Why Suspension Bushings Are So Damn Important

1. Suspension Bushings' Role

The simplest way to look at the suspension bushings is if you picture them as little pillows for your metal suspension components. These cushiony parts are made out of rubber, polyurethane, or sometimes other materials; and they sit at the joints between the metal parts. Bushings are designed to reduce noise, as well as add to the comfort of the vehicle. Suspension bushings can be found in control arms, stabilizer bars, ball joints, tie rods, shocks, and almost any suspension parts that could rub on other metal components. 

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2. When to Replace

There is never a specific time where you need to replace your suspension bushings. However, you are guaranteed you will need to replace them sooner or later. The very first sign of worn bushings is noise, such as clunks, rattles, or almost any noise that occurs when you're going over bumps or driving on rough roads. Some S2000 enthusiasts know the importance of suspension bushings, so they don't wait for the noise to happen; instead, they do monthly visual check-ups to ensure the rubber is in good, working order, and not worn, cracked, or sometimes even missing. When people wait to hear the noise, it means their metal components are rubbing together, which is a recipe for disaster. Suspension bushings tend to wear out due to age, road elements, such as grime, dirt, and mud. Other factors that could damage bushings are various leaks that could cause them to crack, like oil, brake fluid, or gasoline. 

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3. Handling and Maneuvering

Suspension bushings can directly affect the handling of your car. In fact, worn bushings can make the biggest difference in how your car will handle. If your car can't go perfectly straight, if you feel some play in your steering wheel, or if you feel like the car isn't taking corners tightly and it just wobbles through, then it may be time to replace your bushings. Almost all race-modified vehicles will have aftermarket bushings, simply because they can take your handling to new heights, even if your stock bushings are in good conditions.

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4. Stock vs Performance Bushings

The same reason you would replace your stock shock absorbers with stiffer ones, replacing the stock, cushiony bushings with stiffer ones can make taking turns extremely fun. The last thing you want when you're speeding around the corner on the track is your car bouncing up and down, and even though it may be comfortable on the freeway going to work, it takes away a lot of the confidence on the track. Stock bushings are designed to provide a middle ground of comfort and performance, allowing the cars to be road worthy while maintaining some stiffness that would make them handle well at higher speeds. If you're a hardcore racing person, then you may need to sacrifice some of the comforts so you can get ahead on the track, and you can do this by installing stiffer shocks, as well as stiffer performance bushings.

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5. Complete Performance Bushing Kit

Considered by some to be the most important upgrade, replacing all of your suspension bushings with performance ones can be more important than lowering your car or replacing your shocks. Aftermarket bushings mainly come constructed with polyurethane material, which not only live longer, they are also resilient to gas, oil, and grease. The performance bushings will surely take away from the comfort of your ride, but they are guaranteed to give you much more confidence on the track, which will eventually lead to winning more laps. If you're in the process of building your Honda S2000, be sure to put this modification on the top of your list. If you already race your Honda or even drive it regularly, take the time to inspect all of the rubber pieces between your suspension parts to ensure they are doing their job and providing the right amount of cushion. Finally, if you're a fan of good visuals, you can buy your bushings in whatever color you want, which will make the underbody of your Honda look as good as its shell.

So why are your suspension bushings so important? They protect your expensive suspension parts, allow your ride to be comfortable and quiet while making your S2000 handle tremendously better; must we say more?

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