Sodium

Good afternoon everybody! About a month ago, did my first mod – I replaced the stock LCA bushings with a set of RR-Racing USRS bushings (yay, no longer riding stock ). USRS = Ultimate Steering Response System – after a few thousand miles with these bushings, I can say that this name is an understatement, as they do much more than just improve steering response. Really, they should be called "Ultimate Vehicle Stability System". The USRS is discussed at length in a 20+ page thread in the IS-F forum, so I won't go into too much detail here.

The Claims: RR-Racing designed these bushings to eliminate both lateral and thrust deflection of the lower control arm – both contribute to imprecise steering, and thrust deflection causes inner tire wear. Also, these bushings fit the 3GS, 4GS, 2IS, and RC models, so you can can reuse them if/when it comes time to upgrade to a GS-F.
Skip to 6:25 in this video to see both the OEM and USRS bushings in action:
Ordering/shipping: Price was $366 with shipping; shipping was fast (ordered on Thursday, received on Monday).

Installation: An easy DIY if you have good hand tools, and the instructions from RR-Racing were straightforward and easy to follow. The one issue I ran into was that the right LCA extended further aft than the left one, so I had to use a pry bar to get it seated and bolted down correctly. I did the install in my garage, but if I had to install again I would go to my local DIY garage and get an hour on a two-post lift. Also, the bushings come pre-lubricated, and during the first few days I noticed quite a bit of lube coming out – apparently this is normal, as RR-Racing applies more lube than is strictly necessary.

Pros:

• As the name suggests, steering response is improved – steering is more direct and linear when making small steering inputs, and during high speed cornering.
• Straight-line stability is improved – on the Bay Area's poorly maintained freeways, I would have to make frequent steering corrections with the stock bushings, which I no longer have to do with the USRS.
• Bump steer is entirely eliminated.
• Wandering under medium and heavy braking is entirely eliminated, and it seems that braking performance is also improved.
• Steering feel is somewhat improved, though the power steering still kills most of the feedback through the wheel.
• I can't yet comment on the extent to which inner tire wear is reduced, but according to the IS-F forum it is a significant improvement.
• The bushings come with a lifetime warranty.

Cons: If there are any, I haven't found them. If I really pay attention, there may be a slight increase in NVH, but it's about as noticeable as a nickel under a memory foam mattress. A few members in the IS-F forum complained about NVH after installing the bushings, but I expect that's because the IS-F suspension is stiffer.

Summary: The USRS is one of the best performance mods I'm aware of. I've seen significant improvements in handling, braking, stability, steering response, and driving feel – these bushings should have been on the GS from the factory. The price is very reasonable, and the savings from increased tire life mean the bushings will at least partially pay for themselves.

mspearl95

I installed these in my GS 460, and while the steering response and stability improvements were great, the jarring ride over road imperfections was too much to bear. Just took the out and went back to OEM. Probably great for the track, but not for daily driving IMO.

potatomon

It's obviously a fake review.. nobody in their right mind would take time to write all that

professorm

Did you install the Road & Track (red) version or the Street (black) version?

RRRacing

iTrader: (1)

If you're looking for a better explanation on these RR Racing bushings, have a look at this video. At 5:28 in the video, Rafi describes the differences between the 3 offerings. If I can help answer any other questions please let me know or shoot me a PM.

Justin
RR Racing

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