All rubber products eventually get brittle and wear out
Rubber Parts Fail Over Time
Imagine the deafening noise of metal arms clanging together under your car as you drive. Now consider the additional hammering that you would feel as this occurred and you can see the need for the quieting effect and dampening provided by these rubber donuts. (“Donuts” as a term may be a bit misleading since bushings have many different shapes) They last years, but like all rubber products, they eventually get brittle and wear out. The bushing also serves as guides for the metal parts. In effect they keep other parts in the correct position. This job is crucial when it comes to a wheel alignment.
Bad Bushings Make Some Other Repairs Impossible to Address
Failed bushings make a proper alignment an exercise in futility. So why were we replacing bushings again for our client? It was simply that the pattern of wear and the needed replacements occurred over three consecutive visits. Each visit had shown us a different bushing that had come to the end of its life. It is highly unlikely that we will ever have to replace the newly installed bushings since they have a very long service life. If you are curious about the work being done on your car, ask your mechanic for a tour. Most mechanics love an involved customer and will be glad to show you how it all works. After all, car care is a team effort.
