02 GTP Front Control Arm Bushing Issue

[Stevo]

 

It seems that the engineers at GM designed a bushing specifically to fail. Instead of designing the front bushing (3) like the rear one (4) to move with the axis of the control arm, the front bushing eventually takes a beating until the metal casing fails or the rubber begins to eject itself from the casing. An easy fix is to just replace them (cost unknown yet). Is there a non-rubber replacement? I have searched high and low here using different search criteria and can only find the ZZP control arms which are really nice but I don't have $500+ for parts.

 

WTF was GM thinking?

 

[Andrew]

WTF was GM thinking?

 

if i knew that, id be........ as dumb as they were!

 

http://www.wbodystore.com/grandprix/Performance-Control-Arms-pair-p-286.html#

[dav305z]

I'm in the same boat. The WBS arms linked to above use rubber for the prone-to-fail front bushings, and poly rears. The closest thing I can find are Moog fronts, but those of course, are rubber as well. I'm not ready to trust the ZZPs.

[Andrew]

ive been curious about the design of that bushing as well. Its not like the arm moves any other direction. My only guess is that it dampens vibrations.

 

there are really only 2 options for that bushing. rubber oem style, and a spherical bearing like WBS had on their top end arms they no longer make. No idea where to find that type of joint.

 

ZZP then took it a step futher, making custom tubular arms with a heim joint.