Polyurethane bushing or rubber one? Which one is better?

There is no easy answer to this question. It can be both yes and no. Polyurethane bushing have better pressure resistance, durability and resistance to external factors. Rubber have better damping parameter, so the driving is more comfortable. Concluding, PU bushings are better where the high durability and driving precision is the goal, like in motorsport, off-road, but in general (there are some exceptions) it might be a poor choice for the everyday commute.

What is the quality of polyurethanes?

There are many manufacturers of polyurethane bushings and everyone has his own way to produce these elements. There are many factors that determine if the bushing will be of good quality or not. In TEDGUM we put the bushings under very demanding quality tests and only the series that pass are offered for the end customers.

Are the polyurethane bushing making noise (squeak)?

PU Bushings are different in structure than rubber bushings. Usually they are mounted without the outer metal sleeve, so there is continuous friction between bushing and the socket when the suspension is under work. This friction point needs to be lubricated to avoid squeaky noise coming out from the suspension. Because of the open characteristics of this part during the time the lubricant can get out from the place so periodic maintenance might be needed.

How often should I lubricate the polyurethane bushings?

It depends on how you use your car. If you are an everyday enthusiast of long off-road trip, it may be needed to re-lubricate the bushing even after month or two. If you use your car only couple of times a month or/and in not dirty surrounding then lubrication every 2-5 years can solve the problem. Usually the problem comes first from anti-roll bar bushings. In TEDGUM these bushings have special rows in order to keep more lubricant, so in between lubrication periods are extended.

What are the polyurethane bushings?

Polyurethane bushings or PU bushings (PU bushes) are the special type of bushing made (as the name tells) of polyurethane that is a polymer composed of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane is used for making foam sponges (used in every kitchen) as well as very hard elements. Bushing made of polyurethane are very durable and resistant for external factors.

Why should I use polyurethane bushings?

Sometimes the standard rubber bushings are not good enough, not offering enough durability or rigidity. Especially for motorsport and off-road where the comfort is moved for the back plan polyurethane can be the best option.

What does the polyurethane bushing do?

They do the same as the standard rubber bushing but in the other characteristics. In general the purpose of bushings is to damp the vibrations of suspension to prevent them to pass to the car body and to keep the elements of the suspension in correct position. The PU bushings do the same but usually with more rigidity. Their vibration damping function is taken for the back, however the driving precision and overall car stiffness is much higher comparing to use of standard rubber bushings.

How to make polyurethane bushings?

There are many videos online showing how to make PU bushings. Usually this type of video do not tell you that the bushing is crucial element of the suspension and its quality influence the suspension functionality and in the same way the safety of driving. Home-made bushings while visually similar to the professional ones can have different characteristic. The price quotations made in these videos can be encouraging but usually no one tells what are the cons. We recommend: be responsible.

What hardness have polyurethane bushings?

There is wide spectrum of hardness of PU bushings and this parameter can be adjusted freely during production process. Usually, PU used for suspension have hardness from 70 up to 90 Shore. The higher the number, the more stiff the bushing is.

How to press polyurethane bushings?

Depending on the type of the bushing there is a different way how to handle it. Main types are:

* 3 elements bushing,
* One element bushing with PU outside
* One element