RE: Mixing Rubber and Polyurethane bushings

[White Anthony <anthony.white@domain.elided>]

Hi John, 

No bad implications, if that's what you mean.  Some parts of your suspension will be more firm than others.  For example, with regards to anti-roll bars, it would be like putting a slightly firmer anti-roll bar on the rear, but leaving the stock bar on the front.  

Some people building street cars choose to only replace some of their bushings with urethane, in order to increase tautness and feedback to the driver, while keeping some in rubber, maintaining some compliance in ride.  I know that some people with crude live-axle cars (non-Alfa) counsel against replacing all the bushings with urethane, and the extra stiffness places additional loads on other components, and they rattle or tear themselves apart.  

At times there are also available softer urethane bushings with the same density as rubber, allowing one to benefit from the longevity and resistance to oil and solvents of urethane, while maintaining the compliance of rubber.  I don't know if anyone makes these for Alfas, though.  

Regards,
Anthony

'85 116 Giulietta
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