Originally Posted by
hammerinI would have to disagree with that.
I have yet to run the SEL on track with my new poly bushings, but I can say for spirited street driving, my B14 feels the same as it did before. After having the beam/trailing arms detached from the car, it became apparent as to why. You can actual find lateral play in the trailing arms themselves from just pushing on them with your hands. In other words, the arms were designed with a flex factor build into them. Any sort of added stiffness from trailing arm bushings does nothing in terms of lateral movement because of the inherent flex in the metal. It's really the bushings in the lateral link that take all of the lateral pressure. Try and stiffen those, however, and I think the bind that insues does more harm than good. Which goes back to why the panhard works so well with solid heim joints combined with less of a travel arc to minimize bind.
It could be possible, people are seeing improvement with poly trailing arm bushings simple because their old bushing were total shot. The rubber bushings I replaced, relative to other cars I've seen, still had some life in them. The car only has 79,000 miles on it. My guess is that people would get the same improvements they see with poly bushing by simply replacing with stockers. My direct experience with this, for what it's worth. 
I saw a huge improvement on my P11, I already had an Addco rear swaybar too. I'll let you be the judge of original bushing condition:
Originally Posted by
hammerin
Like all poly bushings, it will increase NVH. I can't comment on how much in my case because I went from a stock setup to 330lb springs on coilovers in the rear at the same time I did the bushings. The NVH definitely increased in my car. I just can't say to what degree the bushings are contributing to the NVH vs the new spring/damper combo.
NVH increase was very minor in my car. I was worried it would be as bad as front lower control front bushing would be. Those made NVH horrible.
Originally Posted by
gomba 
So according to the ES instructions, I am to leave the inner ring *IN* and not take it out. I have read conflicting info on the net regarding this for the rear trailing arm bushings.
Anyone can confirm?
Leave the inner sleeve in, don't touch it!
Now I used B14 bushings on the P11, it looks like the P11 mount is bigger, thus the bushings went in with barely any force (I pushed them in by hand). I plan on replacing them with B15 bushings so that they deflect less inside the mount.
Here is why stock bushings suck, look at how small the contact patch is.
Re: Rear Sway Bar + Shocks/Struts...So what's next?
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