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I'd say respect for coming up with a possible solution on the relatively cheap. I haven't done more than spirited drives and autox with my car since I did the install and I have the same thing going on (minus the braking vibration/pull) with my uppers. I'm considering replacing those with Powerflex Race bushings. The only squeak I get out my bushings is of course the upper arms on hard compression.
I have a most of a spare set of suspension arms sitting in my garage (missing passenger upper) that I can take a look at for comparison to verify that there's no distortion to the upper arm. I don't think your front upper arms were bent; it just seems like another failure of design for the upper bushings in this kit. The rest of the bushings are working great on my car with zero issues as well.
As me being a former machinist,anything custom is total respect. Your doing something not very many people can do on their own without spending a fortune. To me that is what car modding is all about.
Its been over a year and the front upper bushings are coming out. They are totally hammered and my band aid modified bushings were pushed longer than I should have. Brake steer is intense. I bought Powerflex race bushings as replacement. Ill post some pics or video to recap.
Just installed my kit. To update a concern you guys had earlier, they now ship both AP1 and AP2 upper control arm pieces with every kit, but on the website they don't differentiate them. I guess it's cheaper for them to just stock one SKU and give everyone extra upper bushings.
Just installed my kit. To update a concern you guys had earlier, they now ship both AP1 and AP2 upper control arm pieces with every kit, but on the website they don't differentiate them. I guess it's cheaper for them to just stock one SKU and give everyone extra upper bushings.
If they are still doing a two-piece (collar and single poly piece) for the upper arms, I would suggest replacing those with Powerflex uppers which are a three-piece (collar and two-piece poly clamshell). The Prothane uppers distort and slide out of the arms in a rather short space of time.
4 year update and i found the caster adjusters have been slipping. The length of the compliance bushing metal sleeve is too short so when its as tight as possible the adjuster still rotates under heavy load. The sleeves are also too thin wall so there is no support against the slot in the sub frame. I made some washers to fix both problems. Everyone else who isnt a machinist should just buy powerflex instead.
Kinda glad I didn't bother installing my Prothane kit....I was weary about poly bushings, but mainly out of concern for the additional harshness that poly provides, as well as them potentially squeaking. Had no idea durability would be an issue on top of that. Going with the HardRace Q0079 full bushing kit for my Ap1....Expensive as hell compared to most poly kits out there, but they're harder rubber than OEM and of the same design. I'd say it's one step down from just going full pillowballs like ballade has.
Just checked on my Energy Suspension Poly bushings at least up front all is well after probably 15K hard miles. It wasn't substantially firmer of a ride but the piece of mind that I replaced some failing bushings is huge.
09-29-2015, 03:40 PM
