Iautox posted a question on the 2nd gen suspention thread asking about teflon bushings. Was discussing squeaking issues with sway bar bushings (after-market, some not all). I was wondering how many people have/had squeak problems with sway bars? Also why manufacures don't use teflon bushings? Too soft? Not cost effective?
I know some sway bar manufacturers use grease zirks, but would teflon bushings be better? I also understand the teflon tape trick, but is there a reason not to use solid teflon bushings? O.k., enough babbling, I don't know much, but, I can prove it.

 

I forgot what kind of bushings came with my Alta 22mm bar, but it used to sqeak real bad. I even used their supplied grease. Later I got some real stuff and the sqeaking stoped.

 

Do you have to keep re-applying the real stuff?

 

I haven't yet, its been about 15k miles since I got the bar. I used new grease after a few weeks.

 

So.. no real issue? Thanks.

 

Bottom line is price. Teflon will be a material that's stiff enough that it would have to be machined, and there's not really a cost effective way to mold it. Urethane or rubber can both be poured or injection molded for lightyears less than teflon.

 

On my previous car, I had teflon-impregnated polyurethane front control arm
bushings ('82 VW Rabbit), and they never squeaked nor needed any lubrication (and as you can gather, I had that car a good long while).

 

The bushings on my Alra 19mm rr anti-sway squeaked awfully a few miles after install. I had heard of teflon tape fix, too. But I took it back to the guy who did the install and griped until he got some "special grease" which seems to have fixed the problem for good -- at least for many K miles so far. Unfortunately, I don't know what the name of the stuff is.

 

Thats what I figured. If it was cost effective it would be done. It also appears that the squeak issue is easy to remedy. Thanks all who posted replys.

 

what I do with some of my cars is put on some teflon tape inside my polyurethane bushing.