Replacing Dampers/Shocks... what bushings?

**CPUNeck** · 11-03-2010, 03:33 PM

Good grief, there are a lot of "rubber" parts in these suspensions. A couple years back, I replaced both the UCA and LCA on both sides in the front. New sway bar end links. Leaving only the sway bar bushings, the "strut rod bushing"?? and all the bushings on the shocks.

I'm going to install the KYB GR2 units at all four corners, and am having a hard time trying to figure out what bushings to purchase to go along with the shocks. The nomenclature for the different bushings is confusing. Every site describes the bushings with different "names" Anyone know what bushings I'm in need of? Seems I need upper and lower bushings for each shock, would that be correct?

**car6289** · 11-04-2010, 08:04 AM

Strut rod bushing, I've heard of some people calling the radius rod the strut rod. The radius rods on our cars coincidentally has a steel bushing that centers the radius rod within two rubber bushings. I think in your case it is the steel sleeve bushing that goes over the shock piston and centers the shock piston between the two upper rubbers in the top hat. It is #15 in the picture. You may need one for each shock due to the old ones being seized with rust to your old shocks. You may also want to replace the two rubbers per shock #7 depending on their condition and your budget.
The picture is of the front only and according to hondaautomotiveparts.com the rear collars (Honda's name for these bushings) are a different part number than the front collars.

**CPUNeck** · 11-04-2010, 01:46 PM

Thank you... see what I mean about the naming conventions the different parts houses have for these things. I thought those were the parts, so I'll go with them.

On the front the lower bushing is part of the LCA, and was part of the new unit so I should be good on that, but out back, I think I'll spring for what ever they call the lower bushing for the shock

**car6289** · 11-04-2010, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by CPUNeck

On the front the lower bushing is part of the LCA, and was part of the new unit so I should be good on that, but out back, I think I'll spring for what ever they call the lower bushing for the shock

Although you previously replaced your LCA assemblies, both bushings within each LCA are individually replaceable.

Good call to replace the rear lower bushings. 20+ years of service is long life for a bonded rubber and steel part. Yes, there are a lot of "rubber" parts in the suspension of our cars. If these rubber parts have not been recently replaced, they are probably due to be.