Prothane Bushings Shredded

[Boss4Me]

I installed Prothane urethane bushings on new front LCA’s following the directions including using the prescribed Prothane grease. 2013 GT.

As the pic shows the left side front bushing is torn at the leading edge. This after a total of ~500 miles, 12 track sessions at Gingerman (clockwise) and one auto-X day.

I will share any more info once I get the LCA removed and any obvious cause.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I am going to install the same Prothane urethane bushing (and expecting a better result, isn’t that the definition of insanity?).

 

[EF1]

I am anxious to hear the cause. I have Prothane bushings in the front of my car and they still look good after a couple of years. I didn't use the Prothane grease when I installed them. I used Redline synthetic grease on mine.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Call Full Tilt Boogie Racing, talk to Bruce, tell him I sent you. See if he makes parts for your car, or make a custom set. BTW , Bruce hates anything with the word
" thane" in it.

 

[Boss4Me]

Call Full Tilt Boogie Racing, talk to Bruce, tell him I sent you. See if he makes parts for your car, or make a custom set. BTW , Bruce hates anything with the word
" thane" in it.

Thanks. i think Delrin was the Boss R/S bushing material. This is still street driven.

 

[Boss4Me]

I am anxious to hear the cause. I have Prothane bushings in the front of my car and they still look good after a couple of years. I didn't use the Prothane grease when I installed them. I used Redline synthetic grease on mine.

This was a big surprise and disappointment. I hope to have time to get the lca off the car tomorrow.

 

[EF1]

Thanks. i think Delrin was the Boss R/S bushing material. This is still street driven.

The Boss R/S did use delrin bushings. I have a set waiting for when the Prothanes in my car need replacing.

 

[Boss4Me]

The Boss R/S did use delrin bushings. I have a set waiting for when the Prothanes in my car need replacing.

Here it is, left LCA with Prothane bushing. Yuk. I am glad I saw this while doing something unrelated under the car.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Did any oil spill on them?? My poly engine mounts melted on a blown engine, from the oil spraying everywhere.

 

[EF1]

It is about time to check the bushings in mine again. I t has been a few months but the car has not been driven since the MCA 60th back in April.

 

[Boss4Me]

Did any oil spill on them?? My poly engine mounts melted on a blown engine, from the oil spraying everywhere.

No oil leaks. Prothane prescribed specific urethane grease used, the sticky stuff. As the pictures show, stones and small debris sticks anywhere the grease was remaining on surface.

 

[Boss4Me]

Here it is, left LCA with Prothane bushing. Yuk. I am glad I saw this while doing something unrelated under the car.

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All front LCA bushings, Howe Racing ball joints and tie rod ends were installed on new LCA’s in January 2024. They have ~500 miles and 12 open track sessions at Gingerman plus one auto-x day. Installation per the directions, torque sequence and value achieved, I marked the bolt heads after torque and they had not moved.

 

[EF1]

All front LCA bushings, Howe Racing ball joints and tie rod ends were installed on new LCA’s in January 2024. They have ~500 miles and 12 open track sessions at Gingerman plus one auto-x day. Installation per the directions, torque sequence and value achieved, I marked the bolt heads after torque and they had not moved.

Have you reached out to Prothane yet?

 

[noldevin]

I've heard quite a few reports of urethane bushings not being up to the task of that location. That bushing takes a huge chunk of the braking force and catches a good amount of heat from the headers. Delrin is the move.

 

[Boss4Me]

Have you reached out to Prothane yet?

I am communicating with Maximum Motorsports. They have the story and pictures. I did order replacement Prothanes from MM that should be here tomorrow. I purchased the Koni’s, MM springs and camber plates from them. Mike has been very helpful.

 

[Boss4Me]

I've heard quite a few reports of urethane bushings not being up to the task of that location. That bushing takes a huge chunk of the braking force and catches a good amount of heat from the headers. Delrin is the move.

Delrin seems like the call for a dedicated track car. If it is still street driven, Delton might be too unforgiving of sh**ty roads like we have in the snow and salt belt.

 

[noldevin]

Delrin seems like the call for a dedicated track car. If it is still street driven, Delton might be too unforgiving of sh**ty roads like we have in the snow and salt belt.

I didn't really notice a difference tbh. Maybe a little more noise. Your springs and struts should be doing most of the bump absorbing

 

[Boss4Me]

I didn't really notice a difference tbh. Maybe a little more noise. Your springs and struts should be doing most of the bump absorbing

Thanks for the input. I am not rejecting delrin as a viable alternative.

 

[scmscout]

Thanks for the input. I am not rejecting delrin as a viable alternative.

Delrin, the ONLY way to go!

 

[Dave_W]

Wow, that's seriously chewed up. The inner part of the bushing got pulled out from between the sleeve and control arm and twisted like an orange peel.

Where did you grease the bushing - between the sleeve and bushing, or bushing and arm? The bushing is supposed to rotate on the sleeve, so the bushing and arm rotate as one unit. The grease goes on the ouside of the sleeve / inside of the bushing.

Is the sleeve long enough? The sleeve should protrude slightly from the bushing ends, so torquing the bolt clamps the sleeve, not the bushing.

Are the areas where the bushing ends contact the body-side bracket smooth?

This looks like the sleeve may have been a bit short, and torquing the bolt caused the end of the bushing to be stuck against some sawtooth-like protusion on the mounting bracket. Every suspension movement caused the bushing to rotate and ratchet against the protrusion, which peeled the bushing out little by little. Just my guess looking at the pics.

 

[Mad Hatter]

We just but in spherical bearings instead, they have been on the car for 5 seasons now without any problems.

We put the in with the original A arms after the BMR tubular arms decided to break