thin wall metal sleeves, that surround a rubber bushing. like a control arm bushing shell, if you have to reuse the shell.
  10. On small parts like panhard rod bushings it is sometimes possible to press out the inner sleeve and then use a screwdriver or similar instrument to remove the bushings, without using fire.
  11. If you have a truck with king pins suspension and high mileage and the truck wanders down the road, especially if you are carrying a load in the bed, replace the king pins.  This is especially important on Ford trucks.  If you just replaced the front suspension bushings with polyurethane and you notice the truck wandering down the road, replace the king pins.
  12. Also on Ford truck body mount sets.  READ THE  INSTRUCTIONS about how to remove the old bushings.  There is a special procedure to remove the cone shaped parts.
  13. Ever wonder why all those Ford Explorers and other SUVs rolled when a tire blew out on the freeway?  Driver error.  First the driver did not maintain the proper tire pressure.  Then when the the lower tire pressure resulted in an overheated tire, the tire burst because of the excessive heat.  But the shame of it all is that the drivers did not know how to react when the tire burst, to keep the vehicle from rolling.  When any tire blows, do not immediately lift from the gas and hit the brake.  Instead, hold onto the steering wheel and maintain control, then slowly lift off the gas, being very careful to maintain control of the vehicle.  Safely move the vehicle over to the right side of the road and come to a full stop on the pavement.  Turn on your emergency hazard flashers.  Then pull over onto the dirt shoulder.  Do not worry about the tire or the rim, they can be replaced easier than another vehicle or loved ones in the vehicle(not to mention other drivers around you).  If a tire blows out at freeway speeds you can safely pull any vehicle safely to the side of the road, even if you are pulling a trailer.  Here is what happens when you immediately lift off the gas and hit the brake.  By hitting the brake you cause the tire that has just blown, to lock up and skid.  Then the blown tire will jerk the steering wheel to right if it is a right blown tire or to the left, if it is a left blown tire.  If you let the vehicle turn suddenly, you can expect the vehicle to roll over.  The same thing will happen if you allow the vehicle to drift off the side of the road onto dirt.  If you suddenly hit the brake with one wheel on the pavement and the other in the dirt, the tire in the dirt will lock up, dig into the dirt, turn the vehicle and you have a roll over.  Instead, hold onto the steering wheel and maintain control, then slowly lift off the gas, being very careful to maintain control of the vehicle.  Safely move the vehicle back onto the pavement.
    14. For tips about sway bars go to  stam-bar.htm

    PRODUCT WEIGHT
    is now included in the charts above.  
    1.2# means that the part number listed weighs 1 pound & 2 tenths of a pound.
    We are giving this measurement, because this is how Energy Suspension has chosen to give us the weight of each part number.
    1 Pound(lb.or #) = 16 ounces(oz.) divided by 10 = 1.6 oz.  
    This is not the shipping weight, just the weight of the part.  
    To estimate your shipping cost, you should round up to the next pound and usually add about a pound for shipping weight.  
    When we ship via UPS(United Parcel Service) we have to round up to the next pound.
      UPS does not accept ounce weight, or increments of tenths.  
    We will always weigh your order on an electronic scale and charge you for the exact weight, rounded up to the next pound.  
    For USPS(United States Postal Service) shipping we also round up to the next pound.

    SHIPPING COST TO THE EAST COAST OF THE USA,
    AS OF August 1, 2007,
    We are providing you with this information, so that you can ESTIMATE your shipping cost before you place your order.
    The prices in the table below represent the cost of shipping a package from our warehouse in
    Modesto, California to a residential address in Florida, the furthest point from CA.
    UPS will charge extra for some rural addresses.
    If your address is in a zone west of the east coast zone(Florida), your cost will be less.
    Of course Alaska & Hawaii are exceptions, call us for the rates.
    When UPS charges us less to ship to your address, we will charge you less.
    If they charge us more than is on the chart below, we charge you more.
    We charge you the exact cost of shipping. 
    After you have placed your order:
    1. We will weigh your order
    2. Put the weight and your address into the UPS shipping computer
    3. Assign the level of shipping you request
    4. Enter the value if it is over $100.00
    5. Charge you exactly what the UPS computer says it will cost to ship your order to you.
    If you insist on the exact cost of shipping before you place your order,
      and want us to pull the parts, weigh them and enter the information into the UPS computer, before you will place your order,
    we will charge you $25.00 for unnecessary busy work.  Have your credit card ready.
    It is NOT our goal to make money off of shipping.
    We just charge you what the shipping costs us.(Prices are subject to change)
    The prices below are ESTIMATES.  They do not include rural surcharges that could apply to some addresses.
    For Alaska & Hawaii please call us for rates.
    PACKAGE WEIGHT
    		 UPS
    GROUND
    		 UPS
    3 DAY AIR
    		 UPS
    2 DAY AIR
    		 UPS
    1 DAY AIR
    		USPS PRIORITY MAIL
    DELIVERY WITHIN
    THE USA ONLY.
    (2-3 DAYS)
    		 USPS FLAT RATE BOX SPECIFICATIONS
    AND
    INSURANCE INFORMATION
    1 POUND (1.0#)
    		 7.31
    		 13.94
    		 17.76
    		 41.48
    		$5.00
    		 UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE (USPS)
    Required USPS boxes for flat rate service:
    USPS PRIORITY BOXES

    Box One: 11-7/8 x 3-3/8 x 13-5/8 inches

    Box Two: 11 x 8-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches.

    There is not a weight limit, but there is a limit as to how much we can fit into USPS flat rate boxes.
    USPS is less expensive, but does not include insurance like
    United Parcel Service(UPS)     does. 
    USPS INSURANCE is not included.
    If USPS loses your package and your order is not insured, you will have to place another order.  We will not offer to pay for the lost part or for another shipment.
    If you want to add insurance,
    ask us for it    . 
    Here are the USPS insurance rates:
    $0.01 TO $50.00 value of your order
    $1.65
    $50.01 TO $100.00 value of your order
    $2.05
    $100.01 to $200.00 value of your order.
    $2.45
    2 POUNDS (2.0#)
    		 8.16
    		 15.86
    		 20.02
    		 41.76
    		$7.75
    3 POUNDS (3.0#)
    		 8.84
    		 17.76
    		 22.65
    		 49.94
    		$9.25 Flat rate.  Must be able to fit into the USPS flat rate box.
    4 POUNDS (4.0#)
    		 9.28
    		 19.54
    		 25.50
    		 54.22
    		$9.25 Flat rate.  Must be able to fit into the USPS flat rate box.
    5 POUNDS (5.0#)
    		 9.72
    		 21.21
    		 28.49
    		 58.52
    		$9.25 Flat rate.  Must be able to fit into the USPS flat rate box.
    6 POUNDS (6.0#)
    		 9.99
    		 23.12
    		 31.46
    		 62.80
    		$9.25 Flat rate.  Must be able to fit into the USPS flat rate box.
    7 POUNDS (7.0#)
    		 10.34
    		 25.15
    		 34.44
    		 66.98
    		$9.25 Flat rate.  Must be able to fit into the USPS flat rate box.
    8 POUNDS (8.0#)
    		 10.92
    		 27.17
    		 37.54
    		 71.15
    		$9.25 Flat rate.  Must be able to fit into the USPS flat rate box.
    9 POUNDS ( 9.0#)
    		 11.49
    		 29.07
    		 40.76
    		 75.44
    		$9.25 Flat rate.  Must be able to fit into the USPS flat rate box.
    10 POUNDS (10.0#)
    		 12.14
    		 31.10
    		 43.86
    		 79.85
    		$9.25 Flat rate.  Must be able to fit into the USPS flat rate box.

    UPS INSURANCE
    is included for the first $100.00 value
    For orders over $100.00 please add:
    		 $1.20 per $100.00 value
    		 $2.50 per $100.00 value
         		$2.50 per $100.00 value
         		$2.50 per $100.00 value
         		INSURANCE NOT INCLUDED.
    MUST BE REQUESTED.
    We accept:
    Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit cards.
    At this time, we do not accept PayPal.
    To process your order we will need:
    1. Your NAME as it appears on the credit card.
    2. The BILLING address of the credit card.
    3. Your PHONE number
    4. The CREDIT CARD number
    5. The EXPIRATION date of the credit card.
    6. The three(3) digit CVV2 security code on the BACK of the credit card.
    7. How do you want us to ship your order?
    Yes, you can give us an alternate ship to address.  But we must have the billing address to process your order.
    FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS
    For international orders we normally ship via the United States Postal Service(USPS).
      United Parcel Service(UPS)next day air and second day air is also available, upon request.
    Every countries Customs authorities require us to declare the parts we sell to you as merchandise. 
    We are required to send a commercial invoice that lists the value of each part ordered.
    We will charge you for the value of the parts plus the cost of shipping to you.
    We will not show a reduced price on the invoice or declare the parts as gifts or samples.
     You are responsible for all of your countries duties and taxes.
    If you want an estimate of the cost of shipping:
    1. Add up the total weight of the parts you want to order(the weight is under every part number),
    add 1 pound for packaging material.
     2. Go to the USPS website http://ircalc.usps.gov/ and enter the country where you want the parts shipped.
    3. Enter the weight of your order.
    4. Check out the different shipping options, and choose the one that is best for you.
    ADD $1.00 for shipping labels and other materials.

    Call us with your order, or we would prefer that you EMAIL your order to sales@suspension.com.
    This way we will know the correct spelling of your name and address.

    We only stock these bushings in the color black.
    Yes, we have all of these bushings in stock, for immediate shipment.
    But, remember, if you wanted it today, you should have ordered it from SUSPENSION yesterday.

    California residents please add 7.375% sales tax.
    We normally ship via U.P.S. within the U.S.A.
    U.S.P.S. Priority Mail is available upon request

    Suspension Restoration Parts Co.
    319-C Motor City Ct.
    Modesto, California 95356 USA
    East Coast Hours: 11:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.(EST)  Monday - Friday
     West Coast Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m (PST)     Monday - Friday.

    (209) 578-5101 Tech questions & order line. 
    10:00 AM to 6:00 PM(PST), M-F.
    (800) 291-5340 Orders Only.  8:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.(PST) Monday - Friday.
    NO tech questions answered here.
    (209) 578-0562 (FAX) Anytime



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