Question about handling after upgrade to elephant racing bushings for the rear LCA

[brybart]

I am considering installing the "sport" rubber bushings by elephant vs total replacement of the rear LCA (with OEM LCA) in my 2001 Boxster S. Since I am only planning on the rear, will the stiffer bushing drastically change the handling? Will it induce more over-steer? Has anyone upgraded to the elephant bushings at the rear only and what is your feedback?

[WorkInProgressK]

Originally Posted by brybart

I am considering installing the "sport" rubber bushings by elephant vs total replacement of the rear LCA (with OEM LCA) in my 2001 Boxster S. Since I am only planning on the rear, will the stiffer bushing drastically change the handling? Will it induce more over-steer? Has anyone upgraded to the elephant bushings at the rear only and what is your feedback?

You have to consider it as a whole. Do you have stiffer suspension? Heavy sway-bars?

Personally, I don't like sport bushings or stiffer bushing in moving parts(Spherical bushings are a different category). What will happen is that with a harder rubber, the bushing will induce a larger amount of spring rate to the system. Currently with the bushings on the car, the suspension is able to move around during its travel adding a minimal amount of spring rate. If you replace with something stiffer, the overall effect would be similar to replacing the springs on the rear. How much more tail happy it will be? I can't tell you. You can measure how much force it takes to move it through its range before and after.

[brybart]

WIP - thanks for the feedback, you make a good point about effecting spring rate, I see where sport bushings would make sense with full on "track" suspension so I would have the ability to adjust for bounce and rebound, but I am not going that far. This pulls me back towards TRW Arms and OEM LCA's.