Creaking from rear end after UHMW bushing install

[DirtyTh3rty]

Sorry posted this in the wrong section!

But while I'm here I recently replaced my driveshaft and subframe bushings/rtabs because of a clunk when dropping the clutch and I still have the clunk. Say if i let the clutch out in 1st or even reverse and drop the clutch quickly I get that driveline knock. driveshaft/csb/guibo are all new.

[Mook613]

Check engine and trans mounts and the diff bushing.

[varg]

What about the creak? I've noticed that my rear suspension started creaking after a few months with Condor UHMW bushings.

[TobyB]

Nylon grease helps a lot- but you need to get it into all the moving surfaces of the
trailing arm bushings. It's really slick stuff (heh)- I think mine said 'energy suspension'
on it 15 years back, and there's still some left after a half dozen lubes...

t

[DirtyTh3rty]

Check engine and trans mounts and the diff bushing.

Trans mounts are good the engine mounts are getting a little swollen and the diff bushing is cracked I'm replacing that with a condor one also.

[DirtyTh3rty]

What about the creak? I've noticed that my rear suspension started creaking after a few months with Condor UHMW bushings.

This is my first time with the condor uhmw bushings is it common for these to creak? Mine started after only a day of driving.

[Mook613]

This is my first time with the condor uhmw bushings is it common for these to creak? Mine started after only a day of driving.

Cracked diff bushing could be causing your clunk problem when you shock your driveline by dropping the clutch.

Pretty much any poly bushing will creak if you didn't lube it up with A LOT of grease. Copper based anti-seize is the go-to for poly bushing installs.

[DirtyTh3rty]

Yeah the diff bushing was the next one to go.

But isn't UHMW technically "naturally lubricated" ? I mean it makes sense to put grease on them I guess maybe I just took the self lubricating thing a little too serious haha I was doing a few other things while I had the rear end down so I didn't put too much thought into it.

[Mook613]

Yeah the diff bushing was the next one to go.

But isn't UHMW technically "naturally lubricated" ? I mean it makes sense to put grease on them I guess maybe I just took the self lubricating thing a little too serious haha I was doing a few other things while I had the rear end down so I didn't put too much thought into it.

Did your bushings not come with a little packet of grease? Revshift sends packets of a what I think was a lithium based grease and I assume that Condor did as well (maybe not?).
Either way, need the anti-seize to keep them from squeaking.

[SkiFree]

I guess maybe I just took the self lubricating thing a little too serious haha

This would be the case.

[ForcedFirebird]

I find metallic clunks to usually be the ring/pinon mesh, CV, or the rear drive shaft universal in e30's.

[DirtyTh3rty]

Did your bushings not come with a little packet of grease? Revshift sends packets of a what I think was a lithium based grease and I assume that Condor did as well (maybe not?).
Either way, need the anti-seize to keep them from squeaking.

Nope didn't come with any grease that was another reason I mistook the self lubricating thing. I actually looked up about uhmw and every application it is used in talks about it being a hardened type of poly that is "self lubricating". Obviously this is not the case then if it needs grease lol

[varg]

Yep, Condor doesn't ship them with grease, and based on my experience I think they should, because mine started squeaking after a few months and it's getting very annoying now. So much for "self lubricated." This probably started happening so soon with mine because I put lots of miles on the car, and it will probably happen to others down the road. I imagine most cars with those solid bushings are not DDs, and those that are probably don't do as many miles as I was doing when I first got them.

[jlevie]

I only use OE/OEM trailing arm bushings of street cars because poly or UHMW bushings require periodic lubrication, say one a year, to eliminate the creaking as the rear suspension moves. On a pure track or race car the poly or UHMW bushings are okay as the noise is acceptable.