Could use some knowledge. Whiteline LCA Bushings shot after < 3k miles.

I had the offset whiteline LCA bushings installed in June on my stock suspension 05 wagon. After less than 3000 miles, they are shot. The LCA is moving around and clunking like crazy. The car jerks to the side under braking and is now much worse than when the badly torn stockers were still on the car. Were they installed improperly? Has anyone else had this issue?

 

I can stick my pinkie finger in the space left by the polyurethane that used to be there.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

http://i.imgur.com/D1kET.jpg

That almost looks like something chemical ate away at it... wtf. I've had mine in since January, I'll go take a look at them tomorrow if I remember.

I really don't think poly is the right material for this application. Suggest the GrpN hardened rubber bushings for this.

I've never seen that before. What did you grease them with? I would probably call Whiteline for replacements.

I"m not sure what they were greased with. The mechanic who installed them is experienced with subaru (He's got an STI that he races) and race cars. I can't imagine that he used something that would have destroyed the poly in such short order. I considered the sti or group-n bushings and should have gone with them, in retrospect. The bushings were cheap compared with the cost of installation and a new alignment.

 

The pisser is that I'm going on a road trip with the family in a couple weeks and I can't take the car in this condition.

I've had excellent experience with all of WL's products as well as their customer support. You should contact them for replacements.

What kind of grease did you/they use? I have seen a petroleum-based grease eat through bushings... which was weird but I had been warned.

 

Whiteline is great in that they develop many products not found from most bigger manufacturers, and sell at lower prices than most. I've had great luck with their distributor warranty support. But there are the odd reports of product issues.

 

Consider Group N and be done with it.

 

Please post more pictures once they are pressed out.

Just checked my own bushings and they are a-okay Hrm.

UPDATE: I've ordered '08 STI bushings from Fred Beans to replace the whitelines. Whiteline is sending replacements, but I'm not comfortable putting them back in. They were quite surprised to see the condition of the bushings. I'll try to return the whitelines to Mach5 Motorsports where I purchased them or put the up for sale in the forum.

 

Thanks to everyone for your input.

AFAIK the STi ones are the same as your stockers. You want the GrpN items.

Where can I get the group N ones in two days?

Where can I get the group N ones in two days?

 

Fred Beans

Rallispec has them. How long does it take to change these things out and get a proper alignment?

here are mine...

Final update.

 

For those of you speculating on what caused this, I have no clue. The guy on the Whiteline support number was shocked to see their condition. My mechanic stated that he used the grease that came with the original Whiteline bushings, so that was not the issue.

 

I ordered the 08 STI bushing from Fred Beans and they showed up the very next day. I've used windo-weld to fill the bushings and will be having them put in on Friday. Hopefully, the windo-weld will give a bit of extra control and last a bit longer..

 

Thanks for all your input. Next time around, I'm just ordering the Group-N pieces and calling it a day.

Are they oriented the right way? If they get put in at the wrong angle that can happen. The direction of the offset needs to be perpendicular with the car so the offset part is straight in (so the rear of the control arm is moved out). My theory is that with the offset aligned with the car it puts extra stress on the bushing since the control arm will be trying to center it.

BUMP. 2.5 years since mine were in, and they are destroyed much in the same manner as the OP. Horrible clunking in front end. Emailed Whiteline, hoping to hear back from them. I am not a happy camper.

BUMP. 2.5 years since mine were in, and they are destroyed much in the same manner as the OP. Horrible clunking in front end. Emailed Whiteline, hoping to hear back from them. I am not a happy camper.

 

WL will replace them, that is the good thing about the WL support is that most every company will have failures along the way, it's a matter of how they support you after the sale that is where WL is good.

 

-Mike Paisan

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/153798190.jpg

Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.

Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

Mike, I'm sure you guys are right. Hoping they get back to me soon so I can make another appointment with you guys!

Mike, I'm sure you guys are right. Hoping they get back to me soon so I can make another appointment with you guys!

 

If they don't get back to you, shoot us an e-mail on Tues and we'll get it worked out for you, we have a good relationship with WL.

 

-Mike Paisan

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/153798190.jpg

Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.

Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

After seeing this i'm convinced whiteline either have crappy QC or just crappy product overall. In my country some of out best roads are probably your worst. The WL bushings in my upper control arm (rear) were shot in less than a year. I replaced them and i'm just waiting to hear them go again :-/

After seeing this i'm convinced whiteline either have crappy QC or just crappy product overall. In my country some of out best roads are probably your worst. The WL bushings in my upper control arm (rear) were shot in less than a year. I replaced them and i'm just waiting to hear them go again :-/

 

Often times we've seen them be installed incorrectly leading to the failures as well.

 

-Mike Paisan

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/153798190.jpg

Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Enthusiasts since 2001.

Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) |AIM: AZP Installs

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

Whats the correct vs incorrect way?

BUMP. 2.5 years since mine were in, and they are destroyed much in the same manner as the OP. Horrible clunking in front end. Emailed Whiteline, hoping to hear back from them. I am not a happy camper.

 

hmm just had these installed after my Avo's failed.

 

Looks like I get to look forward to replacing them too.