Energy suspension bushings - Not that bad

I have been putting off my install of my energy suspension bushing because everyone I speak to tells me how bad it is to install and it takes forever, Now granted I only have done the front and rear sway-bar this weekend but you are looking at around an hour and a half per a side, including removal of the old bushings and installation of new bushings.

I mean I don’t have a press or any fancy pants tools but I was expecting an uphill struggle, I only had one issue with a stripped bolt, What this means is the average guy can install the kit over two weekends completing the front then the rear on two different weekends, but I did learn some cool stuff like, You don’t have to cut the ring in one bushing two or four times only once to remove it, You will need a blow torch, you will need running thread and energy suspension gives a lot of suspension grease .

Now I will be tackling the rear this weekend or next then we will see how difficult it really is but I’m not to fazed as I was before I tackled this, So guys if your interested in the kit go for it looks like an average Joe can easily install it , But you will need to go for wheel alignment afterwards

The front really is the easy part, the swaybars and steering rack are piss.

At the back you have 9 of the smaller type bushings per side, thats 18 total... Thats 18 old bushes to burn out, 18 rings to hacksaw through and 18 new bushed to press in..... small jobs in themselves but they add up to a weekends worth of burnt ruber nausea!

But its OK, we'll chat again after your back is done 😛

Mmm... Sound nice! hehe!

Ok so where are the install pics???? I need some photographic instructions!

Agreed Sokar...

I will check this coming weekend how bad it is, I was shown a very nice trick on removing those small bushings
Sorry guys forgot the cam, But I will make a plan on the rear bushings

hey doc G...

any comments on this???

i've done about 4 or 5 cars - i think its a kak job. i'd rather pull a motor, and rebuild it, and stick it back in!!!

ya sokar - we talk again once the rear is done!

Well I have taken the warning on the rear but guys when it comes to the front and sway bars it’s very easy.
The work is not complicated just time consuming if I compared it to my HG replacement back in the day to me that seems like a lot of work.

So I would recommend maybe to everyone, Do the front and the sway bars then see how you feel about the rear or take it to a good suspension place to do the rears should be cheaper then doing the whole car now

Cool! so you say it was relatively easy.... mmm... I need to do mine to. let me know how hard it is to do the rears....

...uhm wait let me rephrase... let me know if it was difficult. 🙂 🙂

If someone brings me a car to fix that is half done, I will charge you double. I am only good enough when you are stuck or cock up, not a chance.

Business doesnt work like that. Like people who supply their own parts, stupid chops its more expensive that way.

So if you bring you custom body kit to panel beater he shouldn’t spray it because he didn’t make it?

It would be like a performance shop not installing your intercooler piping because they didn’t install the motor?

If you take you car to a mechanic to change the front brakes he shouldn’t do it because you changed the rear brakes?

It makes no sense in order to do the back bushings he does not need to touch the front they are independent it’s a very common thing

Like people who supply their own parts, stupid chops its more expensive that way.

Yep like please don’t fit that crappy LUK clutch use this ACT instead, mechanics, Suspension place are not performance shops a performance shop makes you use there product its how they guarantee and rip you off.

Its always worked out the same for me cost wise just with better products

Well fit the brakes to the one side and then bring it to me, Ill do the other side for you for half the price. I will tell you to F*** off and die, you want me to do the job I want to do the whole job.

There are different bushing sets, what if you got the fronts then did the rears like years later.
Also most the place I contact quoted for front and rear

the job isnt very difficult at all. specially if you have the right tools.

things like a bench vice, a blowtorch, old screwdrivers, lots of hacksaw blades, and although you dont need it helps heaps - a hydraulic press.

i did my car without a press, and a small vice.

its possible. but its not that difficult. its just a kak job. time consuming, dirty, nauseating, did i mention dirty!!! its really no fun at all.

also - one of the difficult parts is the single piece bushings made by energy suspension, thats where the press comes in handy.

i see the prothane bushings for the rear are two piece, and in that case i dont think you would need a press at all. making the job so much easier!!!

if he dies you don't get half a job either 🙁

also - there is a difference between a kak job and a difficult job.

the bushings arent difficult to replace - any monkey with a blowtorch could do it. doesnt mean it isnt a kak job!

widowmaker wrote:

if he dies you don't get half a job either 🙁

true true

Who wants to do half a job?? You strip the engine and then let me rebuild it...

true - especially when the stripping is the fun part

Isn't there a way of removing the old bushes without having to burn the rubber out? That sounds like the hardest/kakest part of the whole job.

of course!

Guy wrote:

Isn't there a way of removing the old bushes without having to burn the rubber out? That sounds like the hardest/kakest part of the whole job.

sometimes you're lucky and you can get the bushes out with only 7 tons of force, but mostly we couldnt even get them out with 12 tons of force. instead you just tend to damage the bush housings!

so its better to get the center metal bit out by burning the rubber and then loosening the tension on the housing by hacksawing the inner ring, and then only having to use about 2.5 - 3 tons of force to get that inner ring out!