Rubber bushings -- more comfortable and more suitable for city roads.
PU bushings -- better support, more durable, more suitable for off-road.
The products recommended by others may not be the best for you. The best way is to choose aftermarket products according to your own needs. When you choose to enhance a part of the performance, you are bound to lose another part of the performance, such as driving comfort etc.
What Is A Rubber Bushing?
Simply, a bushing is a "buffering component" used to isolate the direct contact between the metal parts of the car chassis.
Most OE control arm bushings are made of rubber, which is suitable for the family use.However, rubber bushings can be damaged very quickly if installed in an off-road vehicle that needs to handle extreme road conditions.
Any elastic material will experience fatigue over time. As a component subjected to long-term friction, heat, and impact, rubber bushings will eventually start aging, leading to cracking, deformation, and excessive play. Consequently, the vehicle becomes loose and develops abnormal noises.
Therefore, when a vehicle's chassis makes abnormal noises, mechanics often start by checking whether the bushings have aged.
Additionally, rubber bushings place a significant demand on the quality of the rubber itself. Low-priced rubber bushings in often fail to meet the necessary quality standards.
What Is A PU Bushing?
PU offers the strength and durability of plastic while retaining the flexibility and high elasticity of rubber.It is known for its excellent resilience and long-lasting durability.
With these features, PU bushings can indeed ensure long-term reliability even under heavy off-road conditions.
KSP employs Polyurethane (PU) bushings for all their control arms, and the material quality surpasses that of aftermarket bushings.
PU is more resistant to low-temperature conditions. During winter, rubber tires and rubber bushings can become stiff and brittle, what may leads to chassis noises when driving in cold conditions. However, PU bushings do not stiffen as quickly as rubber. Even if the noise occurs, PU bushings can be relieved by adding grease, while rubber bushings cannot.
PU bushings can provide better support, which can make the car chassis stronger. For off-road and racing cars, polyurethane bushings are a necessary modification. KSP has designed control arms specifically for the F150, suitable for 2-4" lift kits, allowing for direct replacement of the OE arms. This product can improve the support and handling if you find the factory suspension tuning too soft.
PU bushings are particularly well-suited for lifted vehicles as they require enhanced support to ensure tire adhesion.The PU bushings would be a better choice for you if your vehicle has been lifted.
So PU bushings are so good, why not use them on all cars?
The reason why PU bushings are rarely equipped by OE factory is primarily due to their characteristics. PU bushings make the suspension stiffer. Therefore, only a small number of off-road vehicle models come equipped with PU bushings from the factory.
Therefore, although PU bushings offers high strength and durability, they are not suitable for non-off-road vehicles.