hmd

Are the PolyBronze bushings worth the big price tag?

sww914

They don't squeak like the plastic bushings, and they have a smoother action. For a 914, Polybronze is $500, and needle bearings are $800. I will go with the needle bearings after my plastic bushings wear out.
Any hard bushings will give you a harsher ride than the factory rubber bushings, it's totally worth it on a race car, it may not be worth it for a street car.

wheatdog

If your stock bushings are getting pretty worn or distorted, I believe its the best way to go unless you want to buy new factory control arms with stock bushings. I put polybronze on all four corners of my '86 Carrera and they work great. No noise, tight and not too tuff an install if you're used to doing more involved work like suspension rebuilds. I'd do it again if offered the choice of going with something else.

Mike

earlyapex

Polybronze bushing are cheap compared to the rest of the stuff you put on to make the 911 handle well. Ever price out a set of JRZ shocks or an ERP suspension?

hmd

Yes but you are looking at $900 PolyBronze versus $200 Neatrix or PolyGraphite. I just want to know that the price differential is worth it.

Keep the comments coming please. Particularly from people who had both installed.

911S3.6

Went with polybronze bushings and couldn't be happier. The suspension is very fluid, quiet, and easy to maintain (you need to lubricate the zerks fittings every oil change or two-it's a matter of if you are tracking the car/driving it hard or not). They will creak when they want lube...
Durring installation be sure to aim the lube fittings in a direction that is easily gotten to once the car is put back together and on the ground.

Hope this helps,
Nick

earlyapex

The is it worth it question is very subjective to say the least. I had polygraphite bushings in my car before going to polybronze during a current major rebuild. Why? I want a very good suspension set up of the race track. The car started out as a street car and while it was in this configuration it had polygraphite bushings. It handled very well for a street car, and you're right in that there is a significant price between the two and in my opinion this money would be better spent on a custom alignment, revalved Bilsteins and bigger torsion bars. Track/race cars are a different matter and for this purpose the polybronze bushings are an inexpensive upgrade.

2002M3Drew

Yes, without a doubt one of the best things I've done to my car. The crisper feeling you get from the suspension is not only objectively better in performance, but also inspires much more confidence in my 23 year old car! People who ride in the car at the track always comment on the "feel" of the car.

Plus, if your originals are worn and you want to replace with OEM, they are quite pricey. These are a great upgrade. They are much more streetable than other track bushing alternatives.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Hmd:

Good input from everyone above,...

IMHO, the Poly-Bronze bushings are the best alternative for people not wishing to purchase factory-new control arms that have new rubber ones molded in place. Although they do require some maintenance (squirt them with a grease gun at every oil change), they ride much smoother than Factory rubber ones and the noise level change is subtle. They are very streetable and will not squeak or bind like urethane ones will.

For cars that will be driven aggressively or used on a track, these are the best alternative short of spherical bearings which are not streetable.

We sell & install quite a few of these kits for all of the above reasons.