In the process of installing the new 9" rear. I inspected my ploy bushings in my less than 2 year old tubular LCA's and the trackbar to find that the outer holes of the bushing are enlarged or wallowed out.

Clearly the metal tube is not being secured as it should so these bushings must be replaced. Am I pumping too much grease and causing this? Any other thoughts?

 

I didn't think you were supposed to grease the poly bushings, other than some white lithium grease to keep them from squeaking. Maybe I am wrong. I dont think that your bushing would get messed up from that though.

 

I clearly remember when I was pumping them up wit grease they would balloon out a bit. I thought it was harmless, maybe I was wrong.

 

I thought it was Silicone grease for Poly-urethane bushings ...

 

I just happened to grease my LCA's and panhard bar yesterday, and was surprised how after a few pumps they "got tight". I figured they would pass grease on the outsides of the bushings with little resistance. Nope, the bushings ballooned out and it got hard to pump. So I removed the zerks and POP! out came the grease. So the others, I just gave 'em a couple of pumps and stopped. Aren't the sides of the bushings important to be lubed as well? Cause it doesn't look like they get any.

 

That is the exact reason we removed the grease fittings from our lower control arms. The hand pump grease guns can generate upwards of 10,000 lbs of pressure and it will blow out any bushing there is no place for the grease to go. The other problem is when using a grease gun you cannot get the grease in all the contact areas which is why we have switched everything to Energy Suspension grease packets and have discovered if you use only that during installation you will probably never need to grease your bushings again.

 

damn i wish i woulda knew that, i just put LCA on, i knocked in the grease zerks and pumped em up, and yes they ballooned out a bit but i figured it was normal....

 

If they are balooning out they are on their way to being trashed.