Is there a difference in quality between OE Metalastic bushings and aftermarket bushings, such as from URO Parts?

When I rebuilt my IRS, I installed new URO Parts bushings in the radius arms. About a week and 100 miles later, I had one of the small bushings fail. About 1,000 miles and 11 months later, I had the one on the other side fail. The steel tube in the center is twisting out of the rubber. I thought maybe I installed it wrong - maybe I torqued the small end down and lifted the large end up to meet the rocker panel mount, twisting the bushing... or maybe they're just low quality?

Any thoughts? Prices go as follows:
URO Parts: $4-10 each
OE Metalastic: About $30 each
Polybush Black "Comfort": $58 each

 

I'm hearing more and more not-so-good reports on URO parts.

Then again buying anything these days seems to be a bit of a gamble. It's hard to know what you're getting....sometimes even with known name brands and the term "OEM" is thrown around *****-nilly.

Cheers
DD

 

You may have over tightened the small end. I think is suppose to be a bit loose so it can spin as the radius arm goes up and down with the road. That's why it has the locking washer. URO parts are hit or miss. That small bush on the radius arm is perfect spot to use a poly bush. The big end will absorb any noise, vibrations and harshness so firming up the small end will a poly bush will allow for more durability and no additional harshness.

 

Thanks for the responses guys! Those poly bushings might be the way to go.

Hm, I thought the whole idea behind the Metalastic bushings was that the inside metal barrel twisted in the rubber while the outside metal shell was fixed to the chassis, etc? I remember a setup like that on the front inner LCA bushings... I think it involved some sort of special toothed lock washer? I don't know... I could be way off!

However, I did make those small ends tight. I'll have to figure this out before I install the next bushings.

 

You should only finally tighten-up the small radius arm bush when the full weight is on the suspension. This is in the workshop manual. If you tighten without weight on the suspension, there will be a permanent twist in the rubber of the bush when the car is at rest. This will lead to premature failure. However, after-market parts quality can be an issue.

In fact almost anywhere a rubber bush has to take up some suspension movement, they should only be fully tightened with the weight of the car on the suspension.

 

The large metalastic bush has 2 slots in it one facing front and one facing the rear. this is to give some movement under breaking. I don't no if the after market ones have this; if the front ones are to solid it could cause the small ones to pop out.
Cheers Ray