Shock & Strut Bushings

Shock and strut bushings mount a damper to the body or a suspension arm. They let the damper swivel slightly through its travel while passing damping force into the structure. On the list is a firmer front shock bush, named by vehicle.

A damper controls how fast the suspension moves, and it can only do that once its mounts stop moving. Whatever the bush squashes before the rod moves is damping lost. Soft or worn bushes therefore blunt the damper’s response to small, quick inputs, and often clunk over bumps.

A firmer bush transmits damper forces more directly, which tightens body control. In exchange, more of the road’s high-frequency harshness reaches the cabin, because the bush filters less of it.

Two checks before ordering:

• Mount type: stem mounts clamp the rod between two bushes and washers, while eye mounts have a bush pressed into a ring. Compare the type and dimensions with the old part.
• Timing: worn damper bushes often come with worn dampers, so renewing both together saves doing the job twice.

On a stem mount, tighten the nut until the washer seats on its shoulder or the bushes reach the specified height, not until the bush bulges. Tighten eye-mount bolts with the suspension at ride height so the bush is not twisted at rest. Check the damper for leaks and the mount for cracks while it is apart.