Does your car feel unstable when you drive? Over time, rubber bushings can wear out, which makes moving less comfortable and harder to control. By switching to polyurethane bushings, you can improve performance – meaning smoother rides, better handling and even making your suspension system last longer. Find out more about why standard rubber bushings don’t let your car reach its full potential; how polyurethane ones can make driving more comfortable while improving handling vastly; plus the long-term advantages such as durability (so there are fewer repairs needed) and saving money over the life of the part.
If you want to enjoy driving your vehicle more because it feels – well, like it’s yours then read on: we’ll explain all this and show you how switching could give an altogether different experience behind the wheel!
With over 30 years of successful products and services, Tehnoguma supplies different solutions for the mining industry, food production, ergonomics technologies, roller technologies, and more to fit different requirements. Let’s go through the details and what you need to know in terms of Polyurethane bushings for the automotive industry.
The Limits of Traditional Rubber Bushings
When you drive on a winding road, your car’s suspension system has to cope with every twist and turn – and this puts stress on it. But there are unsung components called bushings that absorb these forces via connection points strategically placed between different parts of the suspension system, allowing controlled movement while reducing vibrations. Rubber bushings have long been the default choice for this job because they’re cheap and they work well enough, yet over time their limitations become apparent:
- Rubber perishes with age: exposure to heat, ozone, and the weather) so its cracks harden meaning more flexibility in each bushing (compliance increases).
- Forces or heavy loads: This makes soft rubber deflect further than planned (because it’s worn out), there may be a misalignment between suspension components such as wishbones–compromising the car’s precise handling. Indeed, studies by SAE have suggested that steering wheel ‘play’ could increase by up to 20% when rubber bushings wear out.
- The Compliance: Although some bushing compliance is needed for a comfortable ride, too much–from perished rubber–can be undesirable: if the body leans excessively while cornering (more than expected from you turning the wheel), stability will reduce.
Polyurethane is one alternative material that does not suffer these effects anywhere near as much: drivers wanting both safety plus an improved feel of what their vehicle is doing may find it useful to swap. Polyurethane made a revolution in many industries so we suggest that you read our previous articles on Polyurethane Applications: Exploring Advantages and Common Uses and Polyurethane Components: Boosting Automotive Industry Success.
The Polyurethane Bushings Revolution: A Material for the Modern Driver
Polyurethane is a synthetic material that provides a big step up in suspension bushing technology from rubber.
- More robust with more resistance to tearing: compared to rubber, polyurethane has much higher tensile strength and tear resistance. This means bushings made of it can take bigger loads and tougher driving conditions without breaking or being deformed.
- Less affected by compression over time: If you keep squeezing a bit of sponge eventually it won’t spring back into shape and size–something similar occurs with rubber bushings after prolonged use; they suffer from what engineers call a permanent deformation or ‘compression set’, which reduces their effectiveness. Bushings made from polyurethane do not have this problem to anything like the same extent so they last longer before needing replacement.
- Environmental plus points too: Although replacing worn parts such as these is something motorists must expect as their car racks up the miles, choosing longer-lasting materials like polyurethane means overall fewer replacements are needed. This cuts down on both waste disposal costs and associated environmental impacts related to manufacture (often oil-derived) and subsequent landfill/incineration.
Poly bushes as they are sometimes known offer drivers wanting better handling performance or increased durability an attractive package when compared to standard rubber components: ask any track-day enthusiast!
Improved Comfort While Driving: Less Shaking, Less Noise
Sharper cornering is great–and with Technogym polyurethane bushes, you don’t have to sacrifice comfort. Here’s why:
Some Things Just Don’t Feel Right: Poly may be pretty stiff stuff, but that doesn’t mean it’s completely inflexible. It has a degree of built-in vibration-absorbing qualities–just not as many as soft rubber. This “selective damping” smoothes out sharp-edged bumps so effectively that you don’t feel like a human tuning fork after a drive on a typical British B-road. Shut Up! Excess movement equals noise; ask anyone who’s had an old washing machine in the flat above or sat at traffic lights with a Ducati rider blipping the throttle. Because poly bushes reduce high-frequency vibrations so well, they can also contribute valuably to making your car a quieter place. Of course, what makes one person bounce up and down with joy can make another feel slightly queasy. If you fit stiffer anti-roll bar (sway bar) bushes, for instance, you may notice more suspension-derived noise -albeit at a lower volume–transmitted through the body of the car than you would with the standard items made of softer rubber. So while we reckon most people will appreciate the improved refinement from fitting polyurethane suspension bushes, there are different grades of the material available to cater to individual preferences.
Durability That Doesn’t Wimp Out After Miles: A Wise Buy
But the advantages of using polyurethane go beyond merely enhancing dynamics – here’s why they represent such good value over the long haul. They Go The Distance – Poly bushes are an awful lot tougher than their rubber equivalents. This means if you fit them you’ll probably spend less time off the road replacing worn-out suspension components–and have more cash in your pocket.
Live And Let Live – Fit polyurethane dampers and you’ll almost certainly reduce the rate at which other suspension parts wear out too.
Because they help control excessive movement within the system, those components are under less stress while you’re driving along normally.
Beyond the Buzz: Considerations About Polyurethane Bushes
Poly bushes rock. But before fitting them, get clued up–there’s more than meets the eye. All polyurethane bushes are not born equal. Enter ‘durometer’ – a measure of hardness. Bushes with higher durometer ratings are firmer, and this firmness affects how they perform:
- High Durability (Very Firm): huge handling upgrade (car feels more responsive, less body roll); possible downside–firmer over bumps too.
- Lower Durometor (Softer): reassuringly comfortable ride (good for everyday use), though won’t sharpen up reactions like stiffer versions. Whether you want track-like precision from daily drive comfort depends on you.
Tehnoguma has a variety of durometers available in poly bushes–ask someone who knows about suspension set-ups for advice.
Fitting Them Right Makes A Big Difference: Don’t Mess Up!
To feel the benefits of any polyurethane bushes you’ll need to fit them properly. Because these harder-than-rubber alternatives can be tricky (erectile dysfunction commercials uncomfortable) it is important to get the technique spot-on: Accuracy Is Vital! If you decide to install polyurethane bushes, you may have to push them into place carefully using some force; If you want polyurethane bushings to perform their best and last a long time, then they must be fitted correctly when they’re installed. Bushings that don’t have an ideal fit might wear out early or stop working properly — maybe even both. Small mistakes like not aligning the parts perfectly when fitting them can also lead to these issues; it could even create new ones or make things worse overall. Follow these steps closely if you want maximum benefit from your poly bushings without putting up with any drawbacks; plus make sure only professionals who’ve had plenty of practice with these types carry out the work.
Unlocking Performance with Tehnoguma Polyurethane Solutions
Discover how you can transform your car with polyurethane bushings and unlock its hidden performance with Tehnoguma–the ultimate destination. We’re passionate about surpassing drivers’ expectations at every turn; that’s why we supply top-quality polyurethane parts designed specifically for cars and motorcycles. Our extensive product range includes high-performance bushes for all kinds of vehicles–daily commuters, weekend track-day weapons, and anything else you can think of! Regardless of what you drive, there is a Tehnoguma solution to improve handling stability/comfort levels and overall driving enjoyment. But we don’t just sell products: we want motorists to get the very best from their machines so they can fully enjoy the thrills of driving them. Choose Tehnoguma polyurethane bushes and discover better body control (dynamics), more accurate cornering capabilities, and increased driver feedback/communication.
You can go through Custom Rubber Bushings: A Versatile Solution for Industrial Needs and see if this approach maybe will suit you better.
Conclusion
Discover What Your Car Can Do? You have two options: carry on driving a tired, slow car – or unleash its hidden abilities! Fitting polyurethane bushes can utterly transform your motoring existence. Instead of woolly handling and an uncomfortable ride, you’ll find pinpoint responses plus an end to jolts and crashes over holes. Don’t forget that looking after your suspension with high-quality bushes isn’t just an investment in your motor; it means enjoying driving for its own sake. Take charge today: fit new bushes – and be amazed at the difference!
Not sure what you will need precisely ask for a quote from our experts on different suitable solutions so you can reach your expectations and results. Also, follow our latest news in the industry section where you will be in touch with the latest updates and practices in the rubber industry.
