Recently, i just had the full Daizen control arm bushing kit installed on my 02 GS430 with 103,000 miles. I mainly did this because my alignment kept getting out of spec, and the car handled sloppy. The shop where i got it installed showed my how the Caster Arm bushings were shot, so i decided to get all bushings replaced (caster arm,front control arms and upper control arms). After an alignment, i must say, the car handles and drives like a beast! But, it is a trade off. I hear and feel ever single bump harshly that i go over (bridge joints, pot holes, road craters etc.) I'm on the east coast, so the roads aren't necessarily perfect in the MD area. The car didn't ride like this before the bushings so i know they are the culprit (just had new OEM shocks and ball joints installed months before). I'm on the stock chrome 17's with Michelin pilot sports and i have no suspension mods.

It was a pretty penny to get the bushings put in, will i have to buy all stock control arms to get my car not to ride like a lowered Integra, or is it a particular set of the arms that are causing it to ride like this?

All help is appreciated!!

 

You've got polyurethane bushings, so of course the ride is going to be harsher. I'm not sure if OEM bushes on the control arms are going to take lightly with the car lowered (my GS is stock height).

 

My car isn't lowered, it is stock height as well.

 

always heard good things about the daizens, but if comfort is an issue, id get bigger sidewalls on the tires i.e. 245/45s all around, or 225/50..

at least thats what im planning to do with my gs wheels

 

theres a reason lexus put those rubber bushings in there. for comfort. now that it is polyurethane, its going to be harsh. if u were local, i'd trade u arms

 

Yes. u would have to buy all new arms... and trust me it doesnt ride like a lowered intergra. Ive had the daizen on stock shock/springs.. feels a whole lot better than a bouncy cheap honda.

Search up the Sewell website for a whole front suspension arm set to change out everything so your car rides like new again.

 

This is just the start of it. Wait until they settle in and start squeaking. Also wait until they wear out and deform a little bit, so your suspension will be properly loose AND harsh, if not even harsher

 

I regret my daizen "upgrade" as well. At some point I will pick up new oem control arms, but not for a while. Just have to live with the harsh ride for now.

 

So do you guys recommend installing any of the Daizen parts or to remain with all Stock Parts?

 

I have over 40k miles on my GS with the Daizen that I track often but not one squeak at all. Most people do not take into account that when you install any bushing, you want to preload the bushing before tighten them down to specs. This is the main culprit to most people's problem with Poly bushings.

 

Those arms aint cheap either...

 

100% honest, stock oem parts man. The ride harshness is not fun and they squeak pretty well when its cold.

 

Adding preload before installation of polyurethane bushings wouldn't really make a difference because it doesn't resist deflection like the OEM rubber setup. The metal sleeve is free to rotate from the bushings where as the OEM rubber bushings are bonded to the metal sleeve. I never had squeaking, but then again, I was VERY generous with the grease, and even knurled the metal sleeve to keep the grease in.

Chalk me up as another one that regretted the Daizen bushings. If your car is already stiff or ride comfort is not your priority, then the bushings will do wonder. At one point I had just the Daizen caster bushings on while riding on stock springs and KYB shocks. The ride was harsh enough that I just got rid of them for a used pair of OEM arms.

Another thing I didn't like about the bushings (caster specifically), was that it was not made for cars that are lowered. It offers little to no degrees of freedom when the suspension is traveling. If you lift up your car, you an see the bushing actually tearing up a bit around the lip. Great for keeping the caster angle in check, but doesn't really do a damn thing for ride quality. Can't wait for FIGS to offer his version of the caster arm.

 

Man, I'm still on the fence of whether to install the rest of my bushings now. I installed the caster arm bushings and really like the added improvements and tightness associated with it. But i'm wondering whether doing the UCA and LCA #1 would make my car to stiff and unforgiving. I had no idea that many people are unsatisfied with them. In previous post i only heard good things?

 

Sucks to hear you guys not liking the Daizen bushings because I love mine. I guess 8+ years of driving around on 500lbs/in race springs made me immune to the harshness.