Suspension bush upgrades – various Subaru models

Suspension bush upgrades – various Subaru models

Subaru retained the same basic design of front control arm used on the Impreza from 1993 for the Legacy and Forester well into the Noughties. The demands of performance 4WD means that fitting replacement polyurethane bushes to Imprezas is commonplace, but to the Legacy and Forester it is less so. However, the benefits of improved steering and feedback that we believe is offered by replacing rubber with polyurethane bushes equally applies to these hard working and much loved cars.

SuperPro offer upgrades for the front control arms of all three models. Not only do they fit as easily as the factory parts, they deliver significant dynamic benefits without compromising ride quality. The improvement in handling is immediately noticeable with drivers stating that they feel much better connected to the car. In addition, they are resistant to the environmental factors that can accelerate rubber deterioration with the result that performance is consistent and does not degrade over time.

So, the next question is why should a technician fit them on a normal service job?

There are some key benefits and recommendations that are worth highlighting:

  • These are all hard working cars which their owners tend to hold in high esteem – they are therefore likely to remain in the current owners’ hands beyond the next MOT.
  •  We are confident that upgrading to Polyurethane will ensure that the car’s steering geometry is consistent for many miles to come – with consequential benefits for traction and tyre wear rates and a reduction in the tendencies for the front wheels to be pulled around by uneven road surfaces.
  • Caster ‘increase’ options offer a more positive steering feel as well as straight line stability and ‘anti-lift’.
  • The installation is straightforward and no more time consuming than replacing rubber bushes.
  • In common with all suspension work, the installation should be accompanied by a thorough four wheel alignment – an opportunity to increase job value while offering genuine benefits to your customer.
  • Finally, this is a job which we are totally confident will improve the way the car feels to the driver. How many service jobs these days will genuinely offer a discernable positive difference in the driver experience when they leave your workshop?

For all three cars there are two options you can offer:

Option 1: Standard alignment – these kits includes replacement bushes for the front and rear bushes on the lower front control arms and will fit both pressed steel and cast alloy versions of the arm on the Impreza as well as the steel arms used on the Legacy and Forester.

Option 2: The ‘standard’ rear bush is replaced with an ‘offset’ version. Steering ‘caster’ is increased which improves straight-line stability and gives the driver a more ‘positive’ steering feel while introducing ‘anti-lift’ into the steering geometry.

FITTING THE NEW PRODUCT

The SuperPro lower front control arm bush kit

Parts laid out next to original arms

Offset bush positioned ready for installation

And once installed with the correct offset…

… and fitted to the back of the car

The car is ready for action!

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