SPL Monoball Bushings

[Wbarnes13]

Hello everyone. I have been searching around looking for reviews or anything I could find on the SPL rear knuckle monoball bushings http://www.splparts.com/chassis-S14.html#SPLRKBS13. I was just wondering if there okay for daily driving or if rain and dirt and such would hurt them. I'm looking to replace them for my ES bushings I have now to get rid of the binding. Would they be better then ES for daily driving?

[boyou2]

for a DD, you should go with an ES kit

[Wbarnes13]

I have the ES kit now and they are binding after only 5 months. I have thought about the zerk fittings but have read a few things about them not working to well either.

[boyou2]

Originally Posted by Wbarnes13

I have the ES kit now and they are binding after only 5 months. I have thought about the zerk fittings but have read a few things about them not working to well either.

6months for me, nothing to notice....

[CrimsonRockett]

I ordered them for my S13. A friend of mine pretty much daily drives his Z33 with full SPL arms and spherical bearings on everything. They're not as bad as some people make them seem. With a good set of shocks/springs (er, coilovers), you won't really notice them.

As far as durability goes, we just spray them down with lithium grease once a month and they hold up just fine. Then again, we're in California. Only thing we really have to worry about is dirt/dust.

[Chaluska]

i'm running ES bushings in most of the car, and it is ultra tight (not rough, just tight).. just make sure you lube the crap out of them before installing. Mine had about a 1/16th" thick layer of grease before installation.

[s13silvia123]

i have SPL's first made suspension completely around all corners even the lower control arms, i use to daily my s13 for about 2 years and its been sitting out back in the yard with winter storms for 2 years now. haven't had a issue yet. no rust buildup either when i checked it a few days while i was swapping out my turbo manifold to a new one.

good for the money

[GSXRJJordan]

I recommend that kit for anyone, regardless of purpose. For max performance, there should be no compliance in anything except the shock - that actually helps the shock do it's job better. Crappy bushings will make a bad shock feel smoother over high speed stuff, but a good shock will actually feel more comfortable with sphericals all around.

We currently sell that kit, and can install it for you as well. Give [email protected] an email, our SPL pricing is tits.

[azndummie]

These are not bad at all, they dont make as much noise as everyone thinks and they make the car feel SOLID in the rear.

[Wbarnes13]

I lubed the hell out of them when I installed the ES, and now every time I take off you can hear the whole rear squeaking. I jacked the car up and tried to move the whole knuckle with a pry bar and it didn't move very easily. Thanks for all the input it's much appreciated I think I'll try out the SPL's.

[codyace]

I've got the DefSport/Skullworks in my Z32 uprights, and love them. As JordanInnovations pointed out about, the most comfortable suspension is one where the shock setup takes all of the work, not the bushings binding. My 240 rides so nice with them, that it's hard to ride in other ones.

[ManoNegra]

Originally Posted by codyace

I've got the DefSport/Skullworks in my Z32 uprights, and love them. As JordanInnovations pointed out about, the most comfortable suspension is one where the shock setup takes all of the work, not the bushings binding. My 240 rides so nice with them, that it's hard to ride in other ones.

same here
been running them for over a year now
and really like the performance and feedback from the suspension
I raise the rear of the car and everything just moves down smoothly
I can move the corners freely
I'm running them on Zeal Function XS coilover, Powertrix traction and toe arms and Peak Performance RUCAS. Progress swaybars.

do note though that spherical will requires more maintenance as has been pointed out
I clean them up with lubricant every other month or so
but their lifetime will be less than rubber or poly
also more feedback = more harness, noise, vibrations aswell
you will feel imperfection in the road more
and your shitty coilovers will be exposed

overall, I'm very please with them

track car? highly recommended less regulations dictate otherwise

[dudermagee]

Originally Posted by ManoNegra

do note though that spherical will requires more maintenance as has been pointed out
I clean them up with lubricant every other month or so

what do you do for cleaning? Just spray them with the arms still connected?

[ManoNegra]

Originally Posted by dudermagee

what do you do for cleaning? Just spray them with the arms still connected?

yes, wipe the dust and grime out
use q-tips on hard to reach spots
make sure they rotate freely and that there isn't any play
the bearings themselves are usually good since they are teflon coated and self clean

[JDMStanced]

i just installed ES bushings for inner and outer bushings on my z33.
the car still squeaks like a mutherfu** when i brake.. even i lubed everywhere

[boyou2]

i did'nt lube anything, and no squeaking ^^

[JDMStanced]

Originally Posted by boyou2

i did'nt lube anything, and no squeaking ^^

do you have z33?

[Howie Felter Snatch]

What is this squeaking you people are talking about? I have full ES bushings everywhere (RED type) and I've never heard any of this squeaking.. I've even have set up 3 other S13's with full ES bushing kit and never heard this before..

Can sound please take a moment to explain this to me and why this would happen in the first place and how loud does this squeaking get? I got SPL/PBM arms all around with TEIN coilovers.. Does it just depend on what type of arms/coils you're running?

Personally I think the ES bushings are awesome! They definitively tightened up the rear/front end a ton!

[ManoNegra]

Originally Posted by Howie Felter Snatch

Can sound please take a moment to explain this to me and why this would happen in the first place and how loud does this squeaking get? I got SPL/PBM arms all around with TEIN coilovers.. Does it just depend on what type of arms/coils you're running?

grease breaks down with water and grime over time or get squeezed out
starts low but sound get worse and worse with time
I think that the heim in your arms are probably helping avoid the squeak
it's more apparent when the ES bushings are installed on both the upright and arms

Personally I think the ES bushings are awesome! They definitively tightened up the rear/front end a ton!

I agree, when they are well lubricated and functioning properly
they liven up the car


on the other hand, when they fail it can be ugly....

[Pandapants]

Good grief, was that from binding?

[racepar1]

Originally Posted by ManoNegra

on the other hand, when they fail it can be ugly....

I've had this happen to me personally and on my buddy's S13, except on our cars it was both the trac arm and the ruca that broke.

As stated, urethane bushings are fine, as long as they're lubricated. Once they lose lube they bind terribly, squeak, and break shit. I recommend installing zerk fittings on any urethane bushing that you install on your car so that they can be greased easily and regularly.

As for the monoballs, the only issue is their service life vs the cost of replacement. Monoballs used for daily use will probably wear out in a couple years and require replacement. Replacing them won't be cheap. You can buy seals to try and limit the amount of dirt and debris that get into them, which will extend the service life. As for driveability the reduction in bind will likely result in a smoother overall ride, you'll just be able to feel more vibration and hear more noise since there is no rubber to dampen the vibration. All in all the monoballs are the better choice as long as you can afford them.

[boyou2]

Originally Posted by JDMStanced

do you have z33?

no I got an s13

[Wbarnes13]

do note though that spherical will requires more maintenance as has been pointed out
I clean them up with lubricant every other month or so

I'm just worried about rusting. I'm guessing if I just take the time to lubricate them I shouldn't have to worry about rust. And about to squeaking for the first few months it was fine. Just over the past few weeks I've been hearing it every time I back up or take off.

[ManoNegra]

pretty much
friend came to the shop complaining about a possible bent shock
went over a pothole and rear started clunking really bad
drove like that for a couple of days before coming by too
replaced it with another ES bushing we had on hand...

btw
you guys do know that difference between the red and black ES bushings right?
black ones are graphite impregnated to self lubricate, red ones aren't

ps forgot, this thread has some useful information aswell:
http://nissanroadracing.com/showthread.php?t=3191

[Zenki_516]

If anyone is worried about squeaking or binding, just buy the bushings in BLACK. The black ones lubricate themselves while the red ones dry out over time. And you should spray any ES bushing with white lithium grease every so often to prevent either from happening.

Edit: Was typing while that^ was posted, but read it twice... black are self lubricating.

[ManoNegra]

Originally Posted by Zenki_516

If anyone is worried about squeaking or binding, just buy the bushings in BLACK. The black ones lubricate themselves while the red ones dry out over time. And you should spray any ES bushing with white lithium grease every so often to prevent either from happening.

Buy more of the ES lube or get grease for marine applications.

[JDMStanced]

what the hell!! i asked the vendor and he said red and black are the same thing. That's why i ordered red...Does the red perform better or something?

THe reason i replaced my LCA inner and outer bushing on my z33 is because of the squeaking and clicking noise i had. ES bushings didn't fix it..hmm..

[Zenki_516]

Yea he definitely lied, or didn't know what he was talking about. I've never heard anything as far as one performing better. I think red is just red for looks.

[boyou2]

that's why mines don't sqeeze, I took black ones ^^

[word sux]

yea idk why they even make the red ones its pointless and most vendors do not know that they are different