Energy Suspension Now has Spherical Bearing in kits

fienloco

This or That?
Jul 5, 2012
14
0
0
Colorado
Just for reference... If these bushings are shot? How does the suspension sound and the wheels wear? If anyone could give an example. I've got an 88 with 188k on it. Both wheels are wearing un evenly. Inside tread worn more than the outside. The rear right sounds like a solid thud even on the lightest little bumps almost like the rear end is going to come apart. Ive torqued the entire subframe, rear end, etc., I've pryed on all bushings and found no evidence of worn bushings. Leading me to think both rear wheel bearings are toast. Before I go through the works of changing wheel bearings I would like to hear symptoms of these bushings being cached out.
 

hvyman

Dang Dude! No Way Man.
Staff member
Apr 17, 2007
12,568
1
0
Fullerton,CA
Check for play in the wheels.

Sounds like you need an alignment as far as tire wear goes.

Both my wheels have play from the spherical bushings being bad. I can see the play in them. Both my rear wheel bearings have been replaced and has about half the play it did.
 

fienloco

This or That?
Jul 5, 2012
14
0
0
Colorado
Ive got that play @ 12 and 6 mostly. The allignmenet shop I go to told me wheel bearings. I dont dought their judgement but if it were bearings I think I would have blow them completely out by now.I feel that wander in the rear end plus a bit of vibration as its running up through the gears. Maybe I'll just change both while I'm in there. Do the work myself.
 

1986.5supra_kid

Rice? No its Corn (E85)
IJ.;1976916 said:
Wheel bearings when they go are quite noisy, the spherical bearings just rock at 6 and 12 with the wheel off the ground.

IJ knows this but im adding to his statment.

bearings will make more noise with load if worn too. so if the left is bad then turning right will increase load on bearing and increase noise. same if right is failing.

also for wheel bearing play, you may be able to get side play while wiggling from any corner of the wheel like3o clock to 9 o clock or 1 and 7.
you can also look at the trac arm while wiggling on the 12 and 6 position to see if the shephrical is moving. it should not move when wiggling wheel.
 
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fienloco

This or That?
Jul 5, 2012
14
0
0
Colorado
Sounds good. I think with 188k the bushings all need replaced struts/shocks too. The car sounds like the right strut wants to come pounding thru the chassis while running down the road, alrhough while driving it feels I get some excess side to side shift in the rear wheels. Just trying to narrow it down at this point. Got a set of spherical bushings and rear wheel bushings on the way. If that doesnt kill the noise, increase the peace, and stabilize the ride. Two sets of energy suspension, front and rear bushings are in order. I'm trying to be thrifty, but its Supra the odds in that are against me.
 

gtsfirefighter

SM Expert on White trash
Sep 26, 2006
2,965
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36
54
Weatherford, Texas, United States
I have a set of Energy Suspension bushings on the way. I'm going to replace every bushing on the suspension. The spherical ones I'll buy new from Toyota. I priced all components from Toyota using Curt at Elmhurst and even with the huge discount he offers it was going to be over $3k. It amazes me how much upper control arms cost. They're more expensive than lowers, same goes for my SC400.

Anyway, most, but not all, of the symptoms that my car has began after I lowered it with B&G springs (I'm not blaming springs). The rear end has felt sloppy for a while and under initial boost, the torque will cause the rear to sway. The front end vibrates horribly but does so intermittently and worse the warmer it is outside. That same problem existed on my SC400 and the lower control arm bushings were shot. One of my rear trailing arms (toyo calls it a strut rod) is bent so I'll replace both with new ones. Also left rear is lower than right and car just has an uneven stance about it. It drives like absolute shit.

So I'll update here and in my dormant build thread whenever I'm able to get it finished sometime after the first of the year. I'm either going to buy or rent a press and try to do it myself. I posted in here to advise of symptoms in case others are having the same ones.
 

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,232
37
48
Atlanta
A typical shop press can only address a few of the suspension bushings.
It's very difficult to place hubs on the press without having something in the way, off angle, etc.
A few hand tools like bearing pullers, etc will aid in bushing replacement.
 

yhatzee89

Joe Yantz
Aug 31, 2012
977
0
16
San Antonio, TX
gtsfirefighter;1979375 said:
I have a set of Energy Suspension bushings on the way. I'm going to replace every bushing on the suspension. The spherical ones I'll buy new from Toyota. I priced all components from Toyota using Curt at Elmhurst and even with the huge discount he offers it was going to be over $3k. It amazes me how much upper control arms cost. They're more expensive than lowers.

It was $3k for all the bushings from Toyota? Or for the arms, bushings, and everything else?
 

hvyman

Dang Dude! No Way Man.
Staff member
Apr 17, 2007
12,568
1
0
Fullerton,CA
The uppers have the ball joint as well. Still stupid expensive. Rock auto has them for like 30-40 each.
 

gtsfirefighter

SM Expert on White trash
Sep 26, 2006
2,965
0
36
54
Weatherford, Texas, United States
supraguy@aol;1979397 said:
A typical shop press can only address a few of the suspension bushings.
It's very difficult to place hubs on the press without having something in the way, off angle, etc.
A few hand tools like bearing pullers, etc will aid in bushing replacement.

I figured as much for the spherical ones. Thanks for the suggestion.


Also the $3k was for all components complete and ready to bolt on.
 

black89t

boost'en down 101
Oct 27, 2007
951
0
0
36
humboldt, ca
i recently did the spherical bushing on my car and what worked really well for me was a balljoint press and a large socket. i left the hub on all i did was remove the control arm. i also heated the hub some. and when i installed the new bushing i put it in the freezer and heated the hub a little. and i used a oem toyota part to replace it. this is the one i used


http://www.harborfreight.com/ball-joint-service-kit-for-2wd-and-4wd-vehicles-4065.html