Wdpfreak145

What's up guys? Been a while since I've been on but I am seeking some input on my suspension plans for the car.

The car is a 95 ex civic sedan. Stock swaybars front and rear and I also have hardrace front lower control arm bushings installed. I will be adding a buddy club front camber kit once I order replacement ball joints for it. Any recommendations on those; can I use something like the blox camber kit ball joints?

My plans once I get my refund back are to completely overhaul everything under the car. I am on stock (most definitely blown) struts and stock springs.

I will be getting a set of full coilovers for the car, most likely yonaka or progress. I will also be replacing all of the rear suspension hardware including LCA hardware.

LCA's will be replaced but I don't want to spend a fortune on nothing but machined aluminum and shitty bushings. Am I better off to buy a cheap set of LCA's and replace the bushings with something like energy suspension, or is there something better?

I also want to replace my rear trailing arm bushing because at this age and condition it is rotted, torn, and torqued to an uncomfortable state. Should i go polyurethane with the free-floating dogbone, or go molded like the hardrace or whiteline with a stronger rubber compound?

Also, I could use recommendations on rear camber kits and rear toe arm kits. My goal is to do this once, and do it right. I don't want to have to pull it back apart due to sub-par components...

Thanks for all your help, sorry if this is too long!

TomCat39

If you are going to get buddyclub upper control arms for the front, I would also use the buddyclub upper ball joint.

Blox is nothing to write home about I've seen stated time and time again.

I've also heard or been told to avoid poly bushing, especially trailing arm.

I've been told either hardrace or OEM are your best bushings to use for longevity.

As for rear camber kit, most of them are aluminum and bind up being unworkable quickly. I would believe that since buddy club has a solid reputation for quality, their rear camber kit should be one of quality.

Poly bushings can be good (except trailing arm) but do require more upkeep as you have to lubricate them regularly. Standard hard rubber bushings just last 20 years without any special upkeep.

Your Mileage May Vary but that's what I've gathered over the past year here concerning bushings.

Johnne625

I didn't catch anything as to what the goals of redoing the suspension were just that it needed to be overhauled. Is this a DD or DD/weekend track car? TomCat is right about poly bushings, they require re-lubing at least every year at a minimum and can make your ride comfortability a little stiffer than OEM or hardened rubber, so it would come down to what you are personally looking for as far as ride goes. In regards to camber kits, BuddyClub is gonna be your best route especially for front UCA's since they don't bind and twist as easily as others do with the square cut-out above the ball joint, and the rear kit is good enough quality as well and both can be ordered as one kit so you can save on shipping costs as well lol.

H0nda_Crazy

I'm slowly collecting parts for my suspension build as well. From the homework I've done, I've found that PU bushings are harder and increase firmness and can become squeaky. I've also read that they won't last as long as the hardrace hardrubber or OEM bushings.

Knowing this, I decided to opt out of PU RTA bushings while buying the energy suspension master PU kit (since it doesnt include the RTA bushing but every other bushing). I think the RTA bushing is a major pivot point and moves more so you want something with more flexibility than PU. I figured that I won't mind a bit of sporty firmness, squeakyness (hell I already put up with squeaks being that my current RTA is trashed), & regreasing every now and then. Even if the ES bushings don't last as long its still only $120 for the kit! Where else do you find bushings for that price? So if they last at least 3 years I'm happy. Or you can spend more than twice that ($300 actually) on the hardrace master kit. I dunno about you but I'm a college student and cant afford to let go of $300 all at once.

As for your LCAs, I would go with stock arms with the bushing of your choice. I've read that the locations of the holes can be off and misalign your suspension so why risk messing up your suspension and brand new bushings because you wanted cheap aftermarket arms? And i dont wanna hear anything about weight savings from aluminum arms, the couple pounds dont make a difference for most of us here.

Here's my short answer:
Go Polyurethane bushings except RTA bushing, keep that part rubber
Keep stock rear LCA but install new bushings of w/e you end up choosing

I will not comment on Camber kits because their necessity will forever be debated. Plus I have no experience with them.

TomCat39

That's the rub.

120 bucks every 3 years compared to 300 bucks every 20 years.

You also have to add in the cost of having the machine shop pressing out and in the bushings on the control arms and trailing arms.

I personally would prefer to spend more once than have to rip my car apart every 3 years and pay the shop again and again. The time and labor alone is enough to warrant the higher priced bushings.

Lordco charges 100 bucks an hour and bushings isn't listed under teh hydraulic section like wheel bearings are so it falls under time based. So more than likely it will be about a two hour charge to do all 4 lower control arms and both trailing arms, possibly 3 hours.

Add in that extra 200-300 dollars and do you really want to shell that out every 3-5 years or every 15-20?

PU bushings really are designed as a track solution as it's always being ripped apart and put back together.

A daily driver typically isn't.

EsotericImage

iTrader: (8)

Ill 2nd Hardrace products


havent had any issues with anything with their name on it

B serious

iTrader: (1)

If you think Energy bushings are a good idea just because they're cheap....you've never actually done bushings on a car. I guarantee you you'll end up selling the car instead of re-doing your bushings.

I hated my energy bushings. I was 17 when I installed them on my S13 and my worn out 93 hatchbox. I was an idiot. I realized I was an idiot the first time I hit a bump and the car skateboarded over it. Why would you subject yourself to such abuse? There's better ways to get that "sporty" feeling. Your car doesn't have to sound like its breaking in half every time you hit a bump to make it feel "sporty".

Bushings aren't fun to do....and they take for ever. I'm good as hell at working on ****...and it would still take me all damn day to do bushings on a car. All-damn-day. I'm only willing to spend all damn day on something that stupid ONE time.

Hard rubber bushings or replacement Honda bushings are the best way to go.

DEFINITELY don't get poly RTA bushings. I predicted them being a dumb design when I first saw them like 10 years ago or something. And sho nuff...**** sucks. I don't think I know anyone knowledgeable about suspensions that will tell you that these are a good idea.

As long as you clock Honda rubber bushings properly....they'll last 10-20 years easily.

/Rant.

As far as coilovers go, as long as this is a street car and you don't plan on lowering it more than about 2'':
-Tein Street Advance if you want the car to ride softly. I think these are like $800ish.
-Koni yellows are inherently more aggressively damped. Pair them with GC springs at a rate of about 350-400LB. That would be a fairly stiff, but still reasonable suspension. Also $800ish.

If you want to lower the car more than about 2 or 2.5'':
-Buddy Club N+ is the only street suspension I would recommend in your price range of under $1000.

I wouldn't buy Yonaka. Progress seems like they're pretty decent. But...IDK.... I can't see them being able to beat the versatility of Koni/GC.

Good luck either way.