Bushings
Most cars leave the factory with rubber bushings in their suspension. Rubber has several advantages. It’s cheap, absorbs bumps well, lets the suspension turn freely, and won’t bind easily. Unfortunately, it also makes the suspension somewhat squishy. This can make the suspension feel slightly vague and contribute to wheel hop, especially in front-wheel-drive cars.
Replacement bushings can be made from several different materials. Polyurethane, the most common material used, is a synthetic rubber that is as much as 100 times as stiff as natural rubber. In some cases, polyurethane will make a suspension noticeably harsher, but in some cases you may not even notice. Its downside is that its high level of friction does not allow parts to ...
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