Best lube for TAB and Sub Frame Bushings

[Klug]

Hey Folks,

Long story short- I have my entire subframe dropped and replacing everything while I'm in there.

Previously, I had the black AKG TAB's installed for about two years, eventually they began to squeak like a SOB. I originally figured that it must have been my sub frame bushings since they have not been replaced. Dropped everything and realized that it was the actually the TAB's making the squeaking sounds. Now back then, when I was installing TAB's, I used some black lithium grease (not white) and I've pinpointed that this was my issue. The grease was still visible but not packed in the bushing as it was when I was installing it.

Regardless, I'm now replacing everything with rubber. Because I'm cheap, it's not a track car and I like it quiet. What is the best type of lube to use to push these bushings in? I've heard that silicone for polly bushings is what to use- but mixed reviews about using Silicone, Lithium White and regular dish soap with rubber bushings.

Just want to make sure because I sure as hell don't want to be doing TAB's for the third time in three years. :p

[LJ851]

Silicone grease works best with poly but they still tend to squeak anyway.


Rubber bushes don't squeak because they don't slip or rotate like poly. They flex when rotated and you actually want them to grip the trailing arm. The lube is strictly to ease the install which is why soap is used, it dries up and is not longer slippery after install.

Buy BMW or at least OEM bushings, cheap rubber bushings fail quickly.

[Sirotto]

Dish soap. You don't want the lube to stay. 99% of the time people won't have any issues using a more permanent lube but i have always used dish soap with good results.

[Klug]

Awesome, thanks for the responses. Dish soap it is!

I'm using Meyle bushings- I never had any issues with their stuff. I feel that they are the Long Horn steak house kind of bushings- not as cheap as Applebees but not as good as Ruth Chris (OEM)

[pandaboo911]

Remember when using dish soap you should put the car back on the ground within a day. This is so the bushings will set in the right position when the soap is drying up.

[efficient]

Preload the bushings when the car has all the weight on them, then tighten the bolts. Found out that tightening them while it'd in the air causes the arms and subframe not to sit right.

[Northern]

Revshift provides teflon lube with their bushings, it worked well.

I've never had poly bushings that didn't squeak. I feel like that's just part of life.

[estoguy]

Used soapy water when I did mine last summer - rubber bushings as well. No problems.

I'd also recommend using a circular wire brush on a drill to clean out the inside of the holes for the RTABs and subframe.