[robz71lm7]

Since this has no useful tech and has been covered previously I thought I'd post my rant in here.

This applies to the '93+ F-body.

I just took the front lca's off my car. I replaced the bushings in them with Energy Suspension bushings in the summer. Well after just a few autocross events the caster bushings on BOTH sides are ripped in half and one side had almost spit the bushing completely out. (The caster bushing are the rear bushing on the front LCA's).

I was mainly doing this to replace them as preventive maintenance. I had read where others had experienced a caster bushing failure and didn't want to take a risk of it happening mid summer.

I have a set of prothane poly bushings here. The caster bushing on these is completely different and looks much stouter-however I don't know what it will do.

Others have used the Moog replacement caster bushing sucessfully-use that if you're looking for a replacement.

Also from what I can tell the bushings have been shot for a while which might explain some ( not all) of my car's nasty behavior over bumps and dead feeling in slaloms. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rant2.gif) GRRRR.

[sgarnett]

OK, I've got some new confusion to add to the mix:

The stock front lower control arm bushings on my 2001 Z28 ARE the Moog bushings. Exactly. The part numbers and markings molded in the rubber match perfectly on both the caster and camber bushings.

My car is somewhere in the mid 30K range on mileage, and that includes several years of autocross at local events on 275 tires, mostly on fairly slick lots, and only lowered to 27".

My stock "Moog" caster bushings are torn. Of course, they are rubber and will fail sooner or later no matter what. Lowering these cars is tough on the caster bushing. They have not totally failed yet, but they are not far from it.

What I don't know is whether the earlier cars used some other bushings that fail even sooner, or if the "proven" Moogs are simply holding up at first because they are still fresh and pliable. I also don't know how long mine have been torn.

Really, almost 4 years isn't a bad service life for a stressed rubber bushing, but now I'm wondering whether Prothane might be worth a shot.